The Purpose Gap?

The Purpose
Gap? We need to put human
beings back at the heart of
business
Purpose acts as a north
star in a world where
there’s no time
“ “

of 45
We brought together
Leaders of
• Global Corporations
• International Consultancies
• Leading Charities
• And top entrepreneurs
The Purpose Gap
Introduction
What needs to change?
How do we achieve that?
Rediscover Purpose
Why is this urgent?
Why the gap?
Is this really new?
Conclusion
© Contexis 2016
to discuss this question…

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“Why is there a yawning gap
between why businesses
say they exist and how
employees and customers
believe they act?”
The Purpose Gap
Introduction
Rediscover Purpose
Why is this urgent?
Why the gap?
Is this really new?
Conclusion
© Contexis 2016

of 45
In other words to talk about the
Purpose Gap
Let’s start with why this even matters..
The Purpose Gap
Introduction
Rediscover Purpose
Why is this urgent?
Why the gap?
Is this really new?
Conclusion
© Contexis 2016

of 45
There’s a malaise at the heart of business
62% of US workers would rather have a
different boss than a pay rise
66% of UK workers are disengaged
70% of Americans hate their job
92% of American employees believe their job is
in detriment to their overall wellbeing
Only 33% of citizens think business is ethical
92%
The Purpose Gap
Introduction
Rediscover Purpose
Why is this urgent?
Why the gap?
Is this really new?
Conclusion
© Contexis 2016

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Organisations have
become machines of
efficiency and we’ve
forgotten about the social
needs of human beings
There has been a fundamental
breakdown of trust between
business and society. And this
extends to employees.
“
“
The Purpose Gap
Introduction
Rediscover Purpose
Why is this urgent?
Why the gap?
Is this really new?
Conclusion
© Contexis 2016

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Human energy is being
replaced with systemisation
and process to the detriment
of people, the organisation
and society itself
This is about the massive
unrealised potential of
individuals and organisations
“
“
The Purpose Gap
Introduction
Rediscover Purpose
Why is this urgent?
Why the gap?
Is this really new?
Conclusion
© Contexis 2016

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So, according to this group of people
currently leading global businesses
and international charities, what needs
to change?
© Contexis 2016
The Purpose Gap
Introduction
Rediscover Purpose
Why is this urgent?
Why the gap?
Is this really new?
Conclusion

of 45
There are two fundamentally
flawed assumptions
© Contexis 2016
The Purpose Gap
Introduction
Rediscover Purpose
Why is this urgent?
Why the gap?
Is this really new?
Conclusion

of 45
The Purpose Gap
Introduction
Rediscover Purpose
Why is this urgent?
Why the gap?
Is this really new?
Conclusion
© Contexis 2016

of 45
© Contexis 2016
The Purpose Gap
Introduction
Rediscover Purpose
Why is this urgent?
Why the gap?
Is this really new?
Conclusion

fearPage 12 of 45
In the past business drove people
through money, status, fear and control.
People still don't feel free to express
themselves - there is often inherent fear.
The challenge is to recognise the
importance of thinking about HOW
people really operate.”
We need a fundamental
reappraisal of how we think
about people.
“
“
© Contexis 2016
The Purpose Gap
Introduction
Rediscover Purpose
Why is this urgent?
Why the gap?
Is this really new?
Conclusion

peoplePage 13 of 45
People are just another
product of a business. The
character of a business is
expressed through it’s
products, people and brands
All organisations form or
deform people. As leaders we
get to choose which.
“
“
© Contexis 2016
The Purpose Gap
Introduction
Rediscover Purpose
Why is this urgent?
Why the gap?
Is this really new?
Conclusion

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If you treat someone
as if they can’t be
trusted they’ll behave in
an untrustworthy way
The double hermeneutic ..
The Purpose Gap
Introduction
Rediscover Purpose
Why is this urgent?
Why the gap?
Is this really new?
Conclusion
© Contexis 2016

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Profit is to business as
breathing is to life; it’s
important but not the
essential reason you get up
in the morning!
We need to realise that people
are hard-wired to seek meaning
- tap into that and we tap into
the discretionary effort
“
“
As human beings we are
relationship orientated and
hard-wired to seek a bigger
purpose .. plus we yearn for
autonomy and mastery
“
“
The Purpose Gap
Introduction
Rediscover Purpose
Why is this urgent?
Why the gap?
Is this really new?
Conclusion
© Contexis 2016

of 45
So, much of the
answer lies in business
rediscovering its
Purpose?
The Purpose Gap
Introduction
Rediscover Purpose
Why is this urgent?
Why the gap?
Is this really new?
Conclusion
© Contexis 2016

purposePage 17 of 45
In a world that is constantly changing with staff turnover
increasing more and more, people having pluralist
roles, there's a greater need to have an overriding
purpose to act as the glue in the business
Purpose holds the business
together.
“
“
The Purpose Gap
Introduction
Rediscover Purpose
Why is this urgent?
Why the gap?
Is this really new?
Conclusion
© Contexis 2016

