This book got me hooked at the introduction. It felt like the author spoke my language and was on the same wavelength. However, it took me several months to actually get through it, not due to any fault with the book, but with finding the head space to deal with a topic as profound as my vision and mission.
I went through the first few chapters fairly quickly and then decided to stop. It was clear to me that I would do the book and myself a disservice if I read it in my usual fashion (I “gobble” books!). So I set it aside fully intending to return to it when I had some spare time. Yes, time for a laugh – the words “spare time” do not really exist in a business owner cum mother’s vocabulary!
Some months later, I decided that I seriously needed some time out and went to Bali. The book had collected some dust but was duly packed with the rest of my holiday gear.
On day 10 of my break, I finally felt that I was ready. In a beautiful shady spot on the beach, it took about 6 hours to get through the book, including drafting my vision and mission.
For anyone struggling with writing their mission statement, I highly recommend this book. It provides a very straightforward, step by step approach to writing your mission statement.
The first half helps you uncover your values, how to choose the right words and goes through many examples of mission statements that have been developed using this process.
The second half of the book is devoted to biblical examples that supports the process outlined. This may turn some people off but that would be a shame as there is so much in the first half that is valuable. Mission statements are universal and not religious based. As such, I would encourage everyone interested in the topic to give the book a go anyway, and if concerned about religious messages, then perhaps read the first half and leave the rest.