Innovative companies must develop a clear and compelling sense of why they do what they do. When a company identifies and commits to a ‘why,’ it clarifies what works and what the company should prioritize. It allows them to see what they want to accomplish as a company. The ‘why’ also reveals a direction to move in. Most importantly, it inspires people. This blog will discuss how to find the ‘why’ of your company to ensure that it is the most successful it can be.

A company’s why serves as a launch pad for its Objectives and Key Results (OKRs). OKRs are empty vessels made up of a team’s whats and hows. For example, all of Google’s products and services, like Search, Gmail, and so forth, correspond with their mission statement, or ‘why,’ which is “to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.” This example demonstrates how a well-defined why can connect team OKRs to a company’s core purpose. Notice how the whys are not whats. They are not products, services, or sales goals. It’s helpful to think of a why as a vision statement describing how a company sees itself and its work.

Whys are inspirational, but they are not vague. A good why must feel specific to a company. A company’s why allows every employee to clearly understand how their day-to-day work helps fulfill the company’s purpose. The benefits of determining your company’s why are undeniable. But how do you find it? The first step is to make time for honest reflection. Write down your values, think about your past successes and failures, and look for patterns. If you need some help, here are two strategies to give a try.

Strategy 1: 6 Quick Steps to Your Purpose

Try these six steps to find your company’s authentic purpose:

  • Step 1: Consider the top three-to-five core values of the company. What are the things the company cares about the most?
  • Step 2: Consider other companies you admire and would want to emulate (not imitate).
  • Step 3: Think about if your company went out of business. What legacy would you like the company to leave? What would you want it to be known for?
  • Step 4: Now it’s time to ask, “What are the goals of your company that matter most?” “What does the company value the most?”
  • Step 5: Assemble these valued goals into an overall company purpose. You want your purpose to be authentic.
  • Step 6: Make sure everyone in the organization understands the purpose. If the purpose doesn’t fit, change it until it does.

That last step is vital because it recognizes that your why can create changes. Sometimes whys stay constant as a company’s OKRs change over the years. But it’s also okay for the why to evolve along with the company’s goals and values.

Strategy 2: The Benefit Game 

Another way to find your company’s why is to play the benefit game. First, write down what your company does and ask yourself what the benefit of that is. Continue the pattern, write down your answers and then ask what their benefits are. After establishing what each benefit is, you should be able to come up with an authentic purpose for your company.

Here’s an example of how the benefit game would play out with an electric car dealership:

Proposed purpose: We sell electric vehicles.

What’s the benefit of that?

We help people drive in an environmentally-friendly way.

What’s the benefit of that?

It reduces pollution caused by driving.

What’s the benefit of that?

It reduces human contribution to climate change.

What’s the benefit of that?

It reduces harm to life on Earth.

Purpose: Provide a life-sustaining method of travel.

Discover Your ‘Why’ with Aceneca

There are dozens of ways to identify your company’s why, but the most efficient way is just to get started. Discovering your company’s purpose will transform the day-to-day by bringing meaning into the workplace. At Aceneca, we can help you develop strategies to find your company’s why and use it to create a plan that will help grow your business. We aim to guide your efforts in creating a viable and profitable business while making positive environmental and social changes. Click here to get in contact with us today!