In January 2022 I asked my LI connections for suggestions of topics relevant to executive coaching and leadership about which I might write this year.  The ever-inspiring Emma Lloyd suggested ‘Purpose’ – specifically the catchy title above – so here are some observations from my work with individuals, teams and organisations.

What is Purpose?

The dictionary tells us that Purpose is “the reason something exists, an intended end; aim; or goal”. Purpose creates meaning, offers a sense of direction and helps guide paths, ambitions and behaviours.

Organisations 

For organisations, ‘mission’ tends to be ‘what they do’ and Purpose is ‘why they do it’.  When organisations articulate their Purpose the aim is to engage staff, appeal to customers and give all stakeholders a compelling picture of the organisation’s core identity.  This Purpose should be constant over time and thus provide clear direction particularly when facing opportunities or challenges.

Well-known organisational statements of Purpose, whether pithy or comprehensive, include Patagonia’s “We’re in business to save the planet”, Lego’s “Our ultimate purpose is to inspire and develop children to think creatively, reason systematically and release their potential to shape their own future – experiencing the endless human possibility” and Wholefood’s “Our deepest purpose as an organization is helping support the health, well-being and healing of both people – customers, Team Members, and business organizations in general – and the planet.”  

Why have an organisational Purpose?  In addition to feeling good, it’s good for business:

  • Purposeful work increases employee productivity, loyalty and well-being.  Employees who report that their job has a “special meaning: this is not ‘just a job'” are 4 times more likely to give extra, 11 times more committed to staying with their organisations and 14 times more likely to look forward to coming to work than employees at peer companies. (Great Place to Work 2017)
  • Consumers seek brands with Purpose and are more loyal to them.  Consumers are more likely to have a positive image of (89%), trust in (86%) and be loyal to (83%) brands that lead with purpose.  79% of consumers surveyed say they feel a deeper personal connection to companies with values similar to their own. And 72% say they feel it is more important than ever to buy from companies that reflect their values. (Cone/Porter Novelli 2019)
  • Purpose-driven businesses outperform the market.  The Global Leadership Forecast found that purposeful companies outperform the market by 42% financially. (DDI World 2018)

Teams

This organisational Purpose provides important context for teams within the firm, but each team’s Purpose should be distinct.  To define its Purpose, the team should ask itself a question: ‘what is the team for, that no other entity in the organisation could accomplish and which cannot be achieved by a group of individuals acting separately?’.  A team’s purpose should evolve over time, reflecting changes in organisational strategy and structure.

A clear and inspiring Purpose will not alone create a high-performing team; but no team will be high-performing without a common and well-understood Purpose.

Individuals

For individuals, I would argue that Purpose is not one grand statement, which is constant over time; rather Purpose will have several sources and prompts and the focus may well change over a lifetime.

There will be elements of Purpose which are centred in your core Values: these will endure.  Examples include faith, underpinning a career ‘calling’ in the clergy, compassion, which leads you into nursing as a vocation, or fairness, which drives your efforts in Diversity & Inclusion.  These core elements are overlaid with context at a given time, particularly key roles that you assume and relinquish over a lifetime such as partner, parent, carer or leader.  It is often these major life transitions which prompt individuals to reflect upon their priorities and redefine their Purpose.  

A further influence can be external significant events, such as the Covid19 pandemic or Russia’s invasion of Ukraine: the horror of the latter has inspired many to acts of compassion which they might never have imagined doing, such as opening their homes to refugees; the former has forced change upon us all, and the question now is what elements of the change do organisations, teams and each of us want to incorporate into our Purpose going forward.

Reflecting on Purpose in 2022

As a coach, I do not provide answers, rather I ask questions or pose challenges which hopefully prompt you to think deeply, draw on your own resources and come to the conclusions which are right for you.  So here are some Purpose-related questions, professional or personal, to reflect upon:

·      As a founder, what inspired you to create your organisation and how does that Purpose show up for your staff, customers and stakeholders?

·      As a leader, how do you ensure that your team’s Purpose is appropriate, clear and engaging?  How do you support your team members to bring the Purpose to life when making decisions?

·      As an individual what are the elements of your Purpose which are centred in your core values?  How can you recognise these and build on them to create a meaningful life?

·      What life roles are important to you and how do you make time to ensure that you are fulfilling and enjoying these as much as possible?

·      What pandemic-driven changes have been good for you and how will you sustain those positive developments?  By contrast, what bad habits have you fallen into in recent times and how will you leave those behind?

·      Who can support you in feeling more aligned to your Purpose and, in turn, who could you support to be happier and more fulfilled?

Not surprisingly, the real ‘sweet spot’ is when the Purpose of the organisation, team and individual align – happy days!  For an interesting read on the ups-and-downs of making that happen, I’d recommend “Let My People Go Surfing: The Education of a Reluctant Businessman” by Yvon Chouinard, the founder and owner of Patagonia.  A great read, particularly if your Purpose involves passion for the outdoors or for saving our planet (like me!).

Posted in Articles, Three common themes from my consultancy work