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Doing	
  Business	
  on	
  Purpose	
  
	
  
pur·∙pose/ˈpərpəs/	
  
	
  The	
  reason	
  for	
  which	
  something	
  is	
  done	
  or	
  created	
  or	
  for	
  which	
  something	
  exists.	
  	
  
What	
  does	
  it	
  mean	
  to	
  do	
  something	
  on	
  purpose?	
  
The	
  Google	
  definition	
  above	
  defines	
  purpose	
  perfectly;	
  ‘The	
  reason	
  for	
  which	
  something	
  is	
  done	
  or	
  created’.	
  Consider	
  for	
  a	
  
moment	
  what	
  is	
  meant	
  by	
  ‘the	
  reason’.	
  It’s	
  the	
  core,	
  the	
  centre	
  point,	
  the	
  force,	
  the	
  foundation.	
  Purpose	
  is	
  the	
  reason	
  why	
  
we	
  do	
  things	
  and	
  if	
  our	
  reason	
  or	
  why	
  is	
  strong	
  enough	
  we	
  become	
  stronger.	
  We	
  can	
  handle	
  the	
  challenges,	
  the	
  ups	
  and	
  
downs,	
  the	
  curved	
  balls.	
  We	
  can	
  stand	
  strong	
  when	
  challenged	
  because	
  we	
  know	
  why	
  we’re	
  doing	
  what	
  we’re	
  doing.	
  
	
  
On	
  the	
  flip	
  side,	
  if	
  we	
  have	
  no	
  purpose,	
  no	
  strong	
  sense	
  of	
  why;	
  we	
  drift.	
  We	
  let	
  life	
  happen	
  to	
  us.	
  We	
  can	
  fall	
  and	
  land	
  hard	
  
when	
  challenged.	
  
	
  
What	
  does	
  this	
  mean	
  to	
  your	
  business?	
  
A	
  business	
  that	
  has	
  no	
  strong	
  sense	
  of	
  purpose	
  will	
  also	
  drift.	
  It	
  will	
  let	
  business	
  happen	
  to	
  it	
  rather	
  than	
  operating	
  on	
  
purpose.	
  It	
  will	
  suffer	
  culturally	
  as	
  a	
  result	
  of	
  its	
  workforce	
  being	
  unable	
  to	
  identify	
  themselves	
  with	
  what	
  the	
  business	
  is	
  all	
  
about.	
  It	
  will	
  suffer	
  in	
  terms	
  of	
  results.	
  A	
  lack	
  of	
  purpose	
  will	
  lead	
  to	
  a	
  lack	
  of	
  strength	
  and	
  let’s	
  face	
  it,	
  bucket	
  loads	
  of	
  
business	
  strength	
  is	
  what	
  is	
  needed	
  throughout	
  2012.	
  
	
  
How	
  is	
  a	
  sense	
  of	
  purpose	
  generated	
  in	
  business?	
  
The	
  good	
  news	
  is	
  that	
  there	
  are	
  some	
  incredibly	
  powerful	
  ways	
  of	
  creating	
  purpose	
  in	
  your	
  business	
  and	
  it	
  begins	
  with	
  your	
  
mission	
  statement	
  and	
  values.	
  	
  
	
  
	
  
Mission	
  Statement	
  	
  
A	
  mission	
  statement	
  is	
  so	
  much	
  more	
  than	
  a	
  bunch	
  of	
  words	
  put	
  together.	
  	
  A	
  mission	
  statement	
  is	
  the	
  statement	
  of	
  what	
  
an	
  organisation	
  stands	
  for.	
  	
  What	
  it	
  will	
  and	
  won’t	
  accept.	
  	
  What	
  it	
  promises	
  to	
  its	
  workforce.	
  	
  The	
  story	
  it	
  wants	
  to	
  tell	
  the	
  
world.	
  	
  
	
  
• Starbucks	
  mission:	
  to	
  inspire	
  and	
  nurture	
  the	
  human	
  spirit	
  –	
  one	
  person,	
  one	
  cup	
  and	
  one	
  neighbourhood	
  at	
  a	
  
time.	
  	
