Through the years we have searched for a way to test a mission statement. How can you tell if your mission statement is good? Is there a good way to do this? We feel we have come up with a solid way to evaluate a mission statement. We have tested this idea at our seminars. We find it works. We offer it here now to you for your use.

We warn you that this test is deceptively simple. Please do not discount it for its simplicity. It is also very powerful. It reveals much about your institution.

Follow these directions carefully. If you have any questions about the process call or e-mail us. We will be happy to assist you. However, we have found that most people find this an easy test to perform and interpret.

The testing process:

1. Get a copy of your existing mission statement. Read it aloud.

2. Think of a competitive institution or organization (this can also be used for profit motivated organizations) that is very unlike yours. Think of this organization's products, target audiences, marketing objectives, and all else that makes it DIFFERENT from yours. Don't be concerned if it seems ridiculously different. That is good.

3. Returning to your existing mission statement, change any identification of your institution's ,organization to the DIFFERENT institution you have chosen. Make minor "adjustment" as necessary (location, for example). Read it aloud.

4. The congruity represented by the "new" version, if it sounds OK to you, the POORER your mission statement. Why do we say that? If the "new" version sounds OK that means that your original mission, statement was not good. It did little to differentiate your school or organization. It did not POSITION you well in the competitive marketplace. If your original mission statement consisted of a bunch of abstract superlatives (we call "the commitment to excellence bull shit") it will become abundantly clear to you. So remember, the better the revised version sounds the poorer your original!

If, on the other hand, the revised version sounds totally stupid and incongruous, the better your original.

You may find that it will require a series of revisions to come to the ideal mission statement, one that is in concert with your values and philosophies.

Also, mission statements are like tomatoes, They do not store well. Every day your mission may be making subtle changes. Mission statements must change with the times. Test your statement frequently.

Professor Liz Pollard:
As Bob notes, differentiation is crucial to marketing any product or service, and institutions of higher education are no different in that respect. Vague mission statements, written to cover every possibility, but not specific to your institution's vision, goals, and objectives, do nothing to show potential students and donors what you have to offer that is different!

Let's try another experiment. If you were choosing a college for your child, what would you look for? Would you pick an institution that sounded like all the others? Chances are good you would not, you would look for one that sounded different, or special in some way!

Most schools offer a good selection of programs, quality teaching, a good reputation for placing students in careers, and other similar qualities. What DIFFERENCES would make you look twice at a school? Shouldn't they be fundamental enough to show up somehow in its mission and vision statements, and its philosophy of education?

Now look at the mission statements of several comparable institutions in size and programs, perhaps some in the same region as yours. Try the same experiment with them that you just completed above. Do they still sound all right, or is there something distinctive about them that makes the name of your institution a poor fit? If so, what is it? Is there something you can say about your institution that equally DISTINGUISHES it from others?

The effect of a good mission statement may be seen in every aspect of an institution's performance. Its philosophy, its vision, its goals and objectives, its teaching quality, its support of students in job searches, the quality of graduates, and every other detail fits. The institution is only as unique as its mission, its purpose!