Are mission statements still relevant?

One author that comes to mind is Guy Kawasaki; who has published several relevant books on entrepreneurship. I can't fully remember which of his books deals most with mission statements -- I think it is "The Art of Start".

He is dead set against the standard corporate motto. This I like. Instead, he proposes a "mantra". The gist of his proposal goes like this:

1. Make meaning. (Loosely, find a major pain point which good people will be passionate about solving.)
2. Make Mantra. (Loosely, create a super-simple chant / mantra people can rally around.)

You can find a micro-explanation of this here, but you should really read the more comprehensive version in the book.

However, the truly authoritative writer on mission statements was the Dilbert Mission Statement Generator. Sadly it no longer exists, but a quick Googling brings back some examples of its writings:

• “Our challenge is to assertively administrate timely resources and authoritatively integrate enterprise-wide products while promoting personal employee growth.”
• "Our challenge is to assertively network economically sound methods of empowerment so that we may continually negotiate performance-based infrastructures."
• "Our mission is to continue to conveniently supply seven-habits-conforming data such that we may continue to authoritatively integrate value-added catalysts for change while promoting personal employee growth"

TL;DR - mission statements still exist, but many choose to represent this as a manifesto.

Example - from google: mission statement

Google’s mission is to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.

vs their philosophy: 10 things we know to be true.

• Focus on the user and all else will follow.
• It’s best to do one thing really, really well.
• Fast is better than slow.
• Democracy on the web works.
• You don’t need to be at your desk to need an answer.
• You can make money without doing evil.
• There’s always more information out there.
• The need for information crosses all borders.
• Great just isn’t good enough.

We all have heard the phrase "do no evil" and "google" but rarely hear about their mission statement.

Another example: "philosophy" statement / mission statement: SEOmoz's TAGFREE

In the internet space, many companies point towards "beliefs" more than the mission statement.

Ahh, the elusive mission statement.

I come out of an academic background that loves mission statements. It is called Organizational Development. OD Consultants believe that a company must have a clear mission statement. We could discuss for a long time how this emerged in the context of organization developmental with roots in Military efficiency and effectiveness -- but then we would be continuing to provide this topic far more time that it deserves.

So I am not a 'great published writer" with a book you can quote and provide to your client -- but I will tell you this from personal experience as an orgnaizational development consultant:

There is absolutely no correlation between coherent mission statement and success. And if (when) I am ever wealthy (again) I will personnaly refund all my clients I every accepted money from in the bullshit exercise of developing either a vision or mission statement.

Until then a simply sorry will have to do.

I am sorry to have wasted your time and organizational resources. I wish we would have focused on understanding your market, your customers, the core value proposition you offered, how you were going to deliver that propsition, and provide a positive return to your owners and stakeholders.

If you must try this: To deliver real value to our customers in manner that builds value for our owners. You can polish it a little to personalize it if you want.

Then, get back to work.