PURPOSE - Your Due North Course
Last week, a friend shared how fast the second half of the year flies by, at least it seems that way.
Why do I bring this up today?
With schools starting, fall conferences gearing up, and soon the holidays, it stirs up a season of reflection and, correspondingly, adjustment going forward. I am not a fan of 5 or 10 year strategic planning events; not even annual. Strategic action requires regular attention to many internal and external conditions and can be visited any time on any regular cycle to take stock of changing conditions while staying true to purpose. And, we all know how rapidly things change, especially in uncertain and complex situations.
7 Week Strategic Thinking Exercise
For the next 7 weeks, starting today, I am providing a strategic thinking exercise that helps you progress with strategic action. You can do this for your own personal strategy and/or with others for your organization.
Each week I will provide a prompt for you to contemplate, journal, and invite others in your organization to answer, even stakeholders.
Week 1: PURPOSE
We begin with PURPOSE because a clear purpose serves as a bright NorthStar to guide your work. I will also say it is not the same as mission or vision.
Prompt for PURPOSE
What is the fundamental justification for the existence of your [organization’s] work? Why does it draw you to keep at it no matter how hard the toil is?
Note: Your answer to the prompt should create a visceral pull deep in your heart to do your [organization’s] work.
Simon Sinek in his book The Infinite Game calls this Just Cause. “A true Just Cause is deeply personal to those who hear it, and it must be deeply personal to those who espouse it. The more personal it is for people, the more likely our passions will be stoked to help advance it.”
So please...
1. Avoid mistaking a corporate or organizational mission and vision to be purpose. I would bet you don’t even know what they are for your organization.
2. Individually, and then with others, share your responses to this week’s prompt. LEADERSHIP TIP: It is important to give individuals space for contemplating and writing their answers so that each individual comes to a group with something to share. Everyone has something of value to contribute; it is important to make space for individuals to generate their ideas privately before assembling into groups for discussion.
3. What continues to draw people together with their answers? Zero in on the COMPELLING words and images, those that you pause and say “a ha, there is something there.” They will stick with you.
Next week we will dig into CONTEXT.
领英推荐
In the meantime, please message me with your discoveries for PURPOSE. I am eager to read what compels you to do the amazing work you do (or want to do).
Strategically yours,
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?2021 TadZo | 20801 W. Main Street, Buckeye, AZ 85396
As the President of PIM Savvy, we aim to become the premier outreach operation in the state of WA ??Community Outreach ??Fieldwork ?? Community Engagement
3 年I look forward to journaling with the PuRpOsE prompt. That’s a great idea. I too am reflective as school starts. It is a new beginning for many this time of year!