Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/55470
On a simple philosophical level, a mission statement answers the question, 'Why are we here?' of our traits. It is a fine balancing act to make the mission statement reflect one organi- zation's particular identity while also embracing the values promoted by its respected competitors. Then, to make the mission state- ment more effective, we streamlined it. The old version was too dense to read easily. The new version used fewer words and reorganized the main ideas to make the whole state- ment clearer and more forceful. Once all this work was done, we submitted proposed text to the school's directors. This version went through much tweaking until a final statement was approved. The process was even more delicate given that the message had to be presented in both English and French. The Old and the New About 90 percent of the rewritten mission was inspired by its prede- cessor, which allowed us to stress continuity. However, the altered 10 percent enabled us to reflect signifi- cantly changing times. For instance, the original mission almost exclusively spoke of students as if they had no prior professional experience. Ten years ago, students with this profile were by far the most important to the school. Since then, executive education programs have expanded, and the average age of Audencia's MBA students has increased. The phrasing of the new mission makes sure no particular student profile takes center stage. Another key change highlights the school's relationship to busi- ness. The old version assumes that Audencia's graduates will "add value" to companies; the new ver- sion speaks of students "accom- panying" firms on their journeys. Where the school once considered itself to be supplying a service to business, and described that service in financial terms, it now emphasizes long-term partnerships with companies. The former version also spoke of Audencia's relationship with both companies and organizations. Signifi- cantly, the new text just cites firms. This reflects our belief that Auden- cia's most important role is to work hand-in-hand with business. Spreading the Word Once a school completes its mis- sion statement, it must transmit its message. At Audencia, we made a presentation to all personnel, created a dedicated page on our Web site, and inscribed the statement on a glass plaque in our main entrance hall. We made sure the mission takes its rightful place at the heart of the school's activity. So, was all the effort worth it? The new mission statement—and the process of creating it—has caused the whole community to focus on what it means to be part of our school. We have aligned ourselves with contem- porary realities and made doubly sure we know where we're going. Those rewards are worth a year and a half of soul searching. ■ z Jean-Pierre Helfer is dean of the Audencia Nantes School of Management in France. Audencia's Original Mission Faithful to its history and to its territorial identity, open onto the world and other cultures, Audencia Nantes Ecole de Management is a School within society with the mission to educate women and men chosen for their high potential regard- less of background or origin. These students rely upon theory and fundamental knowledge in manage- ment in preparation for positions as entrepreneurs and managers endowed with human qualities and high-level technical and scientific competence capable of making decisions throughout their life. Within their scope of action and decision-making, they have the capacity for vision, conviction, and innovation firmly anchored in humanism and a com- prehensive general knowledge to enhance the added value of organizations as well as national and international firms. Audencia's New Mission Audencia Nantes provides education and personal development guidance to students who will assert themselves as responsible, highly skilled managers and entrepreneurs having a global awareness and a broad culture who are attentive to giving meaning to their decisions and actions. To do so, Audencia produces and diffuses management knowledge useful for academic disciplines, firms, and the classroom. By recruiting men and women from around the world, chosen for their diversity and potential, and by making a commitment to educating leaders sharing its values, Audencia accompanies firms in their development. Thus, Audencia contributes to expanding the influence of the territory that fosters its identity. BizEd JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010 63