Good Mission Statement Criteria An effective mission statement identifies the client and the services and products that the company plans to offer. It also acts as a guide for daily operations and a foundation for future decision-making. A mission statement should be short, simple, and clear. It should also be measurable, authentic, and consistent with the organization's vision. To create a mission statement, first determine what type of mission statement it is: explicit or implicit. An explicit mission statement gives away too much information about the company, so it is not recommended. An implicit mission statement can be found in the organization's history and culture. If you look at the organization closely, you will probably be able to identify an implicit purpose behind its existence. For example, The Walt Disney Company's explicit purpose is "to provide entertainment and education through creative content and technology." However, looking deeper, one can see that its implicit purpose is "to tell stories" through movies, television programs, music, etc. Next, write down the following elements in order of importance when creating a mission statement: 1. A brief explanation of what the company does. This is called the product line definition. 2. The reason why it does what it does. This is called the purpose statement.