By Andrew Brown and Tim Kelley and originally published on youtube
Join Tim Kelley, founder of the True Purpose Institute, for a fireside chat hosted by Andrew Brown of encode.org.
This conversation explored:
- What is purpose, and how do you “discover” it?
- How do you discover and live the purpose of an organization or movement?
- How do you align and energize individuals and organisations around purpose?
When business leaders hear about the concept of an organizational, higher purpose, they often say, “We already have a mission.” True, but are a purpose and a mission the same thing?
Turns out that it depends on what you mean by “mission.” A mission is an objective; if it is achieved, then the mission is complete. A purpose is the why of an organization. It is usually much harder to define and pin down in a useful way.
Typical business mission statements articulate what the organization does (and occasionally for whom it does it):
“The mission of the Leo Burnett Company is to create superior advertising.”
“To market quality personal insurance services at a price and service advantage through direct response mechanisms, and, where appropriate, through general field representatives.” – Geico
Another form business mission statements often take is to articulate what the organization wants to become in the future. In this usage, it can be interchangeable with the term “vision”:
“To be the number one aerospace company in the world and among the premier industrial concerns in terms of quality, profitability, and growth.” – Boeing
“Our mission is to achieve or enhance clear leadership, worldwide, in the existing or new core consumer product categories in which we choose to compete.” – Gillette
While these statements may provide focus, they suffer from a critical flaw: they’re boring. How many people do you think worked nights and weekends at these companies because they felt inspired and motivated by these mission statements? (A rough estimate will do….)
This is where a true purpose shines. If you can articulate why your organization does what it does in a compelling way, it can inspire and motivate all of your stakeholders.
Does your organization have a purpose? A mission? If so, how inspiring is it? Will it draw the people and resources to you that you need in order to succeed? Is it the glue that will hold your various stakeholders in alignment as you pursue your shared goals?
The Great Resignation has exposed the Achilles heel of traditional business: employees are fed up with simply being used as tools to generate value for shareholders. They want to feel like they’re part of something larger and more meaningful. Will you be part of the new paradigm of business, or will you stay on the melting iceberg of the traditional paradigm as it slowly fades into history?
Don’t lose the chance to participate in the powerful and practical 2-Day Purpose incubator with Tim Kalley and The True Purpose Institute in March 2022. Learn more here: https://encode.org/incubator. Learn how to create a purpose statement that shines.
52 minutes 52 seconds
Featured Image added by Enlivening Edge Magazine.
Republished with permission.
