Performance with Purpose
When you hear the word ‘performance’ in business, your thoughts most likely go to strategic performance measures, key performance indicators (KPIs), balanced scorecards, and possibly strategic plans. All of those are normal things to think about when talking about performance in business. But how do we get our employees to perform well? How should we get our employees to perform well?
Let’s consider an approach Dan Pontefract, author of The Purpose Effect: Building Meaning in Yourself, Your Role and Your Organization, proposes to not only help employees perform better but increases employee engagement. He believes that there is a link between purpose and culture.
Pontefract states that The Purpose Effect is a three-way relationship between an individual’s personal sense of purpose in life, the organization’s purpose, and the purpose of the job. Success comes when all three facets of purpose are defined, aligned, and properly functioning. The company wins, the employee wins, and ultimately society wins.
According to Pontefract, companies and individuals identify their purpose by asking these three questions:
- What are they made of?
- Who are they trying to become?
- How do they want to be known when they leave a room?
The Purpose Effect requires balance, harmony, and alignment between the employee, the organization, and the employee’s role. If the purpose of the organization and its employees are aligned and a collaborative and pleasant culture exists, the results are engaged employees bringing their best self to work and a successful business.
Deloitte reports that purpose-oriented companies have higher productivity and growth rates along with a more satisfied workforce with better employee retention. Their research shows that these companies report 30 percent higher levels of innovation and 40 percent higher levels of workforce retention than their competitors.
So where do you start in your business? The answer is to start small, be deliberate, and commit to the long haul. Businesses need to identify their purpose then gradually align their employees’ personal purposes to each of their roles. This will take time but the long-term effects will be worthwhile.
Helping companies find the right people for the right roles and helping people to walk in their design is our passion at CLG. We have the tools to help you get started with all of the above strategies. Reach out to us today to get started on your company’s performance with purpose.