  
• Microsoft’s	
  mission:	
  	
  At	
  Microsoft,	
  we	
  work	
  to	
  help	
  people	
  and	
  businesses	
  throughout	
  the	
  world	
  realise	
  their	
  full	
  
potential.	
  
The	
  success	
  of	
  the	
  above	
  companies	
  cannot	
  really	
  be	
  disputed.	
  There	
  are	
  many	
  elements	
  over	
  and	
  above	
  their	
  mission	
  
statement	
  that	
  have	
  enabled	
  these	
  global	
  organisations	
  to	
  be	
  where	
  they	
  are	
  today,	
  but	
  it	
  all	
  started	
  with	
  their	
  mission	
  and	
  
the	
  statement	
  they	
  made	
  around	
  bringing	
  it	
  to	
  life.	
  
Can	
  a	
  mission	
  statement	
  stand	
  alone?	
  
No.	
  	
  
Mission	
  statements	
  need	
  to	
  be	
  underpinned.	
  Many	
  organisations	
  make	
  grand	
  statements	
  around	
  what	
  they	
  are	
  here	
  to	
  do	
  
but	
  then	
  do	
  nothing	
  or	
  little	
  to	
  support	
  their	
  people	
  in	
  understanding	
  how	
  to	
  bring	
  it	
  to	
  life.	
  This	
  is	
  where	
  your	
  values	
  come	
  
into	
  play.	
  
	
  
2
+44	
  775	
  428	
  0526	
  
colleen@whatspossible.co.uk	
  
www.whatspossible.co.uk	
  
Values	
  
val·∙ue/ˈvalyo ͞o/	
  
	
  The	
  regard	
  that	
  something	
  is	
  held	
  to	
  deserve;	
  the	
  importance	
  or	
  preciousness	
  of	
  something	
  	
  
The	
  importance	
  or	
  preciousness	
  of	
  something;	
  your	
  corporate	
  values	
  are	
  those	
  things	
  that	
  you	
  cannot	
  do	
  without.	
  Those	
  
things	
  that	
  you	
  will	
  hold	
  in	
  the	
  highest	
  regard	
  in	
  order	
  to	
  deliver	
  your	
  company	
  mission.	
  	
  
In	
  business,	
  the	
  values	
  represent	
  how	
  we	
  carry	
  out	
  the	
  mission.	
  Think	
  of	
  it	
  this	
  way:	
  if	
  your	
  mission	
  is	
  your	
  map,	
  then	
  your	
  
values	
  are	
  your	
  compass.	
  They	
  are	
  the	
  things	
  that	
  you	
  will	
  honour	
  and	
  use	
  to	
  hold	
  yourself	
  and	
  others	
  to	
  account,	
  and	
  they	
  
form	
  the	
  very	
  culture	
  of	
  the	
  workplace.	
  Values	
  help	
  your	
  organisation	
  to	
  stay	
  on	
  track	
  and	
  give	
  guidance	
  and	
  certainty	
  
throughout	
  what	
  may	
  come.	
  
Here’s	
  an	
  example	
  from	
  one	
  of	
  the	
  above	
  companies;	
  Microsoft.	
  
‘Our	
  values	
  guide	
  our	
  behaviors	
  and	
  must	
  shine	
  through	
  in	
  all	
  our	
  interactions	
  with	
  each	
  other	
  and	
  our	
  stakeholders.	
  
Microsoft	
  employees	
  are	
  great	
  people	
  who	
  share	
  the	
  following	
  values:	
  
• Integrity	
  and	
  honesty	
  
• Passion	
  for	
  customers,	
  partners,	
  and	
  technology	
  
• Open	
  and	
  respectful	
  with	
  others	
  and	
  dedicated	
  to	
  making	
  them	
  better	
  
• Willingness	
  to	
  take	
  on	
  big	
  challenges	
  and	
  see	
  them	
  through	
  
• Self-­‐critical,	
  questioning,	
  and	
  committed	
  to	
  personal	
  excellence	
  and	
  self-­‐improvement	
  
• Accountable	
  for	
  commitments,	
  results,	
  and	
  quality	
  to	
  customers,	
  shareholders,	
  partners,	
  and	
  employees’	
  
Their	
  opening	
  statement	
  says	
  it	
  all.	
  Your	
  business	
  values	
  need	
  to	
  come	
  alive	
  in	
  all	
  your	
  interactions.	
  	
