Why Are We Here?
If you want employees who are more engaged and productive, give them a purpose—one concretely tied to your customers and your strategy. by Sally Blount and Paul Leinwand
Over the past decade, “purpose” has become a management watchword. Since 2010 it has appeared in the titles of more than 400 new business and leadership books and thousands of articles. And no wonder: Many people—not just Millennials—want to work for organizations whose missions and business philosophies resonate with them intellectually and emotionally.
Yet many enterprises struggle to define, much less live, their purpose. Read a typical purpose statement and you may find generic goals such as “being the company of choice” and “maximizing shareholder value.” Statements like those miss the heart of what drives a successful business. They don’t speak to what the firm actually does or who its customers are. Other statements include high-minded but vague aspirations—for example, “inspiring people to put their best selves forward every day” and “spreading the power of optimism.” These, too, fail to answer the questions What is your reason for existing? What value are you giving your customers? and Why is your firm uniquely capable of providing it?
A truly powerful purpose statement is one that achieves two objectives: clearly articulating strategic goals and motivating your workforce. These objectives are important individually and synergistically. When your employees understand and embrace your organization’s purpose, they’re inspired to do work that not only is good—and sometimes great—but also delivers on your stated aims.
Indeed, it’s hard to imagine how your employees can perform if they don’t understand your company’s purpose. How can they come to work every day ready to further the business if they don’t know what your organization is trying to accomplish and how their jobs support those goals? Yet in a recent survey of more than 540 employees worldwide conducted by PwC’s strategy consulting business, Strategy&, only 28% of respondents reported feeling fully connected to their company’s purpose. Just 39% said they could clearly see the value they create, a mere 22% agreed that their jobs allow them to fully leverage their strengths, and only 34% thought they strongly contribute to their company’s success. More than half weren’t even “somewhat” motivated, passionate, or excited about their jobs.
All this adds up to a crisis of purpose: Workers feel lost. And over time, a lack of direction saps motivation; people begin backing away from the challenges required to achieve the firm’s articulated goals. Click here to read the full article from Harvard Business Review.
