Purpose is a great thing.
Until it kills you and/or your business.
I was reminded of this on LinkedIn when I read a holiday greeting from a former colleague in my feed. He works in a very troubled industry, have had a super challenging year but was none the less grateful to be working on something with great purpose.
It’s all very well. But the trend line is still pointing one way. Down.
If you are working to serve a higher purpose, your biggest obligation as an executive or any sort of employee with just a minimum of clout should be to ensure that you can keep doing what you’re doing – fulfilling your purpose.
If that takes a change in business model, fine. It that takes change(s) to the product(s), fine. If that changes working hard on developing your mental model and understanding what it is that enables you to ultimately do, what you are out to do, fine.
But, for the love of God, don’t just lean back and reflect on your purpose, while the house is on fire.
If you do, it will end up killing you.
(Photo: Pixabay.com)