  In	
  times	
  when	
  you	
  are	
  
faced	
  with	
  tough	
  decisions	
  your	
  values	
  guide	
  you.	
  In	
  any	
  given	
  situation	
  they	
  give	
  you	
  the	
  opportunity	
  to	
  ask	
  yourself	
  the	
  
question	
  ‘are	
  my	
  decisions	
  and	
  behaviours	
  aligned.	
  Am	
  I	
  aligned	
  with	
  the	
  business	
  values?’	
  	
  
What	
  next?	
  
The	
  final	
  piece	
  of	
  the	
  ‘doing	
  business	
  on	
  purpose’	
  jigsaw	
  is	
  bringing	
  it	
  all	
  to	
  life.	
  You	
  must	
  bring	
  your	
  mission	
  and	
  values	
  to	
  
life	
  in	
  everything	
  you	
  do.	
  They	
  need	
  to	
  be	
  role-­‐modelled,	
  quoted	
  and	
  referenced.	
  Learning	
  and	
  development	
  agendas	
  
should	
  be	
  built	
  around	
  them.	
  Recruitment	
  policy	
  should	
  be	
  based	
  on	
  them.	
  Performance	
  management	
  should	
  be	
  guided	
  by	
  
them	
  and	
  all	
  internal	
  and	
  external	
  communications	
  should	
  be	
  shaped	
  around	
  them.	
  In	
  other	
  words,	
  they	
  should	
  become	
  
your	
  language.	
  
I	
  suppose	
  this	
  article	
  should	
  actually	
  be	
  called	
  ‘doing	
  business	
  with	
  purpose’.	
  Here	
  it	
  is	
  then;	
  this	
  is	
  how	
  you	
  can	
  create	
  
purpose	
  in	
  your	
  business.	
  Start	
  with	
  a	
  compelling	
  and	
  aligned	
  mission,	
  bring	
  it	
  to	
  life	
  with	
  your	
  people	
  through	
  your	
  values	
  
and	
  make	
  this	
  your	
  language.	
  	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  

