As Stephen Covey points out in his The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People, Number Two is “begin with the end in mind.” If we don’t have clarity about where we’re going we are unlikely to ever get there. This is a critical step for medical groups and hospital-based clinical services.

The key to medical group or clinical service accomplishment lies in enrolling the team members in a vision of a new future. All change begins with a declaration—someone declaring that a new reality is possible, without evidence or proof; just simply saying it’s so. The leader can articulate a vision but he cannot impose it on the group. The group must own the vision by creating it and then holding all of its members accountable to achieving its goals. This is the primary purpose of an organization’s mission statement – to put into writing the mission or purpose of the organization; to define the future aspirations or vision of the team members; and, to publicly identify what values will be upheld on the journey from where things are today to where we want them to be tomorrow.

A mission, vision, value exercise is best facilitated by an outsider. When led by an insider the inevitable impression is that the process is being dominated by the leadership. The rank and file member of the organization may be hesitant to speak up if they think they are stepping on leadership’s toes. The power in the exercise is everyone’s contribution to the end result.

Once ratified by the group, the mission statement becomes the yardstick by which group behavior is measured as either supporting or detracting from the attainment of the vision. This sword cuts both ways in that the document holds both leader and rank and file team member to the same standards. It is no longer “do it because I say so,” but rather “do it because we have all committed ourselves to doing it for our vision.”

We have helped many physician groups and clinical services take this all important first step. Let us help your team take the first step in realizing your mission, vision, and values.