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#Leadership : Does Your Company’s Purpose Resonate With Everyone, Or Just Senior Leaders?…If your Own Employees Write Off your Shiny New Mission Statement as Just Another Marketing Trick, So Will your Customers.

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Discovering your company’s “purpose” is tough. Sustaining it can be even tougher. Even if you’ve zeroed in on a mission that your executives love, it won’t do your company much good if the rest of your team doesn’t share the same sentiment.
Free- Boat going Nowhere

PURPOSE COMES FROM WITHIN AND WITHOUT

The challenge is to make sure your entire organization is willing to buy into its stated purpose. The consulting firm Radley Yeldar, which ranks brands according to “social purpose,” gives the top spot to Unilever for its sustainability efforts, among other causes beyond the company’s bottom line to which it has shown commitment.

The fact is that not all of your employees will embrace your new values as readily as your executive team does.

Other big-name companies, though, have dropped noticeably on Radley Yeldar’s annual list, like Johnson & Johnson (which settled a series of health care fraud cases this year for a record $2.2 billion) and Samsung (whose devices, from smartphones to washing machines, have been riddled with dangerous manufacturing problems). A company’s failures in the marketplace can undermine how consumers understand its purpose. But there’s more to it than that.

Purpose isn’t just backing up a do-gooder marketing angle with action. A company’s values—and subsequently its purpose—also come from its culture. For businesses trying to regain or redefine a sense of purpose, embedding newvalues into their cultures takes both top-down and bottom-up efforts. Brands that have seen a significant drop in their “purpose” rankings may have employees who simply don’t feel on board with their company’s purpose, or just see it as another rebrand.

 

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TIMING MATTERS

So how does a brand, armed with a purpose, motivate its employees to also believe in that purpose—even when they aren’t as passionate about the idea? It’s partly a timing thing.

The problem many companies face is figuring out how to incorporate purpose into a company’s culture without coming off as inauthentic. Try to rush the process, and it’ll likely fail. Purpose is often abused by marketers who try to showcase a brand’s supposed values superficially, rather than nurturing them internally to make sure they take root before launching the next campaign. Slapping a slogan on your website or printing off a series of ads that use a new catchphrase isn’t purpose-driven marketing.

In order to be successful, your entire organization—from your newest hire to your oldest associate—needs to live and breathe your mission. If a talented, capable employee finds that purpose to be just another boring corporate initiative, it’s time to press pause and reevaluate. The fact is that not all of your employees will embrace your new values as readily as your executive team does. But it’s up to management to find ways to make that purpose relevant to those who may not share the same beliefs.

Unsurprisingly, one company found that simple transparency can help fend off some of these risks. Precision Software, a logistics solutions provider, recently introduced a newfound purpose into its organization, kicking off a company-wide initiative to get all of its employees involved. “In our industry, our ‘why’ is what differentiates us from our competitors,” says Robert Clesi, VP of marketing and partners at Precision Software. That may not sound earth shattering or world saving, but that wasn’t the point; excellence was simply the most authentic value the company arrived at. It didn’t try to shoehorn in another one that didn’t fit.

“We really did a lot of due diligence up front and made sure everyone, especially on the management side, bought into our purpose,” Clesi explains. Well before sitting down with a marketing agency, Precision sent out several surveys to get an understanding of how employees and customers felt about the brand. By gathering feedback and taking the time to have those conversations, the company was able to craft a new mission statement that arose organically from within. And if someone wasn’t completely sold on Precision’s values, Clesi said management would sit down one-on-one to discuss that individual’s concerns and work toward a solution that satisfied both parties.

TELL REAL STORIES, NOT FABLES

If your team initially lacks that same enthusiasm your executives share, you may want to consider opening up a dialogue strictly around purpose.

In 2013, Forbes contributor Carine Gallo points out, Southwest Airlines deftly used storytelling in order to drum up that enthusiasm. The airline began to publish accounts of employees who were doing exemplary work in its monthly Southwest magazine, in effect offering public praise for excellent customer service. There’s no doubt that this was also a marketing move, but it felt authentic both within the company and without, because its culture—and the employees who lived and breathed it—was now front and center.

But the effort wasn’t just consumer facing. It ran in the opposite direction, too: Southwest also circulated internal corporate videos filled with real-life stories from actual Southwest customers to help employees visualize purpose in action. This helped the airline instill its brand values in every one of its employees while eliminating doubts that the effort was just a superficial corporate gambit.

