Brand and strategy share a strong bond in that they both derive their roots from the same place. In a way, they are twins, with the same basic DNA structure. Or, perhaps more accurately, they are two sides of the same coin.

If you trace brand and strategy back to their origins, you arrive at the same place: Mission.

The foundation of all great healthcare brands is mission, which determines what the organization is. For a brand to provide a true, pure brand voice that resonates in the marketplace, it must embody the mission of the organization.

A brand that ignores the mission is a brand that will eventually fail. Why? Because the mission dictates why you exist, how you govern and manage the organization, what you pursue, who you hire, and so much more. The mission is, essentially, the brand promise. If the brand experience doesn’t measure up to the brand promise, the brand withers and dies.

Similarly, the foundation of all great healthcare strategic plans is mission, as the singular purpose of a strategic plan is to link together mission and vision. The goal of any strategy is to fulfill the mission and achieve the vision. Without mission, strategy wanders around aimlessly, trying to accomplish things that may or may not be important.

In order to strengthen both brand and strategy, it then makes sense to strengthen the organization’s mission. Is your mission statement clear? Is it stated in eight words or less? Can every staff member, physician, and administrator easily recite it? And do you train for it, so that every person on staff knows how his or her job impacts the mission every day?

If you answered “no” to any of these questions, you may have a strong mission, but it can be stronger still. Spend the time necessary to get the mission right, and you will forge a much stronger sisterhood of brand and strategy.