Remind yourself and your team about why you are with the company. Companies go through changes and hire bright talent to maintain and pursue the purpose of the organization. The purpose of the organization is bigger than any individual in the organization. Sometimes tough decisions must be made to maintain it. When you remember the big why, it puts the challenges of the organization into perspective.
Take a look at this quote made by Peter Drucker, Management Consultant. “The purpose of business is to supply goods and services to customers, rather than supply jobs to workers and managers, or dividends to stockholders.”
During the 60′s, while my father was in college, he was a student leader of the civil rights movement in Atlanta, GA. He told me that the reason he got involved was that he didn’t want his children to grow up in the same type of environment. He decided to do something about it and was elected by the student body to represent them.
Obviously the 60′s were game changing times, however he did not have what one might think was a game changing purpose. He had a bigger, selfless purpose. It was a forward thinking and inner driven. Being a game changer is about more than self, its selfless.
Dad was one of a few students elected to represent the student body. I could tell from the stories that in many ways he was an inspiration to the students. If you could hear him sing or speak, you would think that he did both of them professionally. He did as a minister.
He used those talents for something bigger than himself. They contributed to a larger purpose. He had a big why. When you discover your big why, your purpose becomes larger than your challenges.
Recently, I was reading a story about JVC and the creation of the VHS VCR. For those of you who do not remember, VCR was the video cassette recorder. The video cassette was before the DVD. For you Gen Y readers, the DVD is the disc that was out right before Blue Ray. You know, it’s the other disc option in the Redbox.
The original model of the VTR (Video Tape Recorder) that was released was huge and expensive (more than $2,500 US), definitely not an affordable model for the typical family. Following this Sony released the smaller, less expensive model, Betamax player. The challenge there is that it only managed 1 hour of tape.
JVC was one of the manufactures that worked on the technology for these machines before you saw them in your home. There was a turning point in the history of these machines to get them to be for the “family consumer”. It started with the thought that we must get back to why we want to make this happen.
Their desire was that every household have a VCR and make life better for families. Uh, for $2,500.00 and huge the only thing you would do is make my pocketbook upset and my refrigerator jealous. They had to start thinking like a consumer. Consumers wanted something easy, small and affordable.
JVC created a matrix of conditions that had to be met. Those conditions included requirements that made the new player easy to use and connect with at home for consumers. It also required that it should be easy to manufacture. Easy to manufacture? That’s correct.
Since JVC was a small manufacturer, they needed larger manufacturers to get involved to fulfill their purpose. Can you say make it easy all the way around? The matrix forced them to realign with their purpose. Profit is not the purpose of your organization, it’s a goal. Remembering your purpose takes care of your goals. You will get there.
According to Harvard business review, working for an organization that has meaningful work was the top motivation for employees. Your organizations purpose is the reason you are there. Consider the opportunity to increase productivity by reminding your team about why they are there and the difference you all make.
To see more articles about Organizational Change Management. Stop by Robert Felder’s site where you can find out more about inspirational business keynotes and what he can can do for you.