“Purpose” only means something when your entire company is on board. Instead of pointing fingers at a broken corporate culture, try reexamining your organization’s purpose—not just to discover if it’s an effective marketing strategy, but to make sure it actually reflects what your team values and responds to.

 

FastCompany.com | BARRY S. SALTZMAN 11.07.16 5:00 AM

 

#Leadership : Doing Good While Doing Well: 3 Ways to Bring Purpose to Your Business…Donating Money Helps, but, Nothing Compares to Hands-On, Thoughtful Philanthropy.

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Writing a check might take only a minute, but it could never accomplish the results that hands-on, thoughtful philanthropy achieves.

donation

Corporate philanthropy is a great way to grow your network, build your brand and influence a cause dear to your company. In 2015, corporate philanthropic giving saw a 3.9 percent increase from 2014, reaching $18.46 billion. This figure indicates that, for busy entrepreneurs, it’s easier to write a donation check than it is to bring philanthropy deeper into your company.

Balancing work and goodwill takes effort, but a purpose larger than a donation can deepen your company’s mission and impact — while connecting your brand to your community.

Related: 4 Reasons You Should Host a Philanthropic Event

Nick Gross, entrepreneur and musician, is one example of someone who is successfully bringing a deeper purpose to his business initiatives. While working on his creative-branding company, Milky Agency, Gross founded the Find Your Grind Foundation, which works with underserved youth to develop their skills and goals.

These young people have talent in music, the arts or technology, but they often don’t have the resources available to reach their potential. Find Your Grind connects them with materials, space and even financial assistance to take their talents further.

“With a goal of teaching young people how to network, learn from each other’s experiences and define success for themselves, we ask, ‘How do you find your grind each day, and how can you share that with others?’” Gross says.

Although he acknowledges that an auxiliary benefit of philanthropy is the networking and inbound branding Find Your Grind’s efforts garner, philanthropy is about more than the potential boost to your brand or the tax write-offs.

For entrepreneurs looking to make a difference, here’s how to get started:

1. Actively partner.

Business might be competitive, but philanthropy is collaborative. If you notice another company taking on a similar cause, don’t try to outdo it — make it your ally. You’ll be able to achieve more together, while making connections.

Related: 5 Ways Entrepreneurs Can Enhance Local Communities

Gross’s first philanthropic priority is Find Your Grind, but he participates in similar organizations’ efforts to empower youth. This summer, Gross’s band, Half the Animal, played at Clayton Kershaw’s annual ping-pong tournament to raise funds for at-risk youth. Kershaw’s organization’s mission aligns with Find Your Grind’s, but partnering — not competing — puts more power behind each organization’s goals.

Keep an eye out for opportunities such as this and take advantage of them when they arise. Who knows — you might have complementary skills that take each other’s missions even further!

 

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2. Make better decisions with data.

One of the leaders at the intersection of philanthropy and technology is Fluxx, which has built innovative solutions to create a more accessible and transparent ecosystem for foundations and nonprofits.

“When funders and nonprofits have more access to data and an easier ability to share stories, greater impact is realized,” says Jason Ricci, founder and CEO at Fluxx. “Leveraging technology and the insights it produces empowers organizations of all types and sizes to better assess their strategic priorities, track dollars to measurable results and produce fresh perspectives.”

3. Generate interest.

Bringing purpose to your business means your employees need to play a role. Doing service takes passion. The amount of enthusiasm your employees have for your cause can make or break your influence — especially today, as one of the top three factors that motivatesmillennials to get involved in a philanthropic cause is passion.

They may work for you in the office, but treat them like partners in your philanthropic efforts. Learn what they’re passionate about. Would they rather partner with local communities or global ones? Do they want to work with youth? Environmental causes? Find common areas of interest that will excite everyone, and you’ll have a team ready to serve with passion.

Related: The Mindset and Skills That Millennial Entrepreneurs Need for Success

Taking time to connect with a cause and bring purpose into your business is what makes a true impact. With a driven team, likeminded partnerships and work that doubles as goodwill, making those connections should come easily.

Writing a check might take only a minute, but it could never accomplish the results that hands-on, thoughtful philanthropy achieves.

 

Entrepreneur.com |  October 17, 2016 | Deep Patel

#BestofFSCBlog : #Leadership – 7 #LeadershipMistakes To Avoid. Great REAd!

