What the world's most powerful CEOs say about mission statements

(excerpted from Say It and Live It)

"This little book [of the company's Philosophy] is the glue that holds the company together... I carry it around in my pocket all the time."

    -- Arnold Langbo, Chairman and CEO, Kellogg's

"We get asked all the time, 'why are you doing as well as you are?,' and we always bring up our Basic Beliefs... We don't talk about earnings per share; we don't talk about sales incentives. We talk about Basic Beliefs..."

    -- Tim Smucker, Chairman, J.M. Smucker Company

"We think most of our success flows from everyone understanding this statement... All decisions are based on the Credo, from my office to the clerical offices."

    -- James D. Ericson, President and CEO, Northwestern Mutual Life

"Although we have short term aberrations, long term commitment to the mission statement allows us to bring the company back and continue to move forward."

    -- Al Piergallini, Chairman, President and CEO, Gerber

"You have a mission [statement], against which you test everything you're doing..."

    -- Clark Matthews, President and CEO, The Southland Corporation

"Our values [in This is Hallmark] are the only things that ultimately will protect us from making mistakes that would undermine our reputation, our integrity, and therefore, our success..."

    -- Donald J. Hall, Chairman, Hallmark

"Basically we started with a vision statement..., not what we were, but what we wanted to be... The mission statement gets down to where we want to be positioned in the world of business."

    -- William R. Tiefel, President, Marriott Lodging Group

"I believe every company should be focused, fast, flexible, and fun... The mission statement helps you be focused."

    -- Richard C. Bartlett, Vice Chairman, Mary Kay Cosmetics

"We put our new [mission] statement in the Wall Street Journal as a positioning statement we wanted our customers to see."

    -- Jerry Myers, President and CEO, Steelcase

Looking for a Speaker?

Larry Kahaner's presentations to your company or trade associations highlight the best mission statements in corporate America and how companies have used them to win. He also explains how you can use mission statements to motivate your employees, set goals, and keep your company or organization on track.

Kahaner also gives his "Six Rules for Writing and Implementing Your Own Mission Statement," a step-by-step process that gives results.

To learn how to produce--and use--a mission statement at your company, or if you are interested in having Larry Kahaner address your trade association or company leaders about values-based decision-making, contact us by email, phone: 703-761-4979.

You can also write us at:
Box 1051
McLean, VA  22101
USA

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