Mission, Mission on the Wall…Bring It to Life Once and for All

I’ve been in countless hospitals, clinics, and healthcare facilities across the country and around the world. And there’s a recurring trend that I see almost everywhere: when I ask employees or physicians to tell me their organization’s mission, most can’t. In fact, I’ve made it a habit to bet them $100 to recite it. Guess what? I have never lost that bet – even when the mission is posted on the wall right behind them.

Why is this a problem?

When your workforce—from frontline nurses to physicians to administrative staff—doesn’t know the mission, then you don’t have alignment. You have disconnection. Without a clear, unified direction, you’re left with silos—departments doing their own thing, rowing in different directions. And when everyone is out of sync, the people who suffer the most are the very ones we’re here to serve: patients and families.

Silos are more than just inconvenient

Silos don’t just create inefficiencies; they create frustration. Team members lose the sense of working toward something greater. It’s not just about knowing the mission statement by heart—it’s about aligning every action, decision, and policy around it. It’s about having a true north that every person can rally behind, so every patient and every colleague feels the impact. If a compass does not have a magnet that points towards true north very time, then that compass will spin out of control.

So, what’s the solution?

We must intentionally and consistently communicate the mission, values, and vision. It can’t just be a sign on the wall, a phrase tucked into the employee handbook, or a sticker on the back of an ID badge. It needs to come alive through daily huddles, team meetings, onboarding programs, and recognition systems. We need to breathe life into our mission so that every team member not only knows it but feels proud to embody it. When you have alignment, you have power. You create an organization where everyone—regardless of department or title—is rowing in the same direction, working as a united force. That’s when the silos start to break down, and that’s when real, transformational change happens.

The Real Question: Is your team aligned with your mission?

Can you bet $100 that your team can tell you what it is and mean it? If not, it’s time for a serious reevaluation—because without alignment, you don’t have a culture; you have chaos. And that’s something we cannot afford in healthcare. It’s simply unhealthy.

Now is the time to get intentional, get aligned, and make the mission the heartbeat of your organization. It’s time to make the mission, vision and values come to life in work clothes.