How to Grow Towards a Higher Organizational Purpose

How to Grow Towards a Higher Organizational Purpose

In the past, quite a lot of senior executives, especially those with an Anglo-American business education background, had an economic view of the purpose of any firm. They believed that creating long-term value for the shareholders is the (only) thing that matters. They typically viewed employees as self-interested agents who needed to be controlled by strict, hierarchical processes and procedures.
Other people thought that perhaps a stakeholder value orientation was better. In such perspective, companies are seen as networks of parties and people working together towards a shared goal and not merely as 'economic machines'. In any stakeholder value approach, employees are a dominant or even strategic stakeholder, along with the shareholders.

Following the arrival of the internet and fast-changing network economy, hierarchical organizations are less and less 'en vogue', and organizational commitment (also called employee engagement) is more important than ever. Quinn and Thakor (2018) make a case that only highly motivated and engaged knowledge workers can bring the high levels of innovativeness that are required in today's ultra-competitive world. They recommend companies (with a high number of professionals) to adopt an authentic “higher purpose” to get their employees to bring their smarts and energy to work and suggest the following practical 8 Steps to Create a Purpose-Driven Organization:

1. Envision an inspired workforce.
2. Discover the purpose.
3. Recognize the need for authenticity.
4. Turn the authentic message into a constant message.
5. Stimulate individual learning.
6. Turn midlevel managers into purpose-driven leaders.
7. Connect the people to the purpose.
8. Unleash the positive energizers.

⇒Do you agree with these steps to create a purpose-driven organization?

Source: Robert E. Quinn and Anjan V. Thakor, "Creating a Purpose-Driven Organization: How to Get Employees to Bring their Smarts and Energy to Work", HBR Jul-Aug 2018, pp.78-85.

		Jorge Sanint Consultant, Congo
	Envision a Social Purpose All organizations need to be driven by a social purpose. Economic benefits will come as a consequence. Creating shared v...

		john mortimer Business Consultant, United Kingdom
	Purpose Must be Defined Outside-In I use the purpose as the most powerful focus for everyone in the organisation, but there is one thing that is important:...

		Graham Williams Management Consultant, South Africa
	Definition of a Higher Purpose Great topic Jaap. There is no doubt that an organization of members true to a properly stated purpose will achieve much....

		Soraya Arteaga Canada
	Definition of Purpose by the Customers @john mortimer: Having the purpose defined by the customers is, as you suggest, ‘of utmost importance’. Adding checks an...

		C.L. Kappagomtula Professor, Malaysia
	Enhancement of Stakeholders Economic Benefit is Always an Implied Agenda in Organizations Yes, the onset of Internet and its off-shoots; IIOT, Cloud, Block-chain and Bitcoin, do all call for a highly skilled, k...

		Graham Williams Management Consultant, South Africa
	How to Grow Towards a Higher Organizational Purpose @C.L. Kappagomtula: Profit is vitally important of course. Long term, sustainable profit within the context that the fi...

		Jaap de Jonge Editor, Netherlands
	Discussion Focus: HOW to Move to a Higher Organizational Purpose The aim of this posting is not to discuss IF or WHAT value orientation (economic / stakeholder / combination / shared) i...

		S. Lago Business Consultant, Canada
	The 'Buy In' for Change Great topic! Changing to a purpose driven organization requires a commitment to following this process from the top down...

		Sridhar Gopal Management Consultant, India
	Keys to Achieving a New Organizational Purpose Am currently working on a similar assignment and that makes it all the more interesting to contribute my thoughts on thi...

		Prof. Arup Barman Professor, India
	How to Grow Towards a Higher Organizational Purpose Seen from Quantum Theory of Physics? This discussion on how an organization can grow towards a higher organizational purpose has attracted my mind. I could s...

		Graham Williams Management Consultant, South Africa
	How to Grow Towards a Higher Organizational Purpose Put simply, a higher purpose is what the organization aspires to BE, why it exists. Such a purpose when sincere, shares ...

		Maurice Hogarth Consultant, United Kingdom
	Identifying your Organisation's Higher Purpose By defining the business you are in (at third level thinking) you are defining the higher organisational purpose. For ex...

		Jaap de Jonge Editor, Netherlands
	How to Pursue a Dual Financial + Social Purpose Also take a look at the recent article of Professor Julie Battilana et al. who mention 4 management processes which have...

		Gregory Johnson Coach, United States
	Purpose Driven Organizations - WIN + WIN What a FANTASTIC discussion. Thank you Our BIG Brother Jaap de Jonge. As I engaged or am engaged by clients and potenti...

		Graham Williams Management Consultant, South Africa
	Developing a Purpose Driven Firm Essentially purpose derives from being part of something really worthwhile, something bigger than ourselves, something t...

		John O. Dozier, Jr. Coach, United States
	Purpose = Inspiring Vision, Mission The top 12 employee satisfaction motivators are intrinsic values connected to the ways each employee is contributing to ...