Family Mission Statement
Family Mission Statement
By developing a family mission statement, Dr. Stephen Covey stated, “the whole family can begin with the end in mind, a common purpose, a common vision.” Below are some guidelines and tips to help you develop and form a mission statement for your family!
Guidelines for Developing a Family Mission Statement
The mission statement must be timeless.
Every member of the family should participate. Feel free to keep it simple, and use pictures to help younger children understand the concept.
Effective mission statements must refer to the end and the means.
Realize that you must uncover your family’s mission. You don’t invent it, as family members have special talents, qualities, and gifts unique to them. Use those characteristics to help you develop your family mission statement.
Tips for Forming a Family Mission Statement
G ather information. Setup a brainstorming session with your family to see what each family member values.
O rganize. Take the ideas formed in the brainstorming session and put them into categories.
A nalyze. Determine how practical your family’s ideas are by examining each one with your family. If an idea isn’t practical, it may not fit in the mission statement.
L imit. Although good in theory, some ideas may not work because you don’t have the resources or gifts to implement them.
S tart. Begin using your family mission statement right away. Put it in a prominent place in your home and encourage family members to memorize it. It is a good idea to discuss with your family (every 3 weeks or so) how each member is utilizing the mission statement in their lives.
A typical family mission statement starts with “Our family exists to ___.” Utilize the tips and guidelines above to help you fill in the blank. Dads, by leading this exercise, you will help to define and motivate your family—helping them to focus on what is most important.
Check out more great ideas for dads at The National Fatherhood Initiative website