Let's read...

Now let me be clear in what I'm talking about here. I'm talking about embedding purpose. I'm not talking about your mission, which is what you do every day, or your vision, which is where you are headed. Both mission and vision are important corporate drivers, but they play a different role in purpose. And mission and vision will change with changes in leadership, corporate context, competitive landscape, merger and acquisition. They are important, but they are also temporal. In my experience, they often have a time horizon of, say, three to five years. But purpose is your why. It is found at the intersection of who you are at your very best and the role in the world that you are meant to play. It comes from your ethos. It is married to your aspiration. And because it is ethotic, it is also timeless. Now there are plenty of data out there to say that well-embedded purpose across organizations brings immense value. Studies that will link well-embedded purpose to elevated total shareholder return over 10 years, increased employee engagement, retention, even higher levels of productivity. Because of all this data, it is rare in my work that a CEO will come to me and say, Ashley, what is purpose, or why do I need to do it? Instead, what they will ask is, when I have my purpose, how do I embed it across my organization so well that it brings the most value, that it becomes muscle memory? As I've been doing this work for almost 20 years at this point, I have a ready answer.

Let's follow Ashley M. Grice...

Now let me be clear in what I'm talking about here. // I'm talking about embedding / purpose. // I'm not talking about your mission, / which is what you do every day, / or your vision, which is where you are headed. // Both mission / and vision are important corporate drivers, / but they play a different role in purpose. // And mission and vision will change with changes in leadership, / corporate context, / competitive landscape, / merger and acquisition. // They are important, / but they are also temporal. // In my experience, / they often have a time horizon of, say, three to five years. // But purpose is your why. // It is found at the intersection of who you are at your very best / and the role in the world that you are meant to play. // It comes from your ethos. // It is married to your aspiration. // And because it is ethotic, / it is also timeless. // Now there are plenty of data out there to say that well-embedded purpose across organizations brings immense value. // Studies that will link well-embedded purpose to / elevated total shareholder return over 10 years, / increased employee engagement, retention, / even higher levels of productivity. // Because of all this data, / it is rare in my work that a CEO will come to me and say, Ashley, / what is purpose, / or why do I need to do it? // Instead, / what they will ask is, / when I have my purpose, / how do I embed it across / my organization so well / that it brings the most value, / that it becomes / muscle memory? // As I've been doing this work for almost 20 years at this point, I have a ready answer. //

Let's read...

First, I tell them it needs to be authentic. Purpose that is rooted in your ethos, distinctive to your brand, meaningful to all of your stakeholders, and consistent with your values is authentic. Kelly Bayer Rosemarin, the CEO of Optus, a Sydney, Australia-based telecommunications company, can speak to her company's purpose, powering optimism with options, with conviction, because it is authentic. Optus is by its very nature a challenger brand, and it is a brand synonymous with a brand platform of positivity. Since options breed action and optimism breeds hope, how they pull their internal relations together with their external reach out to customers is very consistent and incredibly authentic. Now, on the other end of the authenticity scale, I once worked with a CEO who really wanted purpose to be about environmental sustainability. That is great, I said, except for your company struggles to even recycle in your offices. I know. I've been there. While they admire the aspiration, if we had come up with a purpose line that was solely about environmental sustainability, it would have been dead on arrival, specifically with employees. Secondly, I tell CEOs that they must be critical in excavating purpose from the inside out. Purpose is uncomfortable. It should be, because you are introducing a tension between idealism and realism, who you really want to be and who you are capable of being today and in the future, based on competencies and ethos. And purpose can be particularly discomforting, because even once you have it, it takes a while to implement it. In fact, you may set your purpose once and spend your entire career living up to it. Now, purpose is particularly uncomfortable for companies who are on a forced evolution of change, companies and industries like oil and gas, for example, or for companies who maybe have bad behaviors they need to leave behind. Finally, I tell CEOs that purpose must apply to the whole of the organization. Purpose is not a CEO vanity project. Sure, it may help cement the legacy of the CEO who is in charge at the time it's articulated, but it's not about them. It's not about him or her. It's about the value the company brings. It is about the role in the world that is meant to play.

Let's follow Ashley M. Grice...

First, / I tell them it needs to be authentic. // Purpose that is rooted in your ethos, / distinctive to your brand, / meaningful to all of your stakeholders, / and consistent with your values / is authentic. // Kelly Bayer Rosemarin, / the CEO of Optus, / a Sydney, Australia-based telecommunications company, / can speak to her company's purpose, / powering optimism with options, with conviction, / because it is authentic. // Optus / is by its very nature a challenger brand, / and it is a brand synonymous with a brand platform of positivity. // Since / options breed action / and optimism breeds hope, / how they pull their internal relations together with their external / reach out to customers is very consistent / and incredibly / authentic. // Now, on the other end of the authenticity scale, / I once worked with a CEO who really wanted / purpose to be about environmental sustainability. // That is great, / I said, / except for your company struggles to even recycle in your offices. // I know. // I've been there. // While they admire the aspiration, / if we had come up with a purpose line / that was solely about / environmental sustainability, / it would have been dead on arrival, / specifically with employees. // Secondly, / I tell CEOs that they must be critical / in excavating purpose from the inside out. // Purpose / is uncomfortable. // It should be, / because you are introducing a tension between idealism / and realism, / who you really want to be / and who you are capable of being / today / and in the future, / based on competencies / and ethos. // And purpose can be / particularly discomforting, / because even once you have it, / it takes a while to implement it. // In fact, / you may set your purpose once and spend your entire career / living up to it. // Now, purpose is particularly uncomfortable for companies who are on a forced evolution of change, / companies and industries like oil and gas, / for example, / or for companies who maybe have bad behaviors they need to leave behind. // Finally, / I tell CEOs that purpose must apply / to the whole of the organization. // Purpose is not / a CEO vanity project. / /Sure, / it may help cement the legacy / of the CEO who is in charge at the time it's articulated, / but it's not about them. // It's not about him or her. // It's about the value the company brings. // It is about the role / in the world / that is meant to play. //