Another great example of how a purpose extends beyond the mission statement to provide context for a board in deciding the functions of the organization. Also, please remember that board members can be held financially liable for any expenses incurred in an activity that is contrary to its purpose, so it is important that Board members and staff know their society’s purpose.
Like many of you I have sat through my fair share of strategic planning sessions and have tossed around many versions of a mission statement. In my experience almost every mission statement was tooled to be a better brand message. Only rarely was the mission statement tooled to be a better reflection of the purpose of the society. Has anyone experienced a strategic planning session that actually use the society’s purpose?
Cheers, Lisa