First day on the new job! And I’m still in my pajamas–okay not really. Actually, I’m in my smelly workout clothes, but headed to the shower here soon.
My primary task for the day was to write a first draft of a mission and vision for the department I’m overseeing. When I was facilitating masterminds and trainings for women entrepreneurs, one of the exercises I encouraged my clients to do was to use Simon’s Sinek’s model of Start with Why to write a vision and mission.
In his popular TED talk, he explains that successful companies don’t just market what they offer, but rather they communicate why they exist. He describes the “Golden Circle” that is three concentric circles with the inner circle labeled “Why”, the middle circle labeled “How” and the outer circle is the “What.”
After following Sinek for some time and picking up the language he uses to captivate his audiences, I started adopting the “I imagine a world where…” to introduce people to my own vision for a better world (why I do what I do,) and then “I believe…” to describe how we might create that world. Then the “what we offer” to clearly describe a company’s offerings (that aligns with the described how/mission) to help create the world that was being envisioned.
Make sense? Here’s my rough draft:
At the IFF, we imagine a world where childhood is recognized as a time for developing a strong sense of self, resilience and flexibility, ownership of one’s experience, and deep supportive relationships so that once adulthood is reached, the creation of a satisfying and meaningful life is natural and attainable.
We believe that emotional intelligence along with a keen self-awareness and sense of purpose are what make living a satisfying and meaningful life possible. Children who are encouraged to identify and explore their emotions in environments of unconditional support are more likely to become emotionally intelligent adults. When children have a safe place to go to be around other children and engage with the world, they’re more likely to discover their talents and interests. And when youth have the support of other youth and healthy adults when faced with adversity, they know they can handle life’s challenges and they develop the necessary skills to tackle future problems.
What we offer:
- literature-based curriculum designed to help young children develop emotional intelligence and language skills
- curriculum to help older children discover and develop their core gifts
- learning environments where this curriculum is delivered by caring adults and youth mentors; we can also come to you
- drop-in centers for youth who need safe places to spend time with other kids or just to hang out and read a book
- focused youth and advocacy groups
- leadership development and transition support for teenagers and young adults
Thoughts? Feedback? I’m realizing it would be more cohesive if I mention community in the We Believe (how) section. I have a little while to spend on revisions, but you get the picture. Open to suggestions…
Restoring Justis 