Fourth of July and Labor Day, but not Juneteenth?

A mission statement is just a slogan until it's backed by action.

Great mission statements like Microsoft's "A PC on every desk” begin as aspirational, then become a brand when the company makes decisions based on them.

America's brand statement was "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." It sounds great on paper, but there were still some details to work out.

Eighty-five years later there was a "disagreement" about its interpretation. There were strong feelings on both sides, but eventually the executives found a way to "disagree and commit" about what it meant. That decision defined America’s brand.

There was one holdout. That team in Galveston.

Management issued a performance improvement plan, and on June 19, 1869, America took a defined stance. "This is who we are."

It was a pivotal moment in what would become become one of the most successful brand identities in history.

We haven't always been "on-brand." But even now, that mission statement still defines how we see ourselves as a nation. It still inspires loyalty and attracts new customers today.

If Independence Day celebrates America's founding, Juneteenth is the day that the American Dream (TM) found product-market fit.

Juneteenth isn't a "cultural” observance for a subset of our population. It’s a holiday that should feel relevant to all Americans.

It commemorates the strategic decision that life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness weren't just available to the privileged few, they were the entitlement of every body in the US.

While we're at it, you can't celebrate American workers on Labor Day without acknowledging that a worker’s contributions must be voluntary to be meaningful.

Does your office closes on July 4 and the first Monday in September, but not June 19?

What message does it send if you expect your team to work because your company doesn't observe a day that commemorates the end of forced labor?

It's not a good look. Just sayin'.

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