Is Purpose 'pointless'? Yes if it's not embedded!

Is 'Purpose' pointless?

Yes, if it's not embedded!

Margaret Heffernan, an award winning CEO, playright, and author of "Wilful Blindness", recently wrote an article entitled "Purpose is Pointless".

So is "Purpose" pointless? Well the short answer is yes, if it is not embedded. If purpose is not embedded purpose descends into 'purpose-wash' and is unsustainable. In the article Heffernan refers to many examples of this (e.g. Johnson & Johnson) and there are many more examples too (e.g. Unilever).

Purpose needs to be clear, engaging, and focus on the common good. Purpose also needs to be embedded. Purpose needs to engage everyone in the organisation and beyond. Purpose needs to be in the DNA of every decision and every action. Purpose needs to be clear for all to see in every system, every step, and every smile, with everyone in an organisation and the nation "full of Purpose" - i.e. Purposeful.

This includes Purposeful Executives, Purposeful Boards, Purposeful Practitioners, Purposeful Ambassadors, Purposeful Government, Purposeful Governance, Purposeful Leadership and Purposeful Auditors. It also includes Purposeful Citizens, Purposeful Educators, Purposeful Coaches, Purposeful Leaders, Purposeful Governors, Purposeful Mayors, Purposeful MPs, and Purposeful Government too.

The Good Turns Foundation has understood this for some time and has quietly built robust foundations for this 'movement' in the UK and beyond. Progressive forward thinking organisations are now starting to see the imperative of this too and are starting to act.

Following Heffernan's article a few people are asking "do we need a new term to replace 'Purpose'? And if so what could it be?"

This once again demonstrates outdated thinking - the same thinking that created CSR, moved on to ESG, and then Purpose, without ever fully understanding the systemic reasons why previous approaches had failed.

We can see the systemic reasons why they failed now, and with new insight we can see a change in language is indeed necessary - but only a tweak!

The move involves moving from Purpose to Purposeful !

Organisations need clear purpose, good purpose, and this needs to be embedded in every decision and every action - with an organisation full of Purposeful Practitioners and Purposeful Ambassadors, supported by Purposeful Leaders and Purposeful Investors. This sits alongside a strengthening of the civic realm with a Purposeful Movement of Purposeful Citizens, Purposeful Communities, and Purposeful Partners (e.g. Gen P).

Nothing more is needed, nothing else will work. We need to come together to act, and we need to move away from this never ending cycle of thinking up another name for the initiative, hoping for the best, and trying again. That's the story of the past and one of wasted decades. Now is the time to act - to act with wisdom (e.g. Purposeful Advisors and Purposeful Auditors), precision (e.g. Purposeful Practitioners and Purposeful Coaches), and speed (e.g. Gen P).

This nation can be turned around. A thriving and flourishing Purposeful Britain (and Purposeful World) can be created. There is much to do. For instance, a Purposeful Governance Forum and a Purposeful Policy Forum are being set up, alongside a Purposeful Ambassadors programme and a Purposeful Movement (Gen P). The forum, programmes and movement will co-create, collaborate, and share best practice. If you are passionate about improving the world of governance, and want to be involved in any of the above, then let us know here.

David Clift

Purposeful Auditor®

Purposeful Ambassador®

Founder, Good Turns Foundation

Founder, The Purposeful Policy Forum & The Purposeful Governance Forum

Co-founder of Purposeful Britain and a Purposeful World

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