The process of purpose discovery is about understanding why your business exists, rather than creating a new reason entirely. The purpose is already there in the DNA of your organisation, but in some cases, it can be difficult to determine or describe.
A clear purpose implies the existence of a system of values, answering the question ‘what is most important to your business and why?’ Money might be a key motivator, but usually the purpose has a much deeper meaning than profit, forming the basis of your mission statement.
What does your business represent? What sort of reputation do you want to build? These kinds of questions will help you realise your true purpose, allowing you to operate with integrity and a clear understanding of what you want to achieve long-term.
Once this has been established, it becomes a lot easier to set smaller goals that will propel your business to where it needs to be, developing talented individuals along the way that will remain loyal and committed to the cause.
Developing a strategic purpose
In order to become a successful and thriving business you must have a clear understanding of your purpose, using this to outline an effective organisational strategy that will guide colleagues and help them realise their full potential.
Without understanding why your business exists, it’s impossible to create a plan for achieving your goals. The journey to success is a lot like planning a holiday, without knowing which destinations you want to visit or where you want to end up, you can’t possibly map out an efficient route that will take you there.
For employees, it’s important to know which direction the business is heading, as this will help them plan their own personal development and give them the motivation needed to complete tasks. Although pay cheques will keep people satisfied in the short-term, true motivation stems from working towards a purpose and feeling like an important part of the team.
Ultimately, having a clear strategic purpose and being able to meet the growing needs of your workforce will largely determine your success at attracting and retaining talented individuals.
Dis-cover the purpose
Instead of thinking about the services your business provides or the profit it makes, it’s important to create a ‘dreams list’ that will detail the objectives you want to complete and the problems you want to solve. This applies to businesses and individuals, giving everyone a sense of purpose and a reason for doing what they do.
Naturally, you will have a strong emotional attachment to these goals, which is a much more powerful motivator than completing tasks just because you’ve been told to. A clear and effective purpose encourages people to roll up their sleeves and get stuck in, overcoming any potential obstacles that are in the way.
Once you have this ‘dreams list’, the mission statement of your business becomes a lot clearer, making it easier for employees, shareholders and customers to have faith in the process and instil confidence in your business and its purpose.
When we say discover, we literally mean dis-cover. The purpose of your business is already there, but you first need to find out what it is before you can communicate it to those around you.