Helping senior leadership teams and executives to lead ‘with a sense of responsibility for the whole’ has been our essential purpose for more than two decades.So, it’s pleasing to see that ‘Purpose- driven business’ has become a monumental movement.
What does Purpose-Driven mean?
There’s certainly no shortage of buzzwords to describe it – social enterprises, organizations and conscious capitalism, to name a few. Is it more than the latest flavor of the month, fad or corporate “frisbee”? First, let’s explain what we mean – the duty of a business doesn’t stop at generating profit for its shareholders. Businesses don’t operate in a vacuum, they are an integral part of our society, and like any other member of a society, they are responsible for supporting and contributing towards it.
Evidence shows that, in the long term, the consistently best-performing businesses go beyond profit maximization – they serve a purpose greater than their own self-interest. They act with conscious awareness of the interests of society, the communities they live in, the people who work for them and the planet as a whole.
How?
To be credible, this intention has to flow from the top down and the inside out. For purpose to be authentic, it must flow from the place of origin – this means from ‘inside’ the leaders themselves, usually from the founder or founding group. It must be fully embraced by the top leadership team and understood by every employee. The only way for corporate leaders to become authentically ‘purpose driven’ is to begin with a deep reflection on their individual purpose, values & vision.