6 Questions Purpose-Driven Organisations Are Asking Right Now
Experience has shown us that while every organisation faces its own set of unique challenges, the problems they’re trying to overcome & questions they’re asking are almost identical. And more often than not these questions & perceived challenges are only the tip of the iceberg.
It’s our responsibility to open pathways of understanding to the real barriers preventing organisations and their people from achieving what they set out to.
Which is why we’ll often begin answering questions with more questions, for example...
Q 1
Organisation: How do we attract & sustain ongoing investment? (i.e. via investors, partnerships, government, etc.)
Hatched: What do you want more money for?
It’s always helpful to have more money, but you have to be clear about why you are seeking investment, how you will use that money, and how you will tell your story & continue to report to those investors. Have you gathered data and insights that back your plans requiring external investment? On what grounds are you basing your claims that you will be meeting a need in your area of work?
Q 2
Organisation: How do we bring the whole team on this transformation journey?
Hatched: How can you communicate better?
Often team leaders have their own personal and professional life experiences that have led them to inherit a deeply purpose-driven & visionary approach to working with their organisation. However, likely, their team have not been on that same journey. For transformation to occur, leaders must create a pathway that enables their team to cross a bridge of understanding. Inviting them, and accompanying them on the walk across, requires thoughtful & considered ongoing communication. Experiences that reinforce psychological safety and engage the imagination helps teams to see & work towards your organisation's vision.
Q 3
Organisation: How do we create purpose-driven income streams?
Hatched: What impact do you want to have?
To develop income, you must create value that others are willing to exchange money for. And to create value, you must understand where the need is. Defining your purpose, vision, values & impact areas will begin to form a blueprint that will help you clearly identify where your value-creation opportunities lie. Understanding your impact areas, and the specific needs-gaps of those areas will guide you as you answer the question ‘what impact do you want to have’, and ultimately create value for your audience that is a no brainer to purchase.
Q 4
Organisation: How do we communicate all the positive work we are doing?
Hatched: What is your impact?
Before you can communicate what you’re doing well, you need to understand your impact & be crystal clear on what that impact even is. Who/what are the stakeholders of the impact you are having? What are the outcomes of your influence on those stakeholders? Are you measuring it? How does your impact sit contextually with measures of global recognition, i.e. UN SDG’s or B Corp Certification? Once you’ve done all that, communicating how you’re improving the world will be a far simpler, straightforward process.
Q 5
Organisation: How do we expand & evolve our products/services? Should we?
Hatched: What are the gaps and strengths of your current products/services?
If you are asking this question, you might be assuming that you are meeting all the needs of your impact stakeholders through existing products and services. We would invite you to challenge this! Are you meeting all of the right needs? What are the strengths and gaps in your current offering? You might find answers here to inform how to expand services or improve existing services in a way that meets your audience’s needs and guarantees a successful expansion.
Q 6
Organisation: How do we define our purpose & impact?
Hatched: Why do you do what you do and who for?
Articulating your purpose & impact clearly is essential to building alignment with your team, audience and potential partners. It requires the engagement of your organisation at all levels and brainstorming and iterating ideas over a series of workshops and testing the statement as it evolves to see how it fits/feels. Landing on the right expression of why you exist, your purpose, in a few words can be tricky! But it’s powerful when you do. Ideally it is short (5–8 words), and contains a verb, intention and outcome and/or beneficiary. Defining your impact requires you to zoom out and identify the main areas or stakeholders you have an impact on through your work… is it people with a disability? The ocean? People experiencing homelessness? While it’s a noble vision to want to have an impact on lots of things, like your employees and local neighbourhood, to communicate impact, focus on the main beneficiaries/outcomes of what your organisation does.
In good business,
Hatched
