Why does your organization exist? Most people answer this question with the kinds of products or services provided. This is "What you do". Some people talk about how they provide the service or how the product works. This is "How you do it". This does not answer the question.
Most organizations have it backwards. What >> How >> Why. Now think, Why >> How >> What.
Why your organization exists, is paramount to understanding the real purpose and DNA of your culture. It is vital to the people who show up every day, the core reason they perform their role or contribute to the measurable outcomes of the team. True Operational Risk Management (ORM) professionals discover the "Why" at the beginning. Without the truth behind "The Why", nothing after it, has enough context.
When you begin the journey to build a better product, or invent a new process you better know the answer to "Why". Discovering this first, will provide the inspiration, the creativity and the fortitude to get you and your team out of bed the next day, to do it all over again. Without the "Why", we as humans lose sight of our destined purpose.
Over seven years ago, Simon Sinek was advocating for "Why" in his book and on Ted Talks. A few years later, he was helping the Air Force hone new leadership skills in it's pilots:
Behind every process, product and service there are humans who must see, feel and smell the "Why". If and when they do, now they are ready to endure the journey, the quest and the challenges ahead. They are there for a purpose they can internalize and outcomes that they can pursue vigorously, each day.
Discover the "Why" from your clients and customers, if you have not already done so. Understand deeply the reason why they are doing business with you. You may be surprised to know that your clients are paying you more than your competitors, for the same product or service. You may soon find out the real value of "Trust."
Making the "Decision to Trust" one product or service over another, can not be under estimated. Yet so many organizations and companies fail to find the truth about "Why" in their ecosystems of followers. Is it the location, the price, the ease of use, the color, the feel, the endurance, the speed, the intelligence?
Once you have discovered the truth on "Why", you must know "How". Then the "What" will follow, with the name of your product or brand. Isn't it interesting that when you are attending a networking or convention event, that when you meet someone new, they may ask: "What do you do?"
What if you answered the question like this. "I work with "X" and we exist to "Y". The cause and reason for your organizations existence transcends everything. It provides the foundation for why this person is going to trust you and your organization. Now if they would only start the conversation with: "Why does your organization exist?"
Once you have a solid foundation for "Why", then you must know "The How" and then "The What". Here is another example:
"SpaceX exists to enable people to live on other planets. We manufacture rockets and launch them so that our customers can supply other spacecraft or travel to other destinations beyond Earth."
Now think about your organization. Take a deep look at your culture. What is the fuel that will propel it into the future to achieve extraordinary outcomes? Exponential results...
Most organizations have it backwards. What >> How >> Why. Now think, Why >> How >> What.
Why your organization exists, is paramount to understanding the real purpose and DNA of your culture. It is vital to the people who show up every day, the core reason they perform their role or contribute to the measurable outcomes of the team. True Operational Risk Management (ORM) professionals discover the "Why" at the beginning. Without the truth behind "The Why", nothing after it, has enough context.
When you begin the journey to build a better product, or invent a new process you better know the answer to "Why". Discovering this first, will provide the inspiration, the creativity and the fortitude to get you and your team out of bed the next day, to do it all over again. Without the "Why", we as humans lose sight of our destined purpose.
Over seven years ago, Simon Sinek was advocating for "Why" in his book and on Ted Talks. A few years later, he was helping the Air Force hone new leadership skills in it's pilots:
"I told the guys, it's not enough any more to be ace of the base," said Col. Richard "Tex" Coe, commandant of the United States Air Force Weapons School. "We have to bring others with us."What we believe" is not the same as "Why We Exist". It is different and it could mean the difference to owners, employees, partners and external customers or clients. Here is just one example from Palantir:
Coe believes the school's new leadership curriculum will translate to success in the global war on terrorism, particularly in the fight in Afghanistan.
"What we're going to be doing is purposely developing these innovative and creative leaders that will go out there and face problems," Coe said.
"We don't even know our problems yet, and we'll be able to put our pieces together and use resources and other people around us to get the mission accomplished."
Coe, a master navigator with more than 3,000 flight hours including 460 combat hours, left Afghanistan in 2002. Today, the country "is a new and different place" he said.
"It's a completely different problem than it was back then. It's ever changing, and we're preparing them for that ever-changing problem."
WhyHow could you make this even more compelling? More inspiring and motivating, so that you want to jump out of bed each day at the sound of the morning alarm.
We’re Here
"We believe in augmenting human intelligence, not replacing it.
With good data and the right technology, people and institutions today can still solve hard problems and change the world for the better."
Behind every process, product and service there are humans who must see, feel and smell the "Why". If and when they do, now they are ready to endure the journey, the quest and the challenges ahead. They are there for a purpose they can internalize and outcomes that they can pursue vigorously, each day.
Discover the "Why" from your clients and customers, if you have not already done so. Understand deeply the reason why they are doing business with you. You may be surprised to know that your clients are paying you more than your competitors, for the same product or service. You may soon find out the real value of "Trust."
Making the "Decision to Trust" one product or service over another, can not be under estimated. Yet so many organizations and companies fail to find the truth about "Why" in their ecosystems of followers. Is it the location, the price, the ease of use, the color, the feel, the endurance, the speed, the intelligence?
Once you have discovered the truth on "Why", you must know "How". Then the "What" will follow, with the name of your product or brand. Isn't it interesting that when you are attending a networking or convention event, that when you meet someone new, they may ask: "What do you do?"
What if you answered the question like this. "I work with "X" and we exist to "Y". The cause and reason for your organizations existence transcends everything. It provides the foundation for why this person is going to trust you and your organization. Now if they would only start the conversation with: "Why does your organization exist?"
Once you have a solid foundation for "Why", then you must know "The How" and then "The What". Here is another example:
SpaceX designs, manufactures and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft. The company was founded in 2002 to revolutionize space technology, with the ultimate goal of enabling people to live on other planets.Or how about:
"SpaceX exists to enable people to live on other planets. We manufacture rockets and launch them so that our customers can supply other spacecraft or travel to other destinations beyond Earth."
Now think about your organization. Take a deep look at your culture. What is the fuel that will propel it into the future to achieve extraordinary outcomes? Exponential results...
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