Purpose acts as a north
star in a world where
there’s no time
Purpose creates context to
allow for more agility in
decision making
““
Purpose is the WHY from which
other manifestations (vision,
mission, brand) should flow
““
The Purpose Gap
Introduction
Rediscover Purpose
Why is this urgent?
Why the gap?
Is this really new?
Conclusion
© Contexis 2016

In my view there’s a direct
correlation between
purpose and efficiency
Purpose can lead to efficiency
and productivity
““
Purpose allows people
to be their best
““
The Purpose Gap
Introduction
Rediscover Purpose
Why is this urgent?
Why the gap?
Is this really new?
Conclusion
© Contexis 2016

of 45
Purpose works…. all the
evidence supports this, but not
if it’s just a statement; there
must be full integration of a
broader beneficial purpose
into the strategy and fabric of
the business for purpose to be
meaningful and sustainable.
The Purpose Gap
Introduction
Rediscover Purpose
Why is this urgent?
Why the gap?
Is this really new?
Conclusion
© Contexis 2016

of 45
Why is this urgent now?
The Purpose Gap
Introduction
Rediscover Purpose
Why is this urgent?
Why the gap?
Is this really new?
Conclusion
© Contexis 2016

speedPage 22 of 45
“With speed comes the
need to empower
employees further down
the hierarchy. There’s no
time to await decisions
from senior management,
the organisation needs to
be much more fluid”.
The rate of change is increasing
at an enormous speed
“
“
The Purpose Gap
Introduction
Rediscover Purpose
Why is this urgent?
Why the gap?
Is this really new?
Conclusion
© Contexis 2016

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Having clarity of purpose
allows employees to
respond faster,
particularly to customers
Consumers are more
demanding and informed than
ever before.
““
speed
The Purpose Gap
Introduction
Rediscover Purpose
Why is this urgent?
Why the gap?
Is this really new?
Conclusion
© Contexis 2016

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the societal context has changed.
Increased transparency allows
consumers to more easily
understand the full range of what
we do. This puts enormous
pressure on corporates
Consumer power is increasing
“
“
transparency
The Purpose Gap
Introduction
Rediscover Purpose
Why is this urgent?
Why the gap?
Is this really new?
Conclusion
© Contexis 2016

of 45
Make it simple for
consumers and they’ll
choose to change. They’ll
choose brands with a
purpose. Brands they can
believe in
People buy whyover what
“
“
Why
The Purpose Gap
Introduction
Rediscover Purpose
Why is this urgent?
Why the gap?
Is this really new?
Conclusion
© Contexis 2016

of 45
If Purpose works,
why the GAP?
The Purpose Gap
Introduction
Rediscover Purpose
Why is this urgent?
Why the gap?
Is this really new?
Conclusion
© Contexis 2016

At my two previous
companies [both
FTSE100] purpose didn’t
work very well and didn’t
have the impact it should
have given the money
that we spent on it
It’s easy to state a Purpose.
Its very hard to make it real
“
“ £
The Purpose Gap
Introduction
Rediscover Purpose
Why is this urgent?
Why the gap?
Is this really new?
Conclusion
© Contexis 2016

sensePage 28 of 45
In ten years we have grown fourfold,
93% of our people have joined in that
period, the way we work means only
15% of our people can physically fit in
our offices at any one time. Against that
environment, it’s critical to create and
maintain a unified sense of purpose
In complex, dynamic organisations it
requires an enormous amount of
sustained focus to create a unified
sense of purpose
“
“93%
The Purpose Gap
Introduction
Rediscover Purpose
Why is this urgent?
Why the gap?
Is this really new?
Conclusion
© Contexis 2016

