One of my favourite takeaways from listening to the wonderful @Alex Hagen recently was the story of Nintendo.
I can't believe I didn't know this.
For those, like me, who were in the dark...
Nintendo began in 1889 making playing cards. Over the decades it experimented with everything from taxis and toys to arcade games, home consoles and interactive experiences. It even reportedly dabbled in short-stay hotels, proof that not every experiment becomes your legacy!
The products changed dramatically.
But one thing didn't.
Its mission:
"To put smiles on the faces of everyone we touch."
That simple mission has remained remarkably consistent, even as the organisation has reinvented what it offers to the world.
It reminded me of something I see time and time again when facilitating strategic planning.
Many organisations become attached to what they do.
The best organisations become anchored to why they exist.
When your mission is clear, your products, services and delivery models can evolve as the world changes.
Your mission becomes the constant.
Your strategy becomes the bridge.
Your services become the expression of your mission.
That's why I spend so much time helping organisations define a meaningful mission before they start talking about objectives and strategies.
Because if you get the mission right, adapting to change becomes far less daunting.
Maybe the question isn't:
"What should we do next?"
Maybe It's:
"How can we continue to fulfil our mission in a changing world?"
Sometimes, that's the difference between an organisation that just survives...
...and one that continues putting smiles on people's faces for more than 130 years.
Thanks, Alex, for sharing such a memorable story.