Deep Purpose

Companies should look inward to discover their guiding purpose.

It often requires deep contemplation of the founders' visions and analyzing how the company's competencies address human needs.

• Once defined, purpose should be integrated internally through training, narratives, and leadership modeling.
• Externally, communicating purpose through advertising, packaging and branding enhances consumer connections.
• Strategies across the organization should reinforce purpose.

Hiring, training, products, partnerships, and incentives should activate purpose, not just talk about it. Otherwise, purpose rings hollow.

Governing policies and structures should safeguard purpose.

Executive compensation, shareholder communications, CSR initiatives and impact reporting should be guided by purpose, not undermined by it.

• As the world changes, a company's sense of purpose will need to evolve.
• Leaders must continually re-examine if current purpose still motivates employees and meets customer needs.
• Refreshing purpose requires tapping into founding ideals and envisioning future opportunities to serve.