Having a Purpose

If there is no purpose, then we are left with a feeling that the quality of the work, the effort we are required to put into it and the outcomes are of no real importance.  So our motivation, drive and enthusiasm become limited.

The dictionary defines the word ‘purpose’ as follows:

a noun.  The reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists.

The Purpose defines the reason for existence or the required outcome.

On a personal level the purpose achieves a number of things but, at its core, it gives us the basis from which we justify our effort, spark our imagination and build our enthusiasm.

The dictionary goes on to define the word purpose by saying;

A person's sense of resolve or determination.

It is necessary to give people something on which they can focus, a reason why they are doing what they are doing, or, simply what is trying to be achieved. This can be applied to everything that we do as it is important that people understand what it is that they are working towards.

The old story of the President of the United States asking the gardener what his job was.  This is an example of this Purpose. The gardener replies “I am part of putting a man on the moon”. This is an instance of someone who justifies, in their mind, the reason for doing their job, sparks their imagination and creates the enthusiasm or motivation to do an excellent job each and everyday.

Built around the need to have a clear purpose or understanding which, in turn, justifies why they should make an effort, is everything else required to empower people. In empowering them, they become motivated and take responsibility for their role, thus doing it to the best of their ability.

Defining the purpose

The clarity of the purpose leads to the creation of empowerment in such a way that enables others to take responsibility and ownership of their role. It is important that the person feels a sense of ownership in order to justify their effort, spark their imagination, and build enthusiasm. Ownership is defined as “that which belongs to oneself.” The Purpose helps to create a sense of belonging; the person belongs to, or is part of, something and that ‘something’ belongs to them through their part in it.

The key to defining the purpose is to keep it short, meaningful and something that everybody at every level in, and out, of the organisation can understand and relate to. From this purpose the organisation will define its strategy and set its objectives.

We need to be careful not to fall into the trap of defining the purpose as “to make money”.  Obviously an organisation needs to make money in order to survive and that should be taken as a given.  If we focus on the making of money without regard for the method which is used to make that money, then we create a purpose which can result in actions and behaviours that are out of line with the business that we are in.

Some examples of this can be seen in the Purposes of a building company: ‘To make affordable houses accessible’; or for an association for people with disabilities: ‘To help people with disabilities live an independent life’.  The ‘Purposes’ for Wal-Mart, Girl Scouts and Walt Disney are ‘To give ordinary folk the chance to buy the same things as rich people’; ‘To help a girl reach her highest potential’; and ‘To make people happy’, respectively.

The Mission Statement

Is important to note that we have not used the words mission or vision statement. The reason for this is that most mission statements do not fulfil all of the requirements of what we are calling the purpose.  We are not arguing the merits or the problems of having, or not having, a mission statement.  For many organisations a mission statement has some meaning and where this is the case, it is obviously of value.

However, many mission statements do not clearly define the purpose and often are so wordy that people within the organisation neither understand or are capable of relating the Mission statement to their role.

The purpose should be short, simple and, most importantly, understood at every level in the organisation.  In other words the person at the most junior level not only understands the purpose but is very clear as to how they contribute to it.  Without this, everything else we do to create an empowering structure can be meaningless because everything within such a structure is linked back and contributes to the purpose.

A mission and a vision will undoubtedly come out of the purpose. Once we understand why we are here or why we are doing this, then we can talk about where we are going and what it will look like when we get there.

Motivating people

The concept that we can somehow motivate people is slightly arrogant and, at best, it presupposes that we understand their individual desires better than they do.

What one person finds motivating is not necessarily the same with others.  As leaders, our role is not to motivate as much as help people discover their own motivation.  It is in this light that we can see the difference between most mission statements and what we are referring to here as a purpose.

Often mission statements endeavour to motivate people and outline what is important.  The purpose is meant to give people something by which they can find inspiration and develop their own motivation.

When a purpose provides clarity or focus, allowing the individual to then develop motivation within them, an individual can then start to shape their role and seek ways to refine it and improve on it.  When the individual needs to have their contribution explained in relation to the purpose, then they do not own it but rather approach it as a chore or something they have to do because they have no other choice.  It is in these circumstances that motivation becomes very hard to sustain as the ownership is not present.

The philosophical why?

The purpose will provide the answer as to why we are here or what we are trying to achieve?  So for example, a nursing home may have as its purpose to “care for people mentally, physically and spiritually”.  This is a very simple purpose which people can relate to and understand how they contribute to it.

The same nursing home may have a philosophical belief about the care for elderly people to society.  For example, a nursing home may believe that people should be allowed to live out their life in a dignified manner.  This belief is not a purpose but will relate to the purpose.