3 Ways to Become a Mission-Driven Leader

To define a successful company, most people would look at the financial success or market share of an organization. But the best indicator of a successful company is found in how mission-driven they are.

Come back with me to 1937. The U.S. is just leaving the Great Depression and is entering one of the worst recessions in history. It’s a really depressing time. In fact, happiness and fulfillment were at an all-time low.

In the midst of this depression came a man who said, “I believe in creating happiness.” Instead of giving in to the unhappiness around him, Walt Disney made it his mission to create happiness.

To kick off the mission of happiness, the Walt Disney Company began work on Snow White, their first feature film. Two weeks from its premiere, the production company pulled the plug. They felt that the technology wasn’t where it needed to be. They could animate the faces of the dwarves, but not Snow White’s, which they needed to make the audience fall in love with her.

Walt Disney was on a mission. He was going to create happiness. Everyone around him was telling him that it couldn’t be done, the technology couldn’t be updated quickly enough. But he was going to find a way.

Walt replied, “We may not be able to get them to directly care about Snow White, but I know we can get them to care about the Dwarfs. We will make the Dwarfs care about Snow White, and when they cry for Snow White, the audience will cry.”

Disney flipped the problem on its head. The project had reached a stage where it was limited by technology and talent and circumstances. Instead of giving up, Walt Disney found a way to flip the problem on its head and find a way forward. Instead of investing time and effort into animating Snow White, they channeled that effort into the animation of the Dwarfs.

Walt Disney understood the idea of being mission-driven.

Here are three lessons about being mission-driven that we can learn from Walt Disney:

1. Mission-driven people chase the outcome, not the idea

If Walt had been consumed with the idea of making people fall in love with Snow White, the movie never would have been released. He understood that his mission, his outcome, was to create happiness, not make Snow White a beloved character.

If we want to be mission-driven, we need to focus on the intended outcome, not just the first project or idea that is in front of us.

2. Mission-driven people find a way

Walt Disney had a “find a way” mentality. He knew that there was a way to make Snow White a success that would bring happiness to his audience. Instead of letting the problems stand in his way, he found a way through the problems.

If we want to be mission-driven, we have to be find-a-way people. The number one responsibility of leadership is to solve problems. Sometimes that means asking ourselves, how can we do something more effectively than we have done in the past?

3. Mission-driven people realize that records are made to be broken

The Disney company managed to pull off Snow White and it was wildly successful. The movie went on to win an Oscar. It was a huge financial win. Only $1.4 million had been invested in the movie, it had a return of $400 million. At the time, it was the highest-grossing movie ever. 

Walt realized that his mission wasn’t just about the accomplishments of Snow White. It was about the happiness that the next movie would bring. And the next. And the next. 

Being mission-driven means that we can’t rest on our laurels. When you have a good week or a good month that isn’t the time to kick back and take it easy. That is the time to ride your momentum and break new records.

How are you working to become a mission-driven leader?

MT

At Leadr, we help you engage and grow every person on your team. Book a demo with Leadr today.