By Maria Ross, Founder, Author, Speaker, Brand Strategist – Red Slice LLC
When was the last time you eagerly dived into a task you didn’t connect with, believe in or understand?
If I told you to spend hours creating a complex spreadsheet but never told you why, or where your efforts would lead, how inclined would you be to do it?
Yet every day, employees are asked to produce deliverables, attend meetings, or spend time away from their families on work that means nothing to them – or work they can’t connect to how it makes customers’ lives better.
Although there are thousands of books, surveys and studies to back up this point, we all inherently know this to be true! When we understand where our efforts lead and we can see a correlation between our efforts and external effects, we feel more satisfied, motivated, and positive about the work we do every day.
Who among you doesn’t have a story about getting “in the zone” and tackling a task where, at the end, you were rewarded with real impact and meaning?
And who among you doesn’t have a story about how miserable you were being a cog in the wheel, without any understanding of how the hours you spent led to something that really mattered to colleagues, customers, or community?
We want to matter. We want a destination to drive toward. When we find meaning, we are more engaged. And we also want a say in what that destination looks like and how we can get there. We crave autonomy.
And when we get it? Look out. You, your employees, your organization will unleash massive potential the likes of which you’ve never seen.
So before you roll your eyes at launching a “Purpose Project ” or decide that all that feel-good stuff is a waste of time, think about what your personal, business or organization’s goals, financial or otherwise. Would you rather spend a bit of time working together to define a purpose everyone can rally around, and thus operate at maximum capacity – increasing commitment, innovation, and satisfaction? Or would you rather limp along by cracking the whip and naively expecting soul-drained individuals to work at their best. (which they won’t)?
Make the time. Articulate your purpose. Gather input. Share it. Live it. Think of this work as a fuel-boosting additive to make yourself, your organization engine run better!
Here are some prompts to get your started defining your overarching purpose. Gather the right people in a room, explore these questions, and craft your statement. This is the basis for creating a mission statement, vision statement that will ultimately guide your day-to-day decisions:
- What is the future state of the world we imagine? This is what we’re all working toward, every day, when the going gets tough. Eyes on the prize.
- Why are we all individually here? What lights us up about this work? Ask your people why they are here! You’ll get gold.
- What shifts do we create for our customers? What is he before and after? This can help us better articulate the future state we seek.
- With our specific strengths and talents, what can our company contribute to alleviating the problem or fulfilling the vision? This will keep you in scope for what you can realistically achieve toward this grander vision.
- Are we looking to change systems, processes, hearts, or minds – or all of the above? Let’s be clear!
- If we do our job right, if we achieve this purpose, where do we go from there? This will help you expand into related areas or offerings so you can sustain the business into the long term.
For more about purpose and how it leads to profit – and how to craft a useful purpose statement, tune into Maria’s podcast interview with Phil Preston on The Empathy Edge.
