Relentless Repetition.
Positive affirmations. Many believe that if you say them often enough, you will eventually begin accepting them, and good things will happen.
Repetition is the key.
Over the last 50 years, I have worked with many large and small companies. One crucial communication lesson I have learned on this experiential journey is the power of “relentless repetition.”
Around 1980, Bill Gates gave Microsoft, the company he founded, a clear mission: “A computer on every desk and in every home.” He repeated that mission statement at every communication opportunity, whether verbal or written. In about two decades, the company had accomplished that mission, at least in the developed countries.
In 2015, Satya Nadella, the new CEO, revised the company mission. The revised mission is “to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.” Nadela shifted Microsoft’s focus to Azure and Office 365 cloud-computing products. Since 2015, he has repeated the revised mission at every communication opportunity, written or verbal.
Repetition can be monotonous. You hear or read the same thing over and over again. You hope everyone has listened to what you have said a hundred times, and you may want to say something new or unique. Resist. Underestimate not the power of repeating the mission statement. It reinforces the culture the leader seeks to instill and the language people use.
Of course, there are always the critics and the naysayers. They ask,
- “Does this represent the company’s focus most accurately?”
- “How long this would last?”
- “Is the new mission statement as good as the original?”
Over time, relentless repetition, especially from the C-Level executives, is one critical activity that vanquishes cynicism,
As a leader, start with the mission statement at every speaking event, internal or external. It could be challenging, but it is compelling. All people, inside or outside the company, will know you believe in every word of the mission statement. It will make things stick.
Repeat relentlessly.
I would love to hear about your experiences! Please share your stories at satishmehtausa@gmail.com. You can subscribe to my knowledge letter here or by clicking on the link below.
Thank you,
