Do You Know Your Purpose?
Welcome back to?Curiouser, our monthly newsletter with insights about leadership. This month's edition is about the?power of purpose.
I love my car insurance
If your reaction to the text above is, “huh?”, there’s a good chance you’re not a USAA member.
USAA—the United Services Automobile Association—was founded in 1922 to provide auto insurance to American military service members. In the decades since, the company has expanded its membership to military dependents and retirees and now offers banking and investing services. But one thing remains constant: its members, like me (thanks, Dad!), love USAA.
Don’t take my word for it—look at the data. USAA has an industry-leading Net Promoter Score of 75. It’s on a 23-year streak as the #1 auto insurer in JD Power’s customer service rankings. And with a 96% customer retention rate, stellar customer service literally defines USAA’s brand.
How does USAA do it?
The Secret Sauce: Purpose
Retired army major general Joe Robles, a former CEO of USAA, knew that an engaged and motivated workforce was critical to the company’s success. He understood that when people think their work matters, productivity and performance soar. And he knew that employees who believe they’re working for something greater than a paycheck are far more likely to stick around.
In short, Robles knew USAA’s compelling purpose needed a starring role in the company and he saw it as his job “to connect the people to their purpose.”
Put Purpose at the Core
What USAA achieved required commitment and investment, but it wasn’t complicated. By emphasizing its purpose and embedding it throughout the organization, it helped employees at all levels see how their work matters.
In the broadest terms, USAA put purpose at its core. And that’s something any organization and any leader can do. Here’s how:
1. Know Your Organization's Purpose
USAA’s purpose—to serve those who serve—describes the company’s reason for existing in a clear, succinct, and authentic statement. This made it easier for the company to embed its purpose into how it hires and trains employees and how its leaders communicate.
Unfortunately, most organizations aren’t USAA. Gallup found that less than half of employees truly understand what their company stands for. That’s unfortunate because according to McKinsey, 70 percent of employees say their sense of purpose is defined by their work.
Even if you don’t work for a purpose-driven organization, it’s still a useful exercise to find your company’s purpose statement and understand the reason your company is in business.
Purpose Statements
Most organizations have a publicized statement describing their purpose, mission, or sometimes both. Read through these statements and look for language that describes your organization’s reason for existing. Make note of words or ideas that resonate with you.
No Purpose Statement? Make one.
If you can’t find language that articulates your organization’s purpose, ask around—you’ll likely find a strong sense of purpose exists even if it hasn’t been formally defined.
And if an organizational purpose statement truly doesn’t exist, create one! It won’t necessarily end up on the corporate homepage, but you’ll have a statement that captures why you think your organization is in business—and your interest is likely to spark meaningful conversations.
2. Find Your Personal Purpose
Most of us don’t just want a job. We want fulfilling work that has meaning.
The author Daniel Pink describes us as “purpose seekers”, born with an intrinsic need to do work in the service of something larger than ourselves.
Discovering Your "Why"
In Leadership & Co. 's Aligning to Strategy module, we guide leaders through an exercise that helps them discover their personal “why” and articulate their values in a personal purpose statement. This helps surface alignment between what matters to them and to the organization, something many leaders see for the first time.
To find your personal purpose, reflect on the following questions:
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Connecting Personal and Organizational Purpose
Knowing your organization’s purpose helps you understand what matters to the company.
Finding your personal purpose—your “why”—helps you understand what matters to you.
These two purposes don’t always align, but when they do, you’ll find yourself more capable and comfortable discussing purpose in the workplace.
Giving voice to your purpose is powerful. As this short clip from Angela F. Williams, JD, M.Div , United Way Worldwide’s CEO, demonstrates, sharing your purpose motivates you and inspires others.
3. Align Your Work
Purpose isn’t useful if it only lives on desktop plaques or company websites. Purpose is most valuable when it’s shared and lived.
Connect Purpose, Strategy, and Tasks
Discussing a shared purpose can imbue meaning into just about any task, big or small. As a leader, look for ways to remind your colleagues about your organization’s purpose. Here are a few tangible ways to bring purpose to life in your work:
Guide Strategy. Discussing purpose anchors strategy in a shared reason for being in business, ensuring the direction of the organization aligns with its purpose.
Inform Decisions. Sharing the organization’s purpose can provide necessary guardrails and help decision makers prioritize.
Motivate Others. Reminding your colleagues about your shared purpose can motivate team members by reminding everyone of the greater meaning in the task at a hand.
The Era of the Purpose-driven Organization Is Here
Consistently communicating a clear and authentic purpose doesn’t just yield better engagement and productivity. It also leads to more innovative thinking and greater risk-taking. When people understand and connect with why they do what they do, they’ll demonstrate the enviable level of commitment companies like USAA enjoy.
By continually connecting purpose to the work ahead, you can help create a culture in which each task resonates with significance, each achievement is a source of pride, and each employee is a motivated contributor.
Your 30-Day Challenge
Over the next 30 days, try doing one thing that puts purpose at the core of your work. Here are a few ideas:
Discuss your organization’s purpose in a meeting. Opportunities to remind others about your shared purpose include:
Start working on your “why”—your personal purpose by writing down answers to the following questions:
Share your personal purpose with a colleague, a team member, or a leader.
Stay curious!
- Leadership & Co.
Like what you read?
Understand your organization's reason for existing. If your organization doesn't have a defined purpose statement, consider creating one.