9 benefits that strengthen your company culture and brand
When you study most successful entrepreneurs you find that the last thing they were thinking about when starting up was getting rich.
They wanted to do something with their abilities, make a difference. They have a deeper purpose in what they do, a purpose that cannot be measured in kroner and øre. A personal spark that ignites them and helps them build something meaningful.
Can you honestly say that you know the purpose of the company or organisation you work for?
Tapping into the power of purpose
Someone once said, “the only function of a business is to make money.” I don’t disagree, but is it the only thing a business is there to do?
When you study most successful entrepreneurs you find that the last thing they were thinking about when starting up was getting rich. They wanted to do something with their abilities and make a difference to their lives.
Looking at most business sectors, you find the common factor amongst the success stories is a strong desire to do something different, fulfil a missing need and provide something more valuable. Financial success is simply a by-product in the bigger scheme of things.
In this article you learn about:
The advantages of having a defined purpose
How to make sure your purpose becomes an integral part of your company culture
How to communicate your purpose in the marketplace
You learn about the dangers of neglecting the purpose
It's as if the belief they have in what they do gives them the strength to go forward, take the uncomfortable risks and attract like-minded supporters. These are qualities that are invaluable for a developing company.
These companies thrive on having a clear sense of what they are here to do. Their purpose is easy to articulate, helping to focus motivation, resources, time and investment.
Externally this sense of purpose acts as a beacon to customers. It helps to differentiate them from the wannabes. People relate to a desire to shake things up a bit, and feel that purpose driven companies are contributing something of value to the world.
The dangers of neglecting purpose
A common sense of purpose is arguably an intangible asset, but to neglect it can have negative consequences with the rot subtly starting from within. Here are some of the tell–tale signs:
Indifference
Staff can become unconstructive and self-centred asking, “What’s in it for them?”
Greed
Colleagues can become distracted by the wrong things such as: status, more money, a corner office and so on.
Adaptation
Some begin to follow instead of thinking fresh, emulating the competition with the attitude, “If it works for them, it will work for us.”
Lack of ambition
A lack of motivation can create the following attitude: "This is the way we have always done it, why should we create unrest... ?"
If you recognise any of these traits in your staff it’s probably time to reassess.
This is how you get satisfied employees and better colleagues.
Branding can be a powerful tool in identifying, harnessing and communicating your sense of purpose to both internal and external audiences.
As outsiders, Mission are well positioned to identify what you may be too close to see. Our approach can help to put purpose into action. Find out more about how we can help you uncover the purpose of your business.
Establishing what you stand for
Through a series of workshops we examine your companies deepest beliefs helping you to confront the commonly held misconceptions that may be holding you back. The objective is to find the essence of what motivates you, what makes you special and articulate this in an empowering way.
We have worked with Herkules Capital , a leading investment company. One would assume that their ultimate focus would be financial gain. However the common thread in their culture is a deep desire to help other companies succeed through utilising their business acumen.
The financial gains that come from it are certainly welcome, but other benefits are to be had: teamwork is common, their junior staff thrive, expertise grows and investors are forthcoming. “Building Tomorrow’s Winners” is the statement we established to define their purpose, this becomes the belief that all communication decisions are made from.
Communicating purpose internally
Sharing the purpose with your staff is the next step. If the idea is right it wont need to be enforced, it will ring true for your culture already. However it’s important to formally present the idea as a fixture of the company. You need to explain:
What it means
Why it’s important
How it aligns with company strategy
How your staff can play their part in expressing purpose.
Your colleagues are often the front liners of your business, essential in conveying the brand through their actions and behaviour to the outside world.
Singapore Airlines (SA), believe in service excellence from the beginning to end of a journey. It’s no surprise to learn that SA staff receive double the amount of training than any other airline, with cabin staff able to discern and provide for the many cultural nuances between Asian travellers. SA is frequently recognised as not just the world’s top airline, but also one of the world’s top employer brands.
Communicating purpose externally
Equally important is to use design to express the purpose through every touch point that stakeholders come into contact with.
Take Audi for example, they see their role beyond car manufacture, they are increasingly focused on the fundamental human need for transport. The company is investigating how to redesign road surfaces using smart technology to improve the environment, avoid congestion and make driving more pleasant.
“Advancement through Technology” is their purpose and this can be experienced in their products, showrooms, website and communication.
By aligning internal and external communication through purpose, you will create an experience that differentiates and resonates with the people that are important to you.
EVRY leading with Shape the future today
When Nordic tech giant EVRY realised they needed to transition in order to remain a leader in their field, it became obvious that it was necessary to look within the organisation, to start with the core, the purpose. This change from inside out sparked a reinvention of the brand and bought out its unique qualities. Find out how we worked with EVRY to uncover their purpose. .
The advantages of purpose
Defining the thing that makes you tick is an intangible asset and understandably hard to articulate, but there are many benefits to be had:
All resources become more focussed on a shared goal
Feedback comes bottom up as well as top down
Natural setbacks are coped with
Sharing knowledge becomes easier with a common focus
The business feels human and easy to relate to
You become more attractive to talent, especially Millennials.
What the company says and does become one and the same
You gain empathy and preference from stakeholders
Learn more about how purpose transforms your brand from inside out.
To borrow the words of author Simon Sinek: "People do not buy what you do, they buy the reason you do it." Ask yourself why you do what you do. It can be the first step in a more satisfying journey and a more engaging brand.