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It’s that time of year again—time for everyone, young and old, to make resolutions to better themselves in the upcoming year. And, taking a look at the resolutions lists we write, a lot of people tend to focus on positive “dos”—actions to take or new habits to form so that their health, attitude, or workplace is better in 2016. But undertaking a new action isn’t always quite enough to net a positive change. Think of it this way: just because you’ve resolved to take the stairs every day doesn’t mean you’ll lose very much weight if you don’t ditch your afternoon Snickers bar.

So we’ve got a different take on resolutions. What if you focus on breaking old bad habits instead? We’ve compiled a list of mistakes you won’t want to make next year if being a better leader is on your list of resolutions, and we challenge you to avoid these seven leadership mishaps throughout 2016. Your team (and company) will thank you.

1. Only focusing on the big picture

It’s true—great leaders communicate the big picture vision. It’s how they inspire people to strive for goals that are far off into the future, or still somewhat vague. But the best leaders also know that it’s a rookie mistake to fail to outline small goals for their people to achieve along the way. Creating smaller milestones helps leaders measure progress and reward results as the big picture comes more into focus. Don’t make the mistake of only communicating the high-level vision. Instead, plan out a path to success so your team has a roadmap instead of just a destination.

 

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2. Not delegating the work

This one’s a classic. Everyone’s had at least one micro-managing boss who is overly absorbed in small details and too controlling to allow team members to take the reigns. Avoid this pitfall by delegating work smartly. Give team members assignments according to their interest and expertise—or, even try letting them volunteer for tasks themselves. It will communicate your trust to the team, and alleviate tensions that result from heavy-handed management.

3. Failing to applaud small wins

Every big win is an accumulation of many smaller wins. So why would you let those everyday successes slip by unnoticed? Keep a stack of cards at your desk so you can write a thank-you note when someone goes above and beyond for you. Bring in a treat for the team when you know they’ve been pulling some extra weight. Your appreciation will go a long way. In fact, research shows that timely, meaningful recognition is the no. 1 thing that empowers employees to do great work.

4. Communicating poorly

There are a lot of ways to fall in this category. Wordy emails, lack of transparency and oversight, not having an open door policy…these are all surefire ways to be a bad communicator. Work on your communication skills—from your management style to your attitude—and you’ll see a transformation happen within the team. Leaders who are good communicators inspire action and innovation, and foster the kind of teamwork and creativity that drive results.

5. Setting yourself apart

The worst leaders are the ones who believe they’re better than everyone else—and they don’t bother to hide it. To avoid giving this impression, take the time to get to know teammates. Learn about who they are, their families and passions, and what drives them. Organize team lunches and team building activities. You could even simply move out of your corner office so that you’re closer to the team in the work environment. When teams know and trust one another, great things happen. And the first step to getting there is leading by example, and showing that teamwork and camaraderie are priorities.

6. Discouraging innovation

Maybe you try to be supportive of creativity, or you encourage team members to weigh in on important decisions. You may think that you’re fostering innovation. But if you’re not giving people room to tinker, try things out, and make mistakes, then you’re not really opening the door to true innovation. Be vocal about which projects your team can take their time on and really try to innovate new solutions for—and when (not if, since occasional failure is inevitable) things don’t work out, be supportive instead of upset. Your team will see that you’ve got their backs, and they will bring their best knowing you support them.

7. Forgetting to celebrate the milestones

Given the hectic schedule of 21st century professionals, you may think it’s not a big deal to forget a birthday or work anniversary here or there. But it is. In fact, it’s inexcusable, especially given the whole suite of organizational tools and apps you can use for reminders. If you’re still not on the tech train, write the important dates on a team calendar and post it somewhere everyone can see it on a daily basis. Research shows that milestones are important occasions to celebrate and appreciate your coworkers—employees of all generations around the globe agree. Learn how to show your appreciation appropriately, and you’re well on your way to becoming a fantastic leader.

Becoming a great leader isn’t all about the resolution list of “dos”. Eliminate these “don’ts” first to see the biggest impact. You may be surprised at how effectively they boost your team’s ability to collaborate, innovate, and deliver great work throughout 2016 and beyond.

Learn more about the NYT Bestselling book Great Work: How to Make a Difference People Love.

 

Forbes.com | January 8, 2016 |  David Sturt and Todd Nordstrom