Picture a general addressing his nervous troops on the eve of a decisive battle. He implores them to fight fiercely for the honor of everything and everyone they hold dear. He stresses that the safety of their loved ones rests on how courageously they perform on the midnight battlefield. Then the general strides over to a second group of soldiers and orders them to conquer the enemy or die trying. The objective, he thunders, is to earn him that elusive fifth star and secure a heftier pension. It's a safe bet the first group of soldiers will hit the battlefield with a steely resolve to give their all. It's just as certain the second bunch would rather smash rocks in the hot sun than put their leader's objectives ahead of their own self-interest.

The do-or-die spirit of an army unit is the essence of what an enlightened executive must instill in the men and women under his command. That lofty goal is attainable, but only if the answers to three fundamental questions are clearly articulated, strategically disseminated, and consistently reinforced:

1. Why does the organization exist?

2. Where is it going?

3. How does it need to act to get there?

The answers to these questions must be precisely expressed and held with conviction throughout the culture. "Conviction" is the operative word. If a company's mission, vision, and values aren't genuinely believed and championed by top management, they're just words on paper. Ah, but when conviction is convincing, the organization rises above the sum of its parts and produces inspired employees. Until it clicked into place at my company, I never would've believed how much passion and creative energy could be unleashed when mission, vision, and values are moving in sync. The change is palpable. It's also contagious. When you hit your mission, you're symbolically "pouring the foundation."

Sure, The Mission Statement is Business 101