I believe the operating definition of organizational behavior must start with a creative mission statement. I believe employers can help employees do outstanding things just by helping them achieve a mental picture of what they are able to accomplish. People want to excel and stand out among the rest. They want to be excellent employees in an excellent company. The problem arises when a top-performing company with top-quality employees, whom for some reason or another, lack that extra enthusiasm for their job and the tasks involved. The solution then becomes the methods used to create a common goal or vision which will help employees become prosperous and successful.
The ideal scenario is to be able to provide a mission statement in which each employee would follow without hesitation. The mission statement must be equivalent in its definition, and how that definition is interpreted, by both the employer and the employee. Both the company and employee must be driven toward the same goals of success. By shining the light, you give your employees the idea of what a well-run company should look like.
One ideal method of creating this type of vision is to make the company’s mission statement attractive. Use emotion to capture the hearts of your people. There have statistically been more successful plans that originated out of emotion and liveliness than there have for plans which rely on logic and statistical data. The more attractive your plan appears, the more enthusiastically driven people will become. This will give them the energy to make sure the overall objectives are met and that success prevails.
Another well-defined method of creating a common vision of success would be to eliminate the unnecessary. Try not to include statements concerning leadership and profit, for example,phrases such as, “We are here primarily to make a profit for our stockholders” or “In order to be a leader you must…” These methods are outdated in today’s business world, and they lack a centralized commonly understood goal. Never be too verbose with your mission statement. Keep it clear, precise, and to the point. Your employees must be able to understand it and even relay it on to their peers. If an employee can not tell you what the mission statement is, then it is entirely useless. An employee must know it, believe in it and have the desire to fulfill its final objective.
A third area that needs consideration is the area of dealing with making the facts evidentially apparent. By saying that your company’s goal is to “make a profit” would be more than obvious to anyone in the business world of today. A good example would be, “We drink water so we can stay alive.” I think we all already know why we drink water. Even though drinking water will keep us alive, it is not the definition of why we are here.
A successful mission statement providing a well thought-out vision, which connects with the emotions of your employees, will drive the entire company in the right direction. Employees do not want to be part of the fiscal results. Employees want to know they make a difference in someone’s life. They want to follow a goal that will help them feel good about themselves and the beliefs they represent.
A company with an unclear mission statement will go nowhere. Your employees can be working their extremely hard,but if they are all working at different paces with different styles, then issues become petty and importance is thrown out the window. When the work is being done through physical motor activity rather than from the heart, this is when the true meaning of what is trying to be accomplished becomes useless.
Having the ability to create a company’s mission statement is not only the most difficult task to accomplish, but it can also be one of the most powerful tools available. I feel the mission statement defines the operating definition of organizational behavior. Organizational behavior is the ability to control the feelings, desires and drives of your employees towards a common goal of success.