Over the next several weeks I will be giving presentations on many different topics. One topic very close to me, and one that was essential in building great teams, is commitment.
In Jon Gordon’s book, The 7 Commitments of a Great Team, one commitment stands out to me more than any other: committing to the mission and vision of the team.
This one resonates strongly with me because I have worked with many teams to create mission, vision, and values. Talking with directors, managers, and frontline staff, I have seen how meaningful this work becomes. It helps teams encapsulate a unified vision forward and values that drive their daily commitments.
In a world that moves at record speed, I have watched teams slow down long enough to rediscover what matters. They pause. They breathe. They reflect on how they serve their communities and how they want to impact the future.
I stress the importance of this because when we are busy, tired, and worn down, it becomes easy to forget the mission.
I know because I have been there. In fact, an entire team was there. The whole team felt the distress of the constant grind.
Was work still getting produced? Yes. Were we still meeting the needs of the community at a very high level? Yes. But inside the building, you could feel the fatigue settling into the walls.
Teams rarely burn out from the work. They burn out when they forget why the work matters.
This is where commitment becomes critical.
Sometimes it is as simple as pointing to the values on the wall in the back office. Sometimes it is the reminder in a meeting: “Let us reflect on our mission.” Other times it is the project we are working on that points directly to the vision we created together.
Mission, vision, and values are not documents. They are anchors. And anchors need to be checked.
When we do these workshops, it is not simply about creating statements. It is about formulating meaning into what we do and how we serve. It is individuals coming together collectively and making a commitment to the words and statements they designed as a team in service of their community.
As we break out of summer and turn the corner to fall, I encourage you to look at your values, mission, and vision and see if they still align with where you are today and where you are going in the future. Perhaps they need refreshed. Perhaps you are as steadfast in them now as you were five years ago. Either way, it is a great time for reflection.
If you need help guiding your team to create a mission and vision they can be committed to, I am here.
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