How to get leadership on board
[Andy work on this]

Mission alignment, how to build your case, other tools or resources

Cultural organizations are models and voices for climate action and can inspire and enable change. As educational and charitable members of communities worldwide, climate action aligns with the mission of all cultural organizations –museums, historic sites, libraries, zoos, and aquariums, etc. Climate action is most successful if it is implemented at a systems level: in collaboration, across departments, and with external community stakeholders.

Cultural organizations are contributors to climate change and can implement mitigation, adaptation, and resilience activities to decrease their own environmental impact. This could be through increasing energy efficiency, clean energy generation, waste management, water reclamation, zero-waste exhibitions, and much more. For example, energy efficiency is one of the first places that cultural organizations can begin to decrease their carbon footprint. With the need to regulate temperature for collections, exhibitions, human comfort, and sometimes living collections, the amount of energy consumed by cultural organizations is extremely high. The Carbon Inventory Project estimated that if the entire cultural sector decreased their emissions by 50%, it would be equivalent to 5 natural-gas fired power plants or 452,000 passenger vehicles which is more than all the registered vehicles in the entire state of Maine (415,725). Replacing incandescent light bulbs with LEDs, replacing outdated HVAC systems with efficient systems, installing building management systems that automatically manage when lights turn on, and even ensuring energy-efficient electronics (e.g., those that are EnergyStar certified) are all ways cultural organizations can decrease their energy use. In addition, organizations can consider integrating climate action into their overall strategy and across operations by creating a climate action plan. Organizations can learn about what other organizations are doing by exploring The Climate Toolkit.

OLD STUFF//TO BE REVISED OR REMOVED

There are many benefits to leadership alignment, including: Improved decision-making:

When leaders are aligned, they are more likely to make sound decisions that are based on a shared understanding of the organization's goals and objectives. They communicate openly. And remain agile and flexible.  

Mission alignment refers to the coherence and harmony between an organization's mission, goals, values, and actions. When your mission is aligned with your strategies, operations, and culture, it ensures that everyone within the organization is working towards the same overarching objectives.  

Benefits of mission alignment include:  

  • Increased Focus: Alignment ensures that resources are directed towards achieving the organization's mission and goals, avoiding wastage on conflicting or unrelated efforts.  

  • Improved Morale and Engagement: When employees understand and believe in the organization's mission, they are more likely to feel motivated and engaged in their work.  

  • Enhanced Collaboration: Alignment fosters collaboration across different departments and teams, as everyone is working towards common objectives.  

  • Clearer Decision Making: With a clearly defined mission and aligned goals, decision-making becomes easier as it is guided by the organization's overarching purpose.  

  • Better Performance: When all aspects of the organization are aligned with its mission, it tends to perform better in terms of productivity, innovation, and overall effectiveness.  

To achieve mission alignment, organizations can take several steps:  

  • Define a Clear Mission and Vision: The organization's mission and vision should be clearly articulated and communicated to all stakeholders.  

  • Establish Clear Goals and Objectives: Develop specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals that align with the organization's mission.  

  • Communicate Effectively: Ensure that the mission, goals, and values are consistently communicated throughout the organization, from leadership down to frontline employees.  

  • Align Strategy and Operations: Ensure that the organization's strategies, processes, and operations are designed to support the mission and achieve the established goals.  

  • Create a Culture of Alignment: Foster a culture that values alignment by recognizing and rewarding behaviors that contribute to mission alignment.  

  • Provide Training and Development: Offer training and development opportunities to help employees understand the organization's mission and how their roles contribute to its achievement.  

  • Regularly Assess Alignment: Continuously monitor and evaluate the organization's alignment to identify areas for improvement and take corrective actions as needed.  

By taking these steps, organizations can achieve greater mission alignment, which ultimately leads to improved performance and success in fulfilling their purpose.  

Drafting a mission statement is a critical step in defining the purpose and direction of your organization. Here are some tips to help you create a compelling and effective mission statement: 

  • Be Clear and Concise: Your mission statement should be clear and concise, expressing the core purpose of your organization in a few sentences. Avoid using jargon or overly complicated language. 

  • Focus on the Why: Articulate why your organization exists and the impact it aims to make. What problem are you solving or what need are you fulfilling? This helps convey the purpose and significance of your work. 

  • Be Specific, but Flexible: While your mission statement should be specific enough to provide guidance, it should also allow for flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances or opportunities. 

  • Reflect Your Values and Principles: Your mission statement should align with the values and principles that guide your organization. It should reflect what you stand for and how you conduct business. 

  • Consider Your Audience: Think about who will be reading your mission statement and tailor the language and tone accordingly. It should resonate with your stakeholders, including employees, customers, investors, and the community. 

  • Inspire and Motivate: Your mission statement should inspire and motivate both internal and external stakeholders. It should capture the imagination and evoke a sense of purpose and passion. 

  • Avoid Buzzwords and Clichés: While it's important to be inspiring, avoid using generic buzzwords or clichés that lack substance. Instead, strive for authenticity and originality. 

  • Keep it Timeless: Aim to create a mission statement that remains relevant and meaningful over time. Avoid references to specific products, services, or technologies that may become obsolete. 

  • Seek Input and Feedback: Involve key stakeholders in the drafting process and solicit feedback to ensure that your mission statement resonates with your audience and accurately represents your organization. 

  • Review and Revise Regularly: Your mission statement should evolve along with your organization. Periodically review and revise it to ensure that it remains aligned with your goals, values, and aspirations. 

By following these tips, you can create a mission statement that effectively communicates the purpose and direction of your organization, inspiring others to join you in your mission.

Note: This section prepared with the assistance of AI.  

References: 

  • Bart, C. K., Bontis, N., & Taggar, S. (2001). A model of the impact of mission statements on firm performance. Management Decision, 39(1), 19-35. 

  • Kotter, J. P., & Heskett, J. L. (1992). Corporate culture and performance. Free Press. 

  • Simons, T. L., & Roberson, Q. M. (2003). Why managers should care about fairness: The effects of aggregate justice perceptions on organizational outcomes. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88(3), 432–443.