Mission Statement: A Guiding Path to Our True Purpose

Executive Editor Daniel Alter, MSc, MDT, CDT | dalter@aegiscomm.com

A mission statement is a critical part of any strategic business planning, and it is integral to the execution of fundamental principles for your dental laboratory, organization, and self. It is the defining motivation for you, your employees, and all associated stakeholders. According to Entrepreneur.com, "A mission statement defines what an organization is, why it exists, and its reason for being." Your mission statement should identify your primary customers, the products and services you offer, and the geographical location of your operations.¹ However, beyond this static definition, a mission statement should evoke an emotion that aligns your organization, whether large or small, with your employees, vendors, and clientele; it is often what people refer to as "our true north" or "guiding light."

The mission statement should speak less about the function and more about the purpose—what you are setting out to achieve in the world with your business. "The mission statement reflects every facet of your business: the range and nature of the products you offer, pricing, quality, service, marketplace position, growth potential, use of technology, and your relationships with your customers, employees, suppliers, competitors and the community," states Entrepreneur.com.¹ Deeply contemplating your organization's mission statement will help identify marketing efforts that will garner greater engagement with like-minded dentist clientele, as well as create an internal culture that fosters mutual awareness and appreciation, and keeps everyone within the organization aligned with the same common purpose. Furthermore, this practice will help the organization identify and pivot toward the operational changes needed to react to external pressures as they come about, while at the same time maintaining a consistent motivation and staying true to the business's mission.

In this season, as we sunset one year—a challenging one, to say the least—and look forward to the next, it is the perfect opportunity to reflect and realign your business, yourself, and your employees with your organization's mission statement. If you don't have a mission statement, there is a simple process to create one. Sit down, think deeply, and write down the purpose of your laboratory in one sentence. Have two or three other key people in your business do the same, then discuss and come to an agreement on a mission statement that encapsulates all the important points. Once you have agreed on a finalized mission statement, it can be communicated to the rest of the company.¹

This should be a task of honest, earnest exploration, and you may be astonished and reassured to discover your true purpose in the dental laboratory business. There is much satisfaction to be found in offering life-changing solutions to your dentist clientele—and ultimately their patients. I would like to take this opportunity to wish all our readers and dental professionals a wonderful holiday season and a very happy New Year!

It is my great honor and pleasure to Elevate and Inspire with Knowledge!

Reference

1. Entrepreneur Small Business Encyclopedia. Mission statement definition. Entrepreneur. https://www.entrepreneur.com/encyclopedia/mission-statement. Accessed November 11, 2021.