Leadership resource: Establishing your mission, value, and goals

If you have been in a leadership position, you may have had the opportunity to write a mission statement for your CDI department. But before that, you must develop your personal mission statement—this is step 1. While the principles are the same, your personal mission statement is unique. Think of it as your purpose statement, or your personal brand: what you use to market yourself.

Developing a personal mission statement takes introspection and thoughtful effort, though knowing your values prior to doing so will make the process smoother. Most have said that once they identified their values and their sense of self, their personal mission statement came to them easily. Write your mission statement succinctly using a few sentences, usually not more than four or five. It should link together three elements: the value you create, who you are creating it for, and the expected outcome from creating it. A mission statement draws upon your values and defines your purpose. It is fluid and should be revised from time to time as you grow and evolve.

Following are some examples of personal mission statements from CDI leaders:

“I choose to attack each day with a commitment to do my best in whatever the endeavor may be and to seek challenges that allow for my growth both personally and professionally. My goal is to inspire others by my example of honesty, respect, and strong work ethic, and an openness to seek inspiration in the abilities of others. Each day is an opportunity to learn, grow, and adapt to change, and it should be seized with a positive attitude. I will … celebrate everyone’s success and understand we all support each other in growth, success, and accomplishment ... .”

“To make positive contributions to the greater good …. To live each day with self-awareness and purposeful action. To improve each day and in so doing positively influence my peers and colleagues, and provide a good role model for my family. To live life honestly, with good cheer, appreciation, and gratitude, and to operate with integrity.”

“To utilize my knowledge and skills to encourage greatness, share the wisdom of my experience to light their path, and to celebrate their success.”

Editor’s note: This article is an excerpt from the ACDIS Position Paper “Developing effective CDI leadership: A matter of effort and attitude.”