Calix and candy bars might seem entirely unrelated. But I came across an interesting piece in the Economist that resonated with me because the idea that a company’s purpose can guide company leadership links Calix and Mars, Inc. in an interesting way. In a recent post I talked about a company’s purpose being only as good as the actions it enables. The Economist cites the Mars company as getting the balance between purpose and profit dead right. Which is another way of saying that for Mars, purpose isn’t just a statement of aspiration. It guides the business to make money and do good. (And for the record, they are making a lot of money.) The article cites Mars’ long-standing belief in “mutuality” — putting the interests of stakeholders like customers, workers, communities, and the environment — right beside classic shareholder interests (profit, growth, etc.). For Calix, our purpose — transforming society one community at a time — means that, by definition, we have to work with our customers to do good. We can’t transform communities by ourselves, and our world-class technology and broadband platform is a means to an end, not the end itself. How does your company’s purpose relate to how it leads and acts in the world? Articulating a purpose is no easy feat, and I still find many companies would do well to revisit their words on a page to see how they are showing up in the real world. https://lnkd.in/ezdTAFuJ #purpose #purposedrivenleadership #leadership #stakeholdercapitalism
J. Matthew Collins’ Post
More Relevant Posts
-
As we focus on our theme for 2024, Grow Our People Grow Our Business, our new purpose statement has been a key guide. The Harvard Business Review explores the concept of how purpose can be the biggest driver of growth in the article below: #HaseldenConstruction #construction #culture #constructionindustry #purpose
Put Purpose at the Core of Your Strategy
hbr.org
-
The LA Lighting Guy | Entrepreneur | I founded VLS Lighting Solutions | Dad, husband, off-roader
In a city that's often obsessed with impressions, focus on what's real and build businesses that truly stand the test of time. Power can corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. If you've read Animal Farm, you know exactly what I'm talking about. The pigs in the story started with good intentions, aiming to create a fair and equal society. But as they gained power, they lost sight of those ideals and became as oppressive as the humans they replaced. Let's bring this closer to home: We’re in Los Angeles, a city where appearances often overshadow reality. I've seen too many LA business owners let power go to their heads, prioritizing their egos over their teams. Fancy offices on Sunset Boulevard, high-profile networking events, and big-shot titles, these can easily make anyone feel invincible. The hard truth is that kind of attitude is a cancer to your business. The moment you start thinking you're above everyone else, you're on a dangerous path. Just like the pigs in Animal Farm, some leaders in this city manipulate, deceive, and exploit, all in the name of maintaining their status. I'm not perfect. None of us are. I strive to stay grounded, transparent, and accountable. Power should be used to uplift others, not to dominate them. In LA, where the spotlight is often on the most superficial aspects of success, it's crucial to remember what true leadership looks like. True leadership is about serving your team, not yourself. It's about making decisions that benefit the whole, not just your bottom line. When leaders forget this, they start to manipulate, deceive, and exploit. And that's a betrayal of the trust their teams have placed in them. Take a look around. How many leaders in LA genuinely put their people first? How many make decisions transparently and ethically? The sad reality is, too few. And it's hurting our businesses, our communities, and our city. In Animal Farm, the pigs' corruption led to the farm's downfall. In real life, corrupt leadership leads to toxic workplaces, low morale, and eventually, failure. We need to hold ourselves to higher standards. We need to reject the notion that power entitles us to more than anyone else. If you're an LA business owners, use your power responsibly. Be transparent. Be accountable. Serve your team with integrity. And if you're following a leader, hold them to these standards. Demand transparency and accountability. Power can be a force for good, but only if we wield it wisely.
-
-
Purpose is one of my main values and I embrace it wherever I go, it drives the work, which ultimately drives results. purpose+work+commitment=results
An 8-year global study found high-performing organizations that developed and implemented a purpose were more likely to have a unified organization, more-motivated stakeholders, a broader impact, and more profitable growth. (via Harvard Business Review)
Put Purpose at the Core of Your Strategy
hbr.org
-
Great article on the importance of purpose in organizational strategy! https://lnkd.in/gTtK8Mq2
Put Purpose at the Core of Your Strategy
hbr.org
-
Lead Partner Organisational Change, CFO, Board Advisor, Entrepreneur, Executive Coach
Putting purpose at the core of your strategy. Something that sounds so simple is often overlooked. Very interesting to dive into this article and recognise the fact that purpose is something that is often talked about in organisations. Our work teaches us that in order to create breakthrough change, purpose has to be at the heart of your company’s strategy. That’s why we believe in bringing purpose to life and placing it at the center of your organization.
Put Purpose at the Core of Your Strategy
hbr.org
-
Experienced HR professional | ex PwC | Passionate about optimizing people performance and driving organizational success
An HBR study on high-growth companies uncovered a surprising driver behind their success: purpose. Traditionally seen as an “add-on” for giving back, purpose is now emerging as a core component of company strategy, guiding growth and innovation. The study highlights two approaches to integrating purpose: 1. Retrospective – Anchoring purpose in the company’s history and values, like Securitas, which expanded from physical security to predictive solutions to create safer societies. 2. Prospective – Using purpose to shape future opportunities, such as Mars Petcare, whose purpose of “a better world for pets” drove its evolution from pet food into the broader ecosystem of pet health. Purpose not only unifies organizations and motivates stakeholders but also leads to broader impact and more profitable growth. Whether looking back or forward, integrating purpose is key to driving strategy and reshaping value propositions. How is your company harnessing the power of purpose? #Strategy #PurposeDriven #BusinessGrowth #Leadership #HBR
Until now, purpose has been seen as more of a “nice-to-have” for high-growth companies. Today, it’s a critical driver of growth.
