Take A Step Back, And Look At The Big Picture

Just as your organization likely has a mission statement and set of guiding principles, team leaders should also have their own "North Stars" that they aspire to work toward as managers. Here’s an example from Denise Morrison, CEO of Campbell Soup Company: “To serve as a leader, live a balanced life, and apply ethical principles to make a significant difference.”Amanda Steinberg, CEO of DailyWorth.com, aligns her personal mission statement with the ultimate ambition of the company she leads: “To use my gifts of intelligence, charisma, and serial optimism to cultivate the self-worth and net-worth of women around the world.”Take five minutes today to jot down your own personal mission statement, keeping in mind that it might change over time. Revisit it at the start of each week to stay focused on the big picture.Some tips for thinking about your personal mission statement:

• What is the big idea your company or team is trying to solve? How can you apply this big idea to the culture of the team?
• Whom do you admire when it comes to leadership? Think about what, specifically, you admire about their leadership styles. Write down those traits and use them to guide you.
• From your mission statement, identify three to five ways you can help bring that mission to life within your team. Make sure the points are specific and actionable.
• Finally, determine KPI's. How will you know you are effectively following this mission? You might use technology (like Butterfly)  to gather feedback from the team, or ask employees for their thoughts during in-person checks, both formal and informal.

Once you’ve found your mission statement, repeat it to yourself, often. This will help you keep your work life in perspective, and stop you from getting too caught up in the day to day aspects of your job.Source: Our new e-book Your First 50 Days, available now![button link="bit.ly/butterfly-ebook-alexfin" size="large" text_size="beta" newtab="on"]Get Your Free Copy![/button]