QUOTE: “Without a sense of alignment behind a purpose, the organization will be in trouble, because the opposite of having purpose is to drift aimlessly.” - DRW
People need meaningful purpose. That’s why we live! Today there are thousands of business leaders who are missing a purpose for living. When we lack purpose in our lives, the days turn into weeks and the weeks into months and months into years. Often people awaken one day to find they are adrift in a sea of gray – without color or meaning.
However, with shared purpose, we can achieve anything. People really do need people! None of us are able to do it all. And none of us are able to always be right. We need the perspective and expertise of others. These are certainly not the days to be trying to lead a business alone.
Every leader making a difference has a “strongly defined purpose that involves others and utilizes the talents and abilities of people “in-the-know.”
Three Dimensions of Purpose
1. Passion
QUOTE: “I must keep some standard of conviction within myself.” – Abraham Lincoln
Passion is not about being loud or charismatic! I know some of the loudest people you would ever want to speak with, but that does not mean they are passionate concerning their purpose. I’m afraid this is an instance where we often see “style” [loud] over “substance.” Real passion for a subject or issue always contains a reservoir of unspoken content. It is never merely a surface engagement.
It’s about a focused direction! Where is your business going? No, I’m not talking about just the dollars and cents. I mean … in looking at the BIG picture … what the direction! What are you doing to make it happen? On a scale of 1 – 10, how focused are you on your vision for the future? Or, are you taking it one day at a time and hoping for the best? Do you find your days filled with merely “putting out fires within your organization? As someone said, “Hope is not a strategy!”
Passion keeps us open to new ideas and creative collaboration! What was the last “new idea” you had for your business? When was the last time you tried to execute a new strategy? Who was the last person you bounced an idea off of to see what they thought? Who are you using to make sure the “fire in your belly” stays lit? Is there “fire” or just “smoke”? Passion is something that burns in our souls. It is often difficult to explain, but must be if we are to garner the horsepower of those around us.
Question … how passionate are you about your business and its future?
QUOTE: “One danger of fast growth is that a company can lose its focus, forget its mission, and take its eyes off its core competency. Not only is rapid growth a problem, but success, unless properly handled, can be toxic.” – Michael Eisner – Disney
2. Perspective
Definition: Competitive edge comes from an ability to live in the fog of reality and still make rapid, excellent interpretations of where the world is at this moment and where it is headed.
This is a helicopter point of view! Several years ago while on vacation in the Smokey Mountains, my family and I went on a helicopter ride around the Pigeon Forge area. What a spectacular view we had of the beauty and growing congestion of the area. It’s interesting what you can see once you leave the confines of the ground. Too often we can only see our immediate surroundings and miss what just over the hill.
Leadership and business today must find ways to rise above the daily fray and see what lies ahead and learn some lessons from where they have been. As a friend of mine says … “You need to take some time to think about thinking.” We all need perspective! We need mental, emotional and spiritual perspective on life. However, “life” seems to crowd out any time to gain the perspective that is so critical to the success of our future.
When you have perspective, you gain discernment, insight, and foresight! The truth is there is nothing going on in any of our businesses or lives for that matter, which a healthy dose of discernment, insight and foresight would not help.
Question … What happens after what happens next? How far into the future can you see? Can you see what you want the future to be like? Can you describe it? So, how will you know when you get there besides the calendar?
Too often we go through our daily lives crossing our “T’s” and dotting our “I’s” without realizing we are writing the wrong sentences or are at the end of the paragraph. It may be time for you to turn the page and start a new chapter.
QUOTE: “If you think you can run your business the next 10 years the way you’ve run it the last 10 years, you’re crazy. To succeed in the next decade, you’ll have to disturb the present.” – Roberto Goizueta – Coca-Cola
Statistic: If you look at the Fortune 500 every 10 years, you will see the average attrition rate is about 40 percent.
Question … What is your current perspective on your business and its future?
3. Meaning
QUOTE: “The difference between the corporation of the future and its present-day counterpart will not be products they make, or the equipment they use, but who will be working, why they will be working, and what work will mean to them.” – Robert Hass – Levi Strauss
Definition of Meaning: Information endowed with purpose and relevance! – John Maxwell
Meaning has to do with challenging the lid of our limitations! We all love a challenge. We all love to find success in life. The truth is people do not get up in the morning hoping to find failure in their day. They want success. They thrive on success. Real success is to found in the meaning we attach to our activities and priorities. When we find genuine meaning in something, we usually label it as success.
For long-term success meaning is that inescapable quality with must be present to sustain continued growth! Any business that is going to consistently be successful and find success must endeavor to discover what is meaningful to the organization and to its people. Businesses that are moving with purpose have a distinct direction and audible authority to their meaning.
Someone once said that meaning not happiness is what life is all about. This could also be said of a business or organization. While things may not always be described as happy, they should be described as meaningful.
What are the most meaningful events in your organization’s week? What would your people say are the most meaningful tasks they perform? If asked to describe the true meaning of their work, what would your employee say? What would you say about your work? And, if you are not finding meaning in what you are doing, then why are you doing it?
Life is too short to merely go through the motions and drift along with the tide. While drifting is delightful, it is also dangerous. Perhaps the time has come for you to determine with definition the direction of your life and organization. The decision is yours! Make your decision and get moving! Start today!
QUOTE: “I’m passionate about what I do because most successful is the so-called American Dream. You find meaning and produce your best work when you aren’t afraid to take risks, to endure criticism or embarrassment or even failure. Trusting your deepest intuitions and instincts may mean overriding contrary research, peer pressure, conventional wisdom, or intimidation.” – Michael Eisner – Disney
