Five ways to harness the power of purpose
- sciart0
- Jul 22
- 2 min read
Excerpt: "Leaders instinctively understand the value of corporate purpose. They know that, when it is well articulated, a company’s purpose statement—or the best proxy for it, such as a mission or vision statement—serves as a north star. It is a reminder of what matters most and provides clarity to employees, managers, and leaders about how to focus amid the cacophony of daily, competing demands.
Yet in our work with leaders across industries and markets, we’ve seen many struggle to communicate a meaningful purpose that builds employees’ conviction about why their work matters. Worse still, purpose statements often fail to articulate the outcomes that will enable companies to win in today’s market.
Such disconnects tend to be baked into the creation process. That’s because when they craft a purpose statement, leaders often sidestep critical questions: Does it address a clear customer need or problem to be solved? Is the organization uniquely qualified to deliver on the promise embedded in that statement? And is the stated purpose directly connected to what the organization does to earn its revenues? Failure to answer these questions creates confusion and can distract both employees and customers from the core of what fuels the business.
Over time, strategic and operational drift can set in, chipping away at cohesion, motivation, and alignment across an organization—and potentially undermining performance.
Whether they are setting bold aspirations to stay relevant to their customers, undertaking large-scale transformations that involve significant business model changes, or launching far-reaching ESG (environmental, social, and governance) initiatives, organizations rely on an engaged workforce to carry such initiatives forward. For those companies that succeed in motivating their employees to innovate and deliver real value every day, purpose is a critical source of energy.
Here are five ways that every leader can harness its power."