Purpose can be a powerful motivator for individuals and teams. When people feel that their work is meaningful and they are contributing to something larger than themselves, they are more likely to be engaged and enthusiastic about their work.
Purpose can also help to create a strong team culture. When everyone is aligned around a shared goal or vision, it can help to build trust and cooperation. When team members feel like they are part of something larger than themselves, they are more likely to be committed to the team and its success.
Recently, I had the privilege of keynoting a conference for SkinCure Oncology. While neither they as company, nor their process of treating skin cancer called GentleCure, is widely known at this point, I was profoundly moved by how the purpose of the organization inspired and motivated their team.
The meeting began with a video showing patients who had received MOS surgery to deal with their cancer. Frankly, the video was graphic and upsetting. It displayed the facial scars and damage to the patient’s appearance that was the result of this common procedure.
GentleCure from SkinCure Oncology treats the cancer differently — and with a success rate over 99%. The patient’s appearance is preserved and the procedure earns a customer satisfaction score of over 99%!
The mission of SkinCure Oncology is to provide patients with a choice beyond the traditional approach of MOS. Unfortunately, most dermatologists aren’t yet offering this approach as an option to their patients — and SkinCure is on a mission to change that!
What’s your mission? I don’t mean something as simplistic as your “why” — which can easily vary from one team member to another. Your mission is your organization’s overriding purpose for your very existence. It doesn’t have to be grandiose (although it might be), but it does have to be something more than “closing transactions” or “making money.”
Three ways to discover your purpose:
- customers — what need are you solving for them?
- employees — what motivates them to do their best work?
- shareholders/stakeholders — what is your ultimate contribution to the world?
Answering these questions can help you discover your purpose as an organization — and that purpose can be a powerful motivating force for your team! Your ultimate contribution can be changing the face of skin care for cancer patients. Or it might be something as simple as creating delight and memories for families at a dining experience. Whatever your mission, if you want to inspire your team, start by sharing your purpose with them.
Help them understand why what you’re doing matters, and how their work fits into the bigger picture. It’s a simple but powerful way to build engagement and commitment.
And when you have engaged and committed teams, you create loyal and enthusiastic customers! That’s a recipe for success and distinction for any organization.
(Sometimes we all need a bit of assistance in finding our purpose. It’s the old saying that we can’t see the forest for the trees — an outside perspective can help! If that the case with you, we would love to assist. Contact me here on LinkedIn to learn more about how training, coaching, consulting, and keynote presentations from our organization can be a catalyst for your organization to create distinction and deliver an Ultimate Customer Experience!®)
