Mission DNA

Faced with the same regulatory environment and stocked with similar talent, one organization flourishes, while the other flounders. Mission DNA—a concept and approach developed by Booz Allen consultants—explains why.

For a free 5-minute diagnosis of your organization

Find out in five minutes if your organization has the right stuff. Take the short quiz above to profile your organization’s DNA. Is it:

• Resilient—“As good as it gets…” Flexible enough to adapt quickly to external environmental shifts, yet steadfastly focused on and aligned to a coherent mission.
• Military Precision—“Flying in formation…” Often driven by a small, involved senior team, succeeds primarily through the will and foresight of its leaders.
• Just-in-Time—“Succeeding by the skin of our teeth…” Inconsistently prepared for change, but can “turn on a dime” without losing sight of the big picture.
• Fits-and-Starts—“Let 1,000 flowers bloom.” Contains scores of smart people with enthusiasm and drive, but they do not often pull in the same direction at the same time.
• Outgrown—“The good old days meet a brave new world.” Too large and complex to be effectively controlled by a small team, but has yet to "democratize" decision-making authority and tends to react slowly to external changes.
• Overmanaged—“We’re from Headquarters, and we’re here to help.” Multiple layers of management create "analysis paralysis“ in this bureaucratic and highly political environment.
• Passive-Aggressive—“Everyone agrees, but nothing changes.” Congenial and seemingly conflict-free, this organization builds consensus easily, but struggles to implement agreed-upon plans.

Once you know, you can keep what’s good, fix what’s wrong, and unlock superior performance.