The Mission Statement Story: Crafting Life's Vision
- Duvet To Desk by The Professional Gal
- Apr 2
- 2 min read
In 2011, as an intern, I crafted this mission statement with the guidance of my mentor, Lou Roddy, whose career I greatly admired. Lou encouraged me to reflect deeply on my purpose and career aspirations. Although the statement has evolved over time, its core essence remains unchanged.
I vividly remember sitting in the Caterpillar cafeteria at the Global Headquarters, a 25-year-old intern in the final two semesters of my MBA program. Drawn to the People & Organizational Development (P&OD) team, I was fascinated by their work, even though at the time I didn't fully understand why. I requested a one-on-one meeting with Lou, a seasoned senior manager in P&OD. Nervous and eager to impress, I knew I had to be genuine with him.
We met at a table by the window in the nearly empty cafeteria at 2 PM. Armed with my list of standard informational interview questions, I was ready to dive in. But before I could start, Lou asked me, "What do you want to do? You want more than a job." Well, in my single mom mind, approaching the end of my internship, the job was pretty critical. I struggled to articulate my vision and feelings, fumbling through my response.
Lou stopped me and advised, "Write a personal mission statement. This won't be easy, and you'll need to put serious thought into it. This should stay with you throughout your life - both personally and professionally." I thought, "How will this help me secure a permanent job as an intern?" But, I was also in no place to turn my nose up to any advice given to me. I have never been that type of person.
After our 30-minute meeting, I felt uncertain about Lou's impression of me. I confided in my supervisor, Sherlyn, who was amazing in every way. She had already received feedback from Lou, who actually liked me! In that moment, I realized it was okay not to have all the answers or complete clarity. As I begin to put words on paper, it became evident that I couldn't achieve my goals without a clear mission. A purpose with principles.
So, I wrote it and emailed it to Lou a week later.
We met again in the cafeteria a few weeks after our initial meeting, and Lou approved. Better yet, he understood.
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