Purpose-Driven Systems Not Products

to build a strong system, look at not only your products, programs, or services but also everything around them

Most of us know what we do. When we’re asked at a networking event or awkward holiday gathering, we respond with something like, “Yeah, I work at a law firm,” or “My company makes this awesome software that does XYZ,” or even, “We deliver food to community organizations.”

But is that really all you do? Chances are you have a marketing team creating content, a customer success team trying to solve problems, and a finance team that determines where the financial resources get allocated-and other roles specific to your company.

Our instinct is to lead with the big thing-our main program or product-because it’s accessible. Realistically though, your product isn’t going very far if people don’t know about it or can’t use it. It’s also difficult to succeed if your financial resources are starving what you need to grow (a particular challenge for nonprofits who also need people and infrastructure to make things happen.)

More importantly, reaching your outcomes requires you to understand all the ways your people need you to serve them so they can achieve. You can give them a tool, but if they can’t use it to its fullest, they won’t be successful. And you won’t be either.

Take some time this week to list everything you do in pursuit of your purpose. Make sure you look at not only your products, programs, or services but also everything around them (as well as that thing you do that’s always followed in meetings by, “Yeah, right, I forgot about that.”)

What you’ll likely find is that you need to make your primary system more robust. It isn’t just building new features or running your program that makes impact-it’s also about the things you do to give those things greater reach and make the people you serve successful.

When you include all the things you’re doing and refine them so they connect to your purpose and outcomes, you will:

• Align the skills you need flexibly around your outcomes vs. siloed departments
• Help your people to see how their contributions make impact
• More clearly communicate about the value you provide

Subscribe to get a weekly brief on how to run a purpose-driven business. Delivered to your inbox every Monday morning.

Originally published at https://www.matterlogic.co on November 1, 2021.