Write a Corporate Purpose Statement That Inspires…

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A well-crafted corporate purpose statement is impactful on two fronts: It articulates your organization’s mission and aspirations to external stakeholders and sends a signal to your employees about what the company stands for. As a leader, how can you write a corporate purpose statement that’s actually believable, authentic, and inspiring (without vague, grandiose platitudes)?

First, tie your organization to a broader societal context. Explicitly reference the societal or environmental problems the organization seeks to address or alleviate—and how your products or services advance the common good in that specific context.

Remember to be specific and realistic. Lofty goals like “improving the world” may be laudable, but people will ask: How, exactly? Be detailed about the impact you hope to have, and who or what will benefit as a result.

It’s also essential that your purpose statement be authentic; your stakeholders—both internal and external—will be quick to notice a mismatch between your stated purpose and the realities of your organization’s impact, leading to lower employee motivation and customer trust.

Finally, be clear, concise, and engaging. A purpose statement is one of the most important pieces of writing your organization will publish. Craft it with intention and care.

Speak Up, Strategically…

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Raising ideas or concerns with your manager is a great way to boost your profile and reputation—but only if your timing is right. How can you assess whether it’s the right time to speak up or if you should keep your thoughts to yourself for now? To ensure what you have to say will be valued, ask yourself three questions first.

  • Is it relevant? If the idea or issue you want to raise isn’t related to your team’s current goals or agenda, put it on hold for now. You’ll have better luck getting your idea across once your team’s current priorities are complete.
  • Is my boss in the headspace to be receptive? If they already have a lot on their plate, that’s a good sign that they may not respond well to new information.
  • Am I ready to speak up? Before you give voice to your thoughts, be sure you’ve done your homework. Gather data to support your point, come up with a game plan for how you’re going to frame and present it, and prepare answers to any predictable questions that might come up.

Use If-Then Thinking to Change Your Behavior…

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We all have habits and behaviors we wish we could change. But just being aware of a bad habit isn’t enough. To truly fix it, start by considering your goal (say, “I want my team to know that I trust them”) and the obstacles you expect to face along the way (“I struggle to delegate”). Next, frame what you will do about the obstacles as if-then statements. To address the delegation obstacle, for example, you could tell yourself: “If I start to feel uncomfortable about not completing the work myself, then I’ll ask for updates on it in our next team meeting.”

Eventually the link between the cue (the “if” part of the statement) and the action (the “then”) will become strong enough to help you change how you react. By using if-then statements, you can think through what will get in your way and make a plan to overcome it.

Process to follow…

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What If there was a process to follow for success?

Will we follow it? No.

Because our definition of success keeps changing.

We have one definition of success today,

And another definition tomorrow.

So we are aiming for a moving target,

Which we can never achieve unless we stop moving the target.

So whatever process you follow, keep your goals study, and you will achieve it.

Portion of a day…

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A portion of a day if it is good,

Makes the day worthwhile for you,

It’s lucky to get that portion frequently,

And that’s what we should strive for,

It’s not easy, it comes and goes,

But if you can keep hitting hard for the good portion,

It will come and when it comes you will be blessed.

So keep trying for it in your days.

Being tired…

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Some days are tiring,

Bypass these days,

Look to a new day tomorrow,

New days will bring new rays and new ways,

Embrace it, fill it with joy, fill it with future,

Expect the best from them,

Expect to get in the day, what you want,

And you will surely get it.

Letting go…

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Sometimes letting go is good,

Be it a person you are letting go,

Be it thoughts you are letting go,

Be it habits you are letting go,

Be it dreams you are letting go,

It creates space for a better person,

It creates space for learning better things,

It creates space for better thoughts,

It creates space for better dreams,

So let go even if it feels bad,

Still, let it go.

Someone failed again today…

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Someone failed again today,

But he did pick himself up and tried again,

And that is what makes the difference of the day,

Cause failures will keep coming,

Mistakes will keep happening,

What will keep one going,

Is the belief in self,

And the belief of loved ones,

So fear not of failures,

Fear the disbelief,

Fear the desperation,

Fear the thought of giving up,

And keep going.

Understand Your Approach to Collaboration…

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Creativity isn’t a characteristic that you either have or don’t—we all possess it, and each of us approaches creative collaboration in a certain way. Understanding your own approach can give you the freedom to be yourself, play to your strengths, acknowledge your development areas, and partner with creative opposites who will complement your thinking style, greatly improving your work. Here’s how to take stock of your creative type. 

The next time you’re in a brainstorm or a team meeting, pay attention to when and how you contribute. Are you often one of the first people to speak, pitching novel ideas and generating starting points in conversation? If so, consider yourself an inventor. If, on the other hand, you tend to shape, refine, and build on other people’s ideas, then you’re more of an editor. These labels are imperfect, and they shouldn’t feel restrictive. But they can help you develop more self-awareness and position yourself—and your team—for more successful collaboration.

Allow the Other Person to Vent During a Difficult Conversation…

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During a tense discussion with a colleague, it can be hard to remember that you’re not the only one who’s upset. When your counterpart expresses anger or frustration, don’t stop them. Let them vent as much as possible, and remain calm while it’s happening. Don’t interrupt the venting or interject your own commentary. While you’re doing this, you can either be completely quiet or indicate that you’re listening by using phrases such as “I get that” or “I understand.”

Avoid saying anything that assigns feeling or blame, such as “Calm down” or “What you need to understand is…” It’s important to give your counterpart this space, but that’s not to say it’s easy. If you can tolerate the venting, without judging, you’ll soon be able to guide the conversation to a more productive place.