What is the PURPOSE of your Organization?

• What is your organizational purpose?
• Why is it important?
• Who is responsible for creating it?

These are very interesting questions but let’s start with defining the word “purpose.”
Purpose –

• The object toward which one strives or for which something exists; a
  person’s goals or target to aim toward.
• A result or one fact that is intended or desired.
• Determinations and resolutions to achieve goals.
• Purpose is the “why” we exist.

Taking the definitions from above, you can define a purpose statement as: a statement describing the “heart and soul” reasons for the very existence of the organization.
No matter what size your organization is, you need to understand your reason for existence. It is certainly vitally important that the purpose of an organization must define the reasons for why the organization exists. This is important to everyone in the organization because people must buy into the purpose, the reason why the organization exists. The greater the belief in the purpose, the more determined the people in the organization are to achieve the purpose. 

 
So who is responsible for creating a purpose statement? The leadership team is responsible through a consensus process that allows each member of the team to enthusiastically support the achievement of the purpose. When leadership shows its support by its actions, the rest of the team members of the organization from top to bottom are more likely to believe and work toward the fulfillment of the purpose of the organization.
Remember, if your purpose statement is just a plaque on the wall and your daily actions do not support your purpose, you are doing more harm than good; just throw the plaque away. Your daily actions must support your purpose to be successful.
Here is a little test:

• Pick several people at different levels in your organization.
• Ask them what the purpose of the organization is.
• Does everyone have the same understanding?
• How does that match your purpose statement?
• If they don’t match, do you think it’s helping maximize the achievement of your purpose?

Personal leadership requires you to have a purpose for your life. What is your personal purpose statement? Take some time today to write down your purpose as a leader. When you have a purpose, you have an excitement for life each and every day.

Guest Blogger: Ray Stuchly, LMI Riverside