Purpose. A reason for being. A raison d’etre.
Every business needs a purpose. Without a purpose, you struggle. It doesn’t matter whether you are the boss of the business or a manager in the business – You. Need. A. Purpose.
Of course, everyone has a subliminal purpose:
- Why they come to work.
- Why they work where they do.
But perhaps many of these purposes are not focused. They work where they do because it pays the bills. It’s their first job. There’s a downturn so no point looking elsewhere … for now.
But a real purpose is compelling. It’s proactive. It’s something you want to be, or want to do.
It’s also something you can communicate to others and, for the most part, win people over with.
There’s the old story of the bricklayers:
- one is laying bricks
- another is building a wall
- still another is building a cathedral
- but they are all doing the same basic task – laying bricks!
The difference is their purpose. What do they see themselves doing and how do they see themselves doing it.
What is the purpose of your business? What is the purpose of your job? When you go to work every day, what are you doing?
(And if you’re not going to work every day in these less than happy times, what are you doing?)
Having a purpose is crucial because it affects everything else you do:
- How you structure your day
- What resources you need
- How you communicate and who with
- What you choose NOT to do
- Who you choose NOT to work with
Because you have a clearly defined purpose.
Write it down – Hands, Head, Heart
Communicating your purpose is vital to achieving it. I have found that if I can define it well I do that on paper. I can get it into my hand and into the hands of others. They can see it, read it, take it in and think about it. I need to get it into the hands of my key stakeholders.
I also need to be clear in my own mind about my purpose. Am I convinced? If I’m not, no-one else will be. So how do I think about my purpose? Worthwhile? Just so-so? Is it clear? Can I repeat it verbatim? (to myself to start with) It must be in my head. As someone has said, “Everything starts with a thought.”
Now I can get it into the heart. And if I can get it into the heart of myself and others, I have a driving force for my purpose that will be difficult to stop.
Too many managers think that once they have said something it is done. Not when it comes to purpose. It needs to be repeated. It needs many ways to be communicated. From the individual who owns it, via newsletters, memos, in meetings, conversation, plaques on walls and so on.
My general rule of thumb is when I hear people say to me, “OK, I get it!” I think I’ve just cracked the ice! 
And here is the greatest reason why you need a clearly dfined purpose:
Only AFTER you have defined your purpose can you truly and effectively start on your strategy.
Purpose is what you really, truly do.
Strategy is how you do it, but if you don’t know what you’re doing how can you define your strategy?
Write it down.
Get it into the hands of your team, people, staff, employees, support crew, network.
