I have had a lot of dialogue over recent weeks about ArenaSolution. People who I really trust and admire have given me great advice about what worked and what didn't. We've celebrated the good times and compared were we sit today to where we were a year ago. One bit of insight that I have gleaned seems really meaningful. This particular person told me "You were effective because you had so clearly defined your mission and you knew exactly what you stood for."
That comment has really resonated to me, especially in these last few weeks when I and a lot of my fellow arena advocates have struggled a little bit with a lack of role and identity. It feels great to have a defined mission and there is a void when that mission is over.
I used to say frequently that "ArenaSolution is a value based organization." We had a clearly defined mission statement and had devised a set of guiding values that really were the heart and soul of our coalition. Whenever somebody asked me what I was asking them to sign up for I could hand them the Mission Statement and Values. If I questioned my course of action I could look at what values everybody had signed up to represent and the answer would become clear.
So here is my first shot at a new Mission Statement and Values for Sonics fans as we approach the ride up from the bottom. When people ask me what I think we need to be doing for the cause right now this is what I am going to point them to. Its not a call to activism, just a call to being great fans and a commitment to having fun with it again.
I'd love to polish these up so that when people ask me what being a Sonics fan is about for me I can point to these things. Put some thought into it and lets come up with 1 mission statement and 5 values that really represent what we are all about.
Mission
To celebrate the return of the Seattle Supersonics because we deserve it. To make every minute as good as it can be.
Values:
- Be great fans!
- Find joy in how far we have come.
- Welcome EVERYBODY into the Sonics family.
- Never feel sorry for ourselves.
- Trust Chris the way he has trusted the us.
More detailed explanations are in the comments section.