The following is one of my first few posts on this blog back in July last year, I thought it is worth sharing with you again here. The conversation started when a friend of mine called me and wanted to talk about his new venture idea. I am happy for him. No question that it is a big decision to give up your job and go after your dream. The question came up was "why", is it about money or is it about something else?
I asked him the question "Do you have purpose?" He was a little surprised as he expected me to ask him about the strategy. I said to him "purpose" is bigger than "strategy". Way much bigger. At best, strategy is just a number of smart ideas to take advantage of a market opportunity or re-configuration of the value chain. But purpose is different, it is a journey. Strategies are about means; they cannot be an end in themselves. An end is a reason. Many companies today are not lacking strategies, they lack a reason--they lack "purpose."
Purpose is crucial because of its scope and ubiquity. It is large, much larger than any other elements in a business model or organizational design. It is much more involving. It is a choice to pursue your destiny--the ultimate destination for yourself and the organization you and your partners founded... It draws equally upon your emotional commitment and intellectual whole--it calls upon everything you are, everything you've experienced and everything you believe in. How many leaders out there today can talk intelligently (and authentically) about "Purpose"? Purpose is he most powerful mobilization and any successful CEOs must be able to talk about it--although they may not actually use the word itself. Business is about "Purpose" and Management is the art of bringing that "Purpose" to everyone in the organization and even to their customers. There's a lot of be learned from the non-profits guys.
Thanks Norman for sharing.
Original Post: http://mootee.typepad.com/innovation_playground/2008/02/does-your-busin.html
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