Your organization’s purpose is how you make a difference in the world. It sounds fluffy, but it translates into cold hard cash.
A study from Jim Collins and Jerry Porras found that “Organizations driven by purpose and values outperformed the market 15:1 and outperformed comparison companies 6:1.”
Which set of employees is going to be more likely to go the extra mile, the employees who believe that their work makes a difference to someone? Or employees who believe that their only value is to deliver quarterly earnings?
It’s ironic. When people have a purpose beyond just money, they’re more motivated to pay attention to profitability because they know that solid financial performance is vital towards fulfilling their larger purpose.
Top performing leaders know that uncertainty is a given, especially in today’s economic climate.
You can help your team deal with uncertainty by reinforcing your larger purpose. It acts as a filter to help you decide what’s important and what’s not.
A clear and compelling purpose can serve as your North Star during times of ambiguity and change.
Passionate, purpose-driven employees outperform check-the-box employees every day of the week.
People who truly love their jobs are always more effective than people who don’t.
If you want to create a more passionate team, identify who benefits from your work, and decide that you’re going to care about them with your heart and soul.
Lisa Earle McLeod is a sales leadership consultant. Organizations like Apple, Kimberly-Clark and Pfizer hire her to help them create passionate, purpose-driven sales forces. Her offerings include executive coaching sessions, strategy workshops and keynote speeches.
Visit her company web site at www.LisaEarleMcLeod.com for more info.
