Business Strategy Course: How to Become a Purpose-Led Organisation

Business strategy. Plan and secure success.

COVID-19 update: arrangement of our courses

We are now delivering courses both online and in-person. Please check the delivery format for each class before you enrol.

Please note that course materials for all classes (excluding prescribed textbooks) are shared electronically within 48 hours of a course starting. Printing is not available.

Before you write a business plan, learn how to create an essential statement of purpose in this two-day workshop-style short course. As a result, you can develop a successful purpose-led business strategy to drive organisational and cultural change for the better.

Purpose is powerful. It is a statement of your organisation’s role in the world that sits far above and beyond profits by inspiring and motivating people into action. Purpose leads and guides the decision-making across your entire organisation, strengthening your long-term strategy. It provides your people with a reason to come to work every day and gives your customers a reason to choose your products and services over others.

Becoming Purpose-Led is proven to be an effective strategy for organisational clarity and success as it impacts on strategy, culture and communication. Done well, purpose is proven to transform businesses, driving performance and positively impacting their people and bottom line in ways they never imagined. In this course, you will define and articulate your professional or business purpose and harness the multiple benefits of/ unlock the power of becoming a Purpose-Led Organisation.

Aims

This course aims to develop your understanding of what purpose is and how to uncover, define and begin to align it with your organisation. It is designed to empower you with the thinking, understanding and tools needed to define and articulate your professional or organisation’s purpose. As a result, you will lead and inspire others by establishing the ‘due north’ that guides you and your team and brings more meaning to everyone every day.

The objectives of this course are to ensure you:

• develop your own purpose discovery session for your organisation or clients
• apply critical thinking techniques to uncover your meaningful, tangible and inspiring purpose
• elicit genuine organisational values, contributions and impact
• learn the importance of values and communication hierarchy to focus on what’s most critical
• create a draft professional purpose statement
• develop a framework for becoming a Purpose-Led Organisation.

Outcomes

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

• discuss what purpose is and why it is important
• grasp the role of purpose across the different areas of a business: culture, communication and strategy
• follow the process to uncover organisational purpose
• identify the right people to involve in the process
• master the techniques to think deeper and bigger throughout the process of uncovering purpose
• identify and define a purpose statement that’s meaningful, inspiring and actionable
• become proficient in the techniques required to become purpose-led.

Content

Purpose and its importance

• The definition of purpose
• The outside forces in business, society and politics that make purpose prevalent today
• The ROI of purpose for organisations'
• Anatomy of purpose and where it comes from
• Where major brands and organisations commonly go wrong

The role of purpose within an organisation

• What is purpose in relation to the rest of an organisation
• The impact of purpose on culture, strategy and communication

How to uncover organisational purpose

• The real human stories that elicit purpose
• Who to include and how to lead/guide the elicitation of valuable human stories from participants
• Sources for stories within an organisation
• Capturing meaning and impact from stories

Defining and articulating a purpose statement

• Purpose statement formulas
• Words, meaning and hierarchy
• Examples of draft statements and polished statements

Becoming a purpose-led organisation

• Quick wins and bold moves
• Case studies and examples of purpose statements and their implementation

Intended audience

Designed for anyone wanting to assist their organisation in becoming purpose-led, and more specifically, anyone in the following job roles:

• CEO
• COO
• Managing Director
• General Manager
• Founder
• Business Owner
• HR/People & Culture Manager
• Marketing Manager
• Brand Manager.

In addition, this course is ideal for external consultants as well as agency and association members who seek to align their work across culture, strategy and brand with organisational purpose for their clients.

Attendees from organisations would benefit from having more than one staff member attend.

Delivery style

Workshop/seminar

Materials

A course workbook will be provided.

Recommended reading

Ariely, A, Kamenica, E, & Prelec, D 2005, 'Man’s Search For Meaning: The Case Of Legos', Journal of Economic Behavior & Organisation.

Birken, S (February 28, 2017), How And Why You Should Unearth And Celebrate Your Brand Purpose, brand sensemaker.

Chouinard, Y 2006, Let My People Go Surfing: The Education of a Reluctant Businessman, Penguin Books.

García, H & Miralles, F 2016, Ikigai: The Japanese Secret To A Long And Happy Life, Penguin Random House.

Hamblin, J (November 3, 2014), Health Tip: Find Purpose In Your Life, The Atlantic.

Krippendorff, K (September 26, 2012), Fast Exercise to Find Your Purpose And Passion For Work, Fast Company.

Putting A Face To The Name: The Art Of Motivating Employees, Wharton University of Pennsylvania (2010).

Raza, A (December 12, 2016),Why A Purpose-Driven Mission Is Key To Motivating Millennials, Entrepreneur Asia Pacific.

Schultz, H 1997, Pour Your Heart Into It: How Starbucks Built A Company, Hyperion.

Serafeim, G & Gartenberg, C (October 21, 2016), The Type Of Purpose That Makes Companies More Profitable, Harvard Business Review.

Sinek, S 2009, Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action, Penguin Press.

Winning With Purpose, EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women Conference, May 2016.