Who Are You? What Do You Do? And Why?

Stand for something.

Be meaningful and on-purpose.

Be sure that everything you do is in line with your core values, your mission, and your vision.

What's that? You say you don't have a clearly stated and understood mission and vision? You need to get one by asking yourself the questions "Who am I? What do I do? Why?" Write down the answers for yourself and then for your business, whatever it is that you do.

From those answers you can develop a succinct and clear statement defining your mission and vision, both personally and in business. It is especially important for being prepared and effective at making sound decisions, because every one of them should be guided by your core mission and vision. It is also important for anyone who works with you to understand it, buy into it, and know how they fit into it - what their role is and how they contribute to that mission and vision.

Retailers are faced with having to make meaningful decisions regularly, whether it be to set a new company policy, add or decrease staff, or bring on a new vendor. These decisions and others are undoubtedly more critical now because one can ill afford to make mistakes which may prove costly.

For instance, when considering a new vendor partner ask yourself the following questions:

1. Is this product/service in line with our mission - a) to our market? b) to ourselves?

2. Can we quantify and verbalize how this will - a) enhance our offerings to our clients? b) enhance our position in the market? c) enhance our profitablity?

3. Can we get the necessary critical vendor support to - a) train and engage our staff? b) satisfy our clients? c) manage our investment (ROI) and inventory?

4. Can we see this as a long-term investment - a) toward the betterment of our company? b) to grow with the vendor as a meaningful contributor to our business? c) to be able to really get behind the offerings and proudly present them as an integral extension of who we are?

5. Can we establish a business partnership that fits OUR terms and needs or are we being dictated to? Or is it a combination we can live with? And finally, is it worth it?

Everything you represent, sell, instill, advocate must be done with intent. Every associate in the company must buy into that philosophy and intent. They must understand how your decisions and their roles and actions contribute to the overall vitality, success, and mission of the company. They must be immersed in the culture and you must be able to explain, even defend, decisions and policies which are engaged and implemented within.

"Because I said so," doesn't quite have the same impact or acceptance as when you used to hear it from your mother. Know how to articulate your reasons for your decisions. It's easy once you have defined your core values, mission, and vision and adhered to them as you've conducted your business.