A Framework for Purpose: What do you make possible?

Whenever articles are written in a series, you, the reader, must be able to recognize how each one is moving you forward, how each part fits within the whole message, and how you can take progressive action to give you a positive result.

However, when I first began working on this series talking about PURPOSE within our businesses, it was not easy for me to see how I could share the concept in a way that would make that possible. I knew that I had work to do.

It came down to first creating a common definition of PURPOSE because it can mean very different things to each of us. So, this series is designed to help us find common points so that we can be confident we understand and serve what is unique within our businesses and the difference we can make.

We are building a framework, using the word PURPOSE as our guide.

PURPOSE - Let's recap where we are so far:

P – PERSONAL:  What matters most is that you have a clear reason for the business that is personal to you. Then, you can use that reason as a proving ground for all decisions about moving forward and know that the spark that started it all is being fanned into a flame that is lighting the path ahead.

U – UNIFYING: PURPOSE is not just about you and what you want. It is the most vital point of connection you will have in developing and nurturing all your relationships.

R – RESILIENCE: PURPOSE is both the foundation and fuel for RESILIENCE.

When we stay focused on our PURPOSE, we embrace the importance of keeping on. In the end, that's the essence of RESILIENCE.

Let’s move on.

Initially, I found that PURPOSE was considered by many to be how we contribute back to the world. But that often can get confused with business philanthropy, which, while important, is not the true heartbeat of PURPOSE.

When you, as a business owner, know each day the difference you and your work are making in the world, you understand your PURPOSE heartbeat more than by any other measure.

What do you make possible? That's your PURPOSE.

Yes, philanthropy may be part of it, but it's not the whole. Perhaps you are making a difference by helping others make a difference. Of course, that is a noble pursuit. But it's vital that you also know how YOU are making a difference.

That brings us to the fourth element of PURPOSE, which is POTENTIAL. Your PURPOSE is about recognizing, developing, and delivering on some form of POTENTIAL.

What do you make possible?

This element is where mission, vision, and PURPOSE converge. You need more than your mission and vision. PURPOSE is what creates the underlying context for them all.

For some companies, that epicenter is a social cause. For others, it may be getting resources other than money into the right hands. It could be about making people safe or creating new opportunities for rising stars. The list is endless for what it can mean.

In her book, Selling With Noble Purpose, Lisa Earle McLeod shares that salespeople who genuinely understand the difference their products make for customers will always outsell those who are only focused on a transaction or quota.

She provides us with many examples, but one that stood out for me was a chance meeting in a doctor's office for a pharmaceutical rep with a patient whose life had been changed by the medicines her company distributed. That meeting gave the sales rep a new perspective on her work, which ultimately placed her at the top of their sales organization.

Everything makes something else possible. Even, or perhaps, especially, your business. What do you make possible?

 In the end, it is impossible to have a great life unless it is a meaningful life.

And it is very difficult to have a meaningful life without meaningful work.

—Jim Collins, author of Good to Great