Most companies have articulated their purpose — the reason they exist. But very few have made that purpose a reality for their organizations.
The Best Companies Know How to Balance Strategy and Purpose
Most companies have articulated their purpose — the reason they exist. But very few companies excel at operationalizing their purpose, which organizes human effort at a deeper level. For your declared purpose to have authentic relevance and power, it must ring true not just on the surface but down to the marrow. For example, everyone at SpaceX knows their company exists to make space radically more accessible. Nestlé employees know that they’re working toward creating shared value. When Steve Jobs introduced the first iPhone as “a leapfrog product that is way smarter than any mobile device has ever been, and super-easy to use,” Apple started connecting people at astounding new levels. As a leader, you must consistently and authentically voice such an inspiring external ambition, be the principal architect of a master plan to engage and align your organization, and provide employees all the means necessary to fulfill your shared purpose.