Create The Conditions

Creating Your Corporate Manifesto

Morry Patoka morryp@iquestinc.com iquestinc.com

CreateTheConditions.com

Jerry Maguire had the

right idea when he

wanted to establish a corporate manifesto

But thewrong

process toensure

everyonebelieved

in it

Hecreatedit alone

“Who’s coming with me?”

Um. Nobody.

(Okay, Renee’s character did follow him but hey, he had her at “hello”.)

Your Corporate Manifesto is designed to bring everyone in your organization together

• Translates your company’s purpose into your employees feelings

• Defines your vision in terms of shared values

• Fuels your driving force with passionate expression

• Strengthens your mission through personal commitment

• Embeds your guiding principles in the day-to-day language of your business

Your Corporate Manifesto is a visual

and written declaration of what your company is really all about

It captures what your employees stand for and strive to deliver

How do you create yourCorporate Manifesto?

Gather them in a roomy, fun environment Give them stacks of magazines, scissors,

color markers, glue, bristol board, tape and unlimited license

Ask them, “if this were your company what would you want it to stand for”?

Invite them to tear, cut, paste, and combine the magazine images and headlines that capture their feelings

Then don’t stand back… join them!

Begin by involving a big groupof your employees representing

all departments and all levels

Step One:Personal Time Working alone, individuals flip

through magazines taking out what personally resonates for them

Step Two:Working Together Working in small groups individuals

share their images and headlines; explaining why they selected each piece

Within each group, participants discuss, debate and ultimately agree on what images and headlines they want to contribute to the “Big Picture”, and why

Using a flipchart or whiteboard, they extract and formulate messages that verbalize their impressions and feelings about what they’ve collected

Step Three:Building The Collective Voice Each small group presents their images,

headlines and messages; explaining why they were selected

As a large group, participants discuss, debate and ultimately agree on what to include on the “Big Picture”

Step Four:The “Big Picture” Collage Tape as many bristol board sheets together as you

need, gather everyone around and start pasting!

Encourage participants to move positions and add their cut-outs to build themes wherever possible

Use the colour markers to include messages in and around the images and headlines

Take lots of photos to remember the experience and bring it to life for others

Step Five:Your Corporate Manifesto Share your messages, and the “Big Picture”, with

everyone in your organization.

Let your creative team transform them into a visual and written declaration

Use your Corporate Manifesto in your marketing, internal communications, training and as a backdrop for your strategic planning

1. Think big. Organize a large group of employees that represent all areas and levels of your company. You may even want to conduct multiple sessions across the country.

2. Think openly. Give participants the freedom to explore their own personal feelings about running your company and encourage them to explore how others feel.

3. Think generously. Let everyone speak, discuss, debate and share. Listen to what they’re saying.

4. Think creatively. Give participants free rein to verbalize and design the “Big Picture” as they see it.

5. Think honestly. Incorporate the messages that truly reflect your company and what you believe you can deliver…even if you have to try harder.

Creating The Conditions for Your Corporate Manifesto

If you would like to consider creating your corporate manifesto with the help of experienced guidance,

please visit www.iquestinc.com

Visit CreateTheConditions.com for more useful articles and presentations.

“I help the people who run companies create the conditions for success. Please visit iquestinc.com to find out how.”

Morry Patokamorryp@iquestinc.com

Copyright © 2009

Create The Conditions