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Many corporates historically
have used purpose simply as a
PR exercise. There’s a SAY-DO
gap - a lack of integrity around
purpose”. That can be very
damaging
The greatest mistake is not being
authentic
“
“
Too often Purpose is
subsumed into marketing.
This is not marketing-driven
(but of course impacts the
brand)
“
“
The Purpose Gap
Introduction
Rediscover Purpose
Why is this urgent?
Why the gap?
Is this really new?
Conclusion
© Contexis 2016

of 45
Too many purpose statements are
aimed at making people feel better
and are not credible or congruent
with what the organisation does (or
how it behaves)
An inauthentic purpose is
worse than no purpose at all
“
purpos
“
The Purpose Gap
Introduction
Rediscover Purpose
Why is this urgent?
Why the gap?
Is this really new?
Conclusion
© Contexis 2016

The purpose needs to fully congruent
with the values of the business and
encompass how people should operate
In defining purpose it's imperative to get an accurate
reflection of what the business stands for because
purpose drives decision making. In the Mid Staffs
hospital fiasco senior management believed that
their purpose was to reduce cost - having lost
sight of what the real purpose of a hospital really is
“
“
The Purpose Gap
Introduction
Rediscover Purpose
Why is this urgent?
Why the gap?
Is this really new?
Conclusion
© Contexis 2016

of 45
And it gets harder the bigger the
business is
I find it’s got harder to hold onto the
purpose and culture as the company’s
got bigger
““
purpose
The Purpose Gap
Introduction
Rediscover Purpose
Why is this urgent?
Why the gap?
Is this really new?
Conclusion
© Contexis 2016

of 45
Just having a Purpose is not enough….
This is fundamentally about
what your view of people is
““ The social conditions
have to be in place for
purpose to thrive
Purpose is developed in an
environment of trust - and
communication is key
““ ““
purpose
The Purpose Gap
Introduction
Rediscover Purpose
Why is this urgent?
Why the gap?
Is this really new?
Conclusion
© Contexis 2016

of 45
And is this really new?
The Purpose Gap
Introduction
Rediscover Purpose
Why is this urgent?
Why the gap?
Is this really new?
Conclusion
© Contexis 2016

of 45
Are businesses just reverting
back to having a clarity of
purpose greater than money,
like Cadbury having a purpose
to develop social value?
The Purpose Gap
Introduction
Rediscover Purpose
Why is this urgent?
Why the gap?
Is this really new?
Conclusion
© Contexis 2016

of 45
so.. what is the
conclusion?
The Purpose Gap
Introduction
Rediscover Purpose
Why is this urgent?
Why the gap?
Is this really new?
Conclusion
© Contexis 2016

of 45
An organisation is at its
maximum potential when
everyone is working to the
common good
The Purpose Gap
Introduction
Rediscover Purpose
Why is this urgent?
Why the gap?
Is this really new?
Conclusion
© Contexis 2016

of 45
To maximise their potential
and be successful in today’s
changing environment
businesses need...
The Purpose Gap
Introduction
Rediscover Purpose
Why is this urgent?
Why the gap?
Is this really new?
Conclusion
© Contexis 2016

of 45
The
imagination and
integrity to see
the whole
person
The Purpose Gap
Introduction
Rediscover Purpose
Why is this urgent?
Why the gap?
Is this really new?
Conclusion
© Contexis 2016

of 45
A clear purpose
that is
authentic and
congruent
The Purpose Gap
Introduction
Rediscover Purpose
Why is this urgent?
Why the gap?
Is this really new?
Conclusion
© Contexis 2016

of 45
The courage of
conviction to drive
that purpose
throughout the
business
The Purpose Gap
Introduction
Rediscover Purpose
Why is this urgent?
Why the gap?
Is this really new?
Conclusion
© Contexis 2016

of 45
Inspiring leadership
committed to
sustaining the
purpose
The Purpose Gap
Introduction
Rediscover Purpose
Why is this urgent?
Why the gap?
Is this really new?
Conclusion
© Contexis 2016

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Effective
communication
channels
The Purpose Gap
Introduction
Rediscover Purpose
Why is this urgent?
Why the gap?
Is this really new?
Conclusion
© Contexis 2016

Join in?
“As human beings we are relationship orientated and hard-wired to
seek a bigger purpose plus we yearn for autonomy and mastery”.
Twitter: @contexis
Linkedin: Join the Purpose in Business Movement
Attend our next Roundtable: hello@contexis.com
Get inspired: www.contexis.com/insights
http://www.blueprintforbusiness.org/

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With grateful thanks
to our contributors
The Purpose Gap
Introduction
Rediscover Purpose
Why is this urgent?
Why the gap?
Is this really new?
Conclusion
© Contexis 2016

The Purpose Gap?

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