The Importance of Sense of Purpose for an Organisation

Purposeful living means having a clear idea of what you want to achieve in life and taking active steps to make it happen. It's all about setting goals and working towards them, even when it's tough. It's about making a difference in the world and leaving a lasting legacy.

When you have a sense of purpose as an organisation as a whole, you believe that what you're doing is essential and makes a difference to other people. This comes from your values and beliefs as a group.

Here are some considerations regarding the importance of having a sense of purpose:

Why a Sense of Purpose Matters for Organisations

A sense of purpose is essential for any organisation, whether it's a business, a charity, or a government department. It gives members of the organisation something to work hard for and customers and clients something to believe in.

There are several benefits to establishing a strong sense of purpose within an organisation. It can improve employee engagement, customer satisfaction and retention, and overall business performance.

A sense of purpose can also help to attract and retain the best talent. People want to work for organisations that have a clear sense of purpose and are making a positive difference in the world.

A sense of purpose helps to create a unique identity. It's what makes an organisation stand out from the competition and allows it to build a loyal following.

How Can You Discover or Determine Your Sense of Purpose?

Losing your sense of purpose can be incredibly detrimental to both your individual and organisational success. When you lose sight of what you're working towards, you can quickly become unmotivated and unhappy. This can lead to a decline in work performance and lower morale within the organisation.

There are many ways that you can determine or rediscover your sense of purpose:

1. Define your values: What matters most to you? What do you stand for? Once you understand your organisation's values, you can start to think about how you can align your work with those values.

2. Ask yourself what problems you want to solve: What issues or challenges excite or interest you? What can you possibly do to make a positive impact in the world?

3. Consider your individual and team talents and passions: What do you do well and enjoy doing? How could you use those talents and passions to make a difference in the world?

4. Look for opportunities to give back: Are there any causes in your organisation that are important to you? Can you find ways to volunteer or donate your time and resources?

5. Set goals: Once you have a sense of purpose, it's essential to set goals that will help you achieve them. Ensure that you set achievable goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, and relevant.

Conclusion

If your sense of purpose is clear, you will be able to make better decisions for your organisation and be more efficient in achieving your goals. You will also be more inspiring to others and create a positive work environment as they will enjoy having a shared vision and understanding.

Furthermore, if your organisation's sense of purpose is clear, it will be more efficient, and attracting top talent will be easier. Ultimately leading to increased profitability and successful outcomes. So, if you want your organisation to be successful with consistently high performing teams make sure its sense of purpose is clear and shared throughout the fabric and structure of the company. 

If you need help identifying the root causes that are impacting organisational sense of purpose you should consider an executive coach who has helped lead and guide teams through uncertainty with clarity, sense of purpose and shared understanding. 

Stuart Andrews is a reputable executive coach who has been providing leadership and transformation coaching to executive leaders and organisations across the globe. Get a copy of The Leadership Shift: How to Lead Successful Business Transformations in the New Normal - a book filled with thought provoking insights from Australia’s trusted executive coach!