Set Your Personal Mission for 2021
by Challin Baro, originally posted on LinkedIn
I’ve been reading a lot about mission statements lately. From my favorite inspiring Peloton instructor Robin Arzon to the Fortune Magazine newsletter that I love to read in the morning, missions have been a common theme as the end of the year approaches. As a marketer, I know how important a mission statement is to your business. It provides the North Star for everything that you do from employee engagement to client delivery and conveys who you are to your customers.
This got me thinking about my own personal mission statement and why now is the time to write one. I’ve always had pretty strong constitutions personally and professionally (as any of my previous managers will tell you!), but I’ve never formally written down my mission statement. So, here goes nothing. I’ll walk you through a personal branding exercise that I adapted based on this from Hubspot and this from Ann Handley. There are many out there to follow, so feel free to make it your own too.
Start by thinking about this:
Write down your career intentions, what’s most important to you, or what you want to achieve at the end of your career. Think Big!
Consider your strengths, or what’s unique about you. What skills or experiences do you have?
What’s special about your style?
Consider what kind of legacy you want to leave behind or how you want to be regarded.
Then follow this template:
To [what you want to do] by [how you'll do it] so that [what impact you hope to make].
I value [one or multiple things you value] because [why it matters to you]. To do this, I will [how your professional path will align with these values].
To use my [skills or expertise] to inspire/lead [group of people] so that [ultimate goal].
For me, this meant:
My intention: My intent is to grow people and my company so that we can make the world more understanding and interesting.
My strengths, skills or experiences: My career has been a jungle gym, not a ladder - so I have a unique perspective. I am a translator - I like to simplify complex ideas. I have an amazing network of empathetic women. I am not afraid of tough conversations. I love supporting others, particularly women early in their careers, on their own journeys.
What’s special about my style: I’m approachable, casual, adaptable, honest, direct and open.
The legacy I want to leave behind: I hope to be remembered as a change maker.
My Fill in the Blank:
To empower others, particularly women, and amplify their voices by sharing opportunities and connecting others so that more women rise to leadership positions.
I value empathy and growth because nobody begins from the same starting block. To do this, I will work to grow my own career so that I can mentor others and pave the way.
To use my community and platform to inspire/lead women so that we can all change the face of business.
“MY PERSONAL MISSION STATEMENT: To empower others, particularly women, and amplify their voices by sharing opportunities and connections so that there is more diverse thought in leadership positions. This will change the world.”
With all of that said, 2020 has been a year like none other in our lifetimes. There is a clear break between business as usual in 2019 and business as unusual in 2020-2021. Let’s take this opportunity to start fresh and drive change! I’d like to leave you with some tips on how to empower others, particularly women, and even more specifically, women in technology.
Make room at the table
New ideas and approaches to problem solving are more important than ever. Take this opportunity to pull a chair up to the table for at least one other woman in your organization. She has been living her own unique experience - as a mother juggling work and life, a single woman navigating independence, and just as a human being working and living during a pandemic. I promise she has a unique point of view that you and your board haven’t considered.
Elevate others’ voices
Working remotely can create silos and less opportunity for one-off conversations outside of your daily team. Not every person, or woman, has access to your senior leadership or executive team. If you hear a good idea from a teammate, pass it along and give them credit. You’ll look smart for noticing and it will elevate their personal brand within your company. This good karma will continue too!
Have hard conversations
Notice something that seems out of line with your company culture? Maybe someone is bearing the brunt of work because others have less time. We all have to be flexible during these challenging times, but there is a limit to having a few team members carry the load. Just like TSA, if you see something, say something. It’s likely as simple as leadership not having visibility into the issue.
Be open
Nobody knows what others are going through during this time, so be open and empathetic. Perhaps a colleague’s partner has been let go or has a harder schedule, or maybe a family member was sick or passed away. For women, it can be hard to ask for time off because they fear looking weak or unreliable. Keep in mind that there are always personal experiences that should be considered if a female coworker seems out of sorts. Ask if there is any way you can help them.
Be authentic
This goes the other way as well. Breaking down barriers between work and home has allowed us all to be a bit more real, authentic, and vulnerable. We don’t have to be SuperWoman and it’s okay to have hard days. However, communicate those challenges where possible, so that your team can support you the way that you need.
I’m excited to kick off 2021 with my new brand mission to empower others, particularly women, and amplify their voices by sharing opportunities and connections so that there is more diverse thought in leadership positions. I believe it really will change the world.
