Purpose sounds good in boardrooms. But when cascaded to factory floors and call centres, resonance is often muted. Then purpose stumbles into the slippery world of corporate snakeoil.
The purpose of purpose is to make better decisions, faster. By cutting out nice-to-haves. By not chasing every hare. By shaping culture and strategy. By the freedom of a tight brief, exciting innovation.
Judge purpose by outcomes. More committed staff, more productive meetings, a salient brand, and happier customers. If purpose is there only to decorate your pitches and annual reports, kick it out. You can do better.