Put Purpose at the Core of Your Strategy
hbr.org
-
I came across this very interesting article recently, from HBR (Sep - Oct 2019): 'Put Purpose at the Core of Your Strategy'. By Thomas Malnight, Buche Ivy & Charles Dhanaraj. Sharing it for your reading pleasure. #hbr #purpose #core #strategy #imd #growth #neste #mahindra https://lnkd.in/dVd_nWiD
Put Purpose at the Core of Your Strategy
hbr.org
-
Fractional Chief Marketing Officer | Keynote Speaker | Revenue Acceleration | Marketing Plans | Branding, Differentiation & Messaging | CEO
Is leading your team easy peasy? Of course not...humans are complicated. Check out the post below: clever thoughts on leadership....worth the quick read!
I’ve been around a few sheep dogs in my day, here in the U.S. and in New Zealand. Sheep dogs offer some lessons for us about leadership. Below are a few lessons that might be helpful… Sheep dogs… Care about their sheep and will fiercely protect them from danger. Our lesson? We end up with better employees when we truly care about their well-being and best interests. If all we care about is ourselves, they notice it and become fearful, lacking commitment. In spite of obstacles or difficulties sheep dogs remain focused… They continue in a positive way regardless of the challenging circumstances. The lesson for us is to remain positive and move through things. Don’t get negative and retreat from tough situations leaving the flock on their own. Sheep dogs see what’s coming up ahead and re-direct the flock… You could say sheep dogs define reality for the flock. "Look out! There's a cliff up ahead! Move to the right!" Our lesson? We need to not only see up ahead and anticipate issues, but also define reality for those we lead, explaining why we don’t go toward the cliffs! It’s interesting that sheep dogs often lead from behind… Our lesson? Allowing a key employee to help make decisions and offer suggestions on the best path can be very encouraging and empowering for someone. You almost always end up with a more committed employee. Animals were not created by chance… They were created intentionally by God (Genesis 1:25). When God surveyed all He made, He declared it VERY GOOD (Genesis 1:31). We should appreciate animals because they align with God’s pleasure in His handiwork. For more on leadership, consider Convene… Consider this Convene story… https://lnkd.in/grqpu3tD #leaders #owner #president #ceo #faithbased #leadership #growth #help
-
-
What do you see in this photo? If you said a #daretobedifferent challenge, you'd be right! At Luminari Partners, we've all had an experience or two where it feels uncomfortable to do something different, to go outside of your comfort zone. But the beautiful thing about discomfort, is, that in the unknown, that is where the best magic can happen. Over the last few weeks, we have seen a real life transformation of our clients - clients that were shy about embracing their new twist on a product or idea. But once they saw that they could be different and still be themselves, there was no going back! A foundational value of Luminari Partners, we live the #daretobedifferent business lifestyle. For Sheila Johnston, Luminari Partners Chief Growth Officer, daring to be different means to push through #leadership and #creative challenges. Her unwavering commitment to #leading with #empathy and purpose has lead to decades of experience in delivering solutions that are not only sustainable, but meaningful. For Cheryl Nobert, Luminari Partners' Chief Operations Officer with an infectious laugh, she will always be real with you. Putting facts and data first, Cheryl's solutions are grounded in realism and action. No joke, you'll find her with a calculator in hand during Costco runs to maintain her commitment to nothing but numbers. (Spoiler alert, stay tuned for a future social media post about this very thing)! So now that you know how Luminari Partners dares to be different, we want to know! How do you dare to be different in your every day? And more importantly, are you willing to take the next step in your #daretobedifferent journey? 📷 Peaceful Pets Petsitting Services featuring one of Luminari Partners' founding pups, Duke the beagle.
-
-
Happy Father's Day! To all the Fathers who make a difference! From mentorship to unwavering support, father figures play a crucial role in shaping who we become. Today we take a moment to recongise the incredible men who have championed our growth and success. #CatalystServiceSolutions #FathersDay #FathersDay2024 #SustainabilitySolutions #Sustsainability #ESG #BusinessSupportServices #SustainabilityDevelopmentGoals #FoodServices
-
RVP, Success - Go to Market
4moI had an opportunity to visit a Mars production facility in Dubai several years ago as part of a business class, and got to see this play out in real life. When the Mars leadership talked about the decision to open the facility in the Middle East, the discussion was very much about how they could build a successful chocolate business in a culture that doesn't have a strong chocolate history, in a place where the average temps are prohibitive, in a market where production-based industry didn't really have a foothold, in an environment that's not ideal for sustainability. And their leadership response was very much one of balancing the overarching needs of every stakeholder while making the company money - invest in training programs for ME workers at other Mars production facilities to help them learn the culture of chocolate, cultivate community relationships with other ME brands (lots of interesting connections between Mars, Dubai Duty Free and Emirates Airlines), keep "rework" of failed chocolate down and sustainability up by empowering employees with Kanban principles, etc. A really holistic approach where profit almost became the afterthought rather than the primary driver.