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Doing Business on Purpose

  • 1. 1 +44  775  428  0526   colleen@whatspossible.co.uk   www.whatspossible.co.uk   Doing  Business  on  Purpose     pur·∙pose/ˈpərpəs/    The  reason  for  which  something  is  done  or  created  or  for  which  something  exists.     What  does  it  mean  to  do  something  on  purpose?   The  Google  definition  above  defines  purpose  perfectly;  ‘The  reason  for  which  something  is  done  or  created’.  Consider  for  a   moment  what  is  meant  by  ‘the  reason’.  It’s  the  core,  the  centre  point,  the  force,  the  foundation.  Purpose  is  the  reason  why   we  do  things  and  if  our  reason  or  why  is  strong  enough  we  become  stronger.  We  can  handle  the  challenges,  the  ups  and   downs,  the  curved  balls.  We  can  stand  strong  when  challenged  because  we  know  why  we’re  doing  what  we’re  doing.     On  the  flip  side,  if  we  have  no  purpose,  no  strong  sense  of  why;  we  drift.  We  let  life  happen  to  us.  We  can  fall  and  land  hard   when  challenged.     What  does  this  mean  to  your  business?   A  business  that  has  no  strong  sense  of  purpose  will  also  drift.  It  will  let  business  happen  to  it  rather  than  operating  on   purpose.  It  will  suffer  culturally  as  a  result  of  its  workforce  being  unable  to  identify  themselves  with  what  the  business  is  all   about.  It  will  suffer  in  terms  of  results.  A  lack  of  purpose  will  lead  to  a  lack  of  strength  and  let’s  face  it,  bucket  loads  of   business  strength  is  what  is  needed  throughout  2012.     How  is  a  sense  of  purpose  generated  in  business?   The  good  news  is  that  there  are  some  incredibly  powerful  ways  of  creating  purpose  in  your  business  and  it  begins  with  your   mission  statement  and  values.         Mission  Statement     A  mission  statement  is  so  much  more  than  a  bunch  of  words  put  together.    A  mission  statement  is  the  statement  of  what   an  organisation  stands  for.    What  it  will  and  won’t  accept.    What  it  promises  to  its  workforce.    The  story  it  wants  to  tell  the   world.       • Starbucks  mission:  to  inspire  and  nurture  the  human  spirit  –  one  person,  one  cup  and  one  neighbourhood  at  a   time.     • Microsoft’s  mission:    At  Microsoft,  we  work  to  help  people  and  businesses  throughout  the  world  realise  their  full   potential.   The  success  of  the  above  companies  cannot  really  be  disputed.  There  are  many  elements  over  and  above  their  mission   statement  that  have  enabled  these  global  organisations  to  be  where  they  are  today,  but  it  all  started  with  their  mission  and   the  statement  they  made  around  bringing  it  to  life.   Can  a  mission  statement  stand  alone?   No.     Mission  statements  need  to  be  underpinned.  Many  organisations  make  grand  statements  around  what  they  are  here  to  do   but  then  do  nothing  or  little  to  support  their  people  in  understanding  how  to  bring  it  to  life.  This  is  where  your  values  come   into  play.    
  • 2. 2 +44  775  428  0526   colleen@whatspossible.co.uk   www.whatspossible.co.uk   Values   val·∙ue/ˈvalyo ͞o/    The  regard  that  something  is  held  to  deserve;  the  importance  or  preciousness  of  something     The  importance  or  preciousness  of  something;  your  corporate  values  are  those  things  that  you  cannot  do  without.  Those   things  that  you  will  hold  in  the  highest  regard  in  order  to  deliver  your  company  mission.     In  business,  the  values  represent  how  we  carry  out  the  mission.  Think  of  it  this  way:  if  your  mission  is  your  map,  then  your   values  are  your  compass.  They  are  the  things  that  you  will  honour  and  use  to  hold  yourself  and  others  to  account,  and  they   form  the  very  culture  of  the  workplace.  Values  help  your  organisation  to  stay  on  track  and  give  guidance  and  certainty   throughout  what  may  come.   Here’s  an  example  from  one  of  the  above  companies;  Microsoft.   ‘Our  values  guide  our  behaviors  and  must  shine  through  in  all  our  interactions  with  each  other  and  our  stakeholders.   Microsoft  employees  are  great  people  who  share  the  following  values:   • Integrity  and  honesty   • Passion  for  customers,  partners,  and  technology   • Open  and  respectful  with  others  and  dedicated  to  making  them  better   • Willingness  to  take  on  big  challenges  and  see  them  through   • Self-­‐critical,  questioning,  and  committed  to  personal  excellence  and  self-­‐improvement   • Accountable  for  commitments,  results,  and  quality  to  customers,  shareholders,  partners,  and  employees’   Their  opening  statement  says  it  all.  Your  business  values  need  to  come  alive  in  all  your  interactions.    In  times  when  you  are   faced  with  tough  decisions  your  values  guide  you.  In  any  given  situation  they  give  you  the  opportunity  to  ask  yourself  the   question  ‘are  my  decisions  and  behaviours  aligned.  Am  I  aligned  with  the  business  values?’     What  next?   The  final  piece  of  the  ‘doing  business  on  purpose’  jigsaw  is  bringing  it  all  to  life.  You  must  bring  your  mission  and  values  to   life  in  everything  you  do.  They  need  to  be  role-­‐modelled,  quoted  and  referenced.  Learning  and  development  agendas   should  be  built  around  them.  Recruitment  policy  should  be  based  on  them.  Performance  management  should  be  guided  by   them  and  all  internal  and  external  communications  should  be  shaped  around  them.  In  other  words,  they  should  become   your  language.   I  suppose  this  article  should  actually  be  called  ‘doing  business  with  purpose’.  Here  it  is  then;  this  is  how  you  can  create   purpose  in  your  business.  Start  with  a  compelling  and  aligned  mission,  bring  it  to  life  with  your  people  through  your  values   and  make  this  your  language.