NORTHFIELD, Ill. (TheStreet) -- Consumer-food giant Kraft Foods (Stock Quote: KFT) leapt into headlines recently with its $16.7 billion hostile bid for Cadbury (Stock Quote: CBY), a bold move by Chief Executive Irene Rosenfeld to boost her company's global presence.

Cadbury's management isn't exactly rejoicing over the potential takeover. The London-based company rejected the offer, saying it was too low, even though Kraft would have been paying a premium.

Kraft finds itself in the same position as many other American companies, large and small. It's attempting to expand its market share in a brutally competitive retail environment. And it's trying to convince its employees that they need to help shake things up at the Northfield, Ill.-based foodmaker.

Amid her reorganizing and strategizing, Rosenfeld gave the company a mantra: "Make today delicious." It's a simple, concise phrase that sums up the essence of Kraft's mission.

Does your company have a motto? Something less formal than a mission statement that lets people know what you stand for?

A guiding principle delivered in a clear phrase can be valuable if your company is trying to change its strategy or focus. But it only works if managers show employees how to live up to the firm's goals.

Kraft's "make today delicious" focuses on what can be done now. The word "delicious" highlights the importance of taste in Kraft's products, which include Cheez Whiz, Kool-Aid drinks and Ritz crackers. It's also a word with upbeat, appealing associations.

The company also developed seven core values that employees are expected to strive for. They are:

  • We inspire trust.
  • We act like owners.
  • We keep it simple.
  • We are open and inclusive.
  • We tell it like it is.
  • We lead from the head and the heart.
  • We discuss. We decide. We deliver.