{"id":72323,"date":"2022-07-20T12:54:00","date_gmt":"2022-07-20T16:54:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=72323"},"modified":"2025-09-03T15:58:53","modified_gmt":"2025-09-03T19:58:53","slug":"purpose-driven-organization","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/purpose-driven-organization\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Purpose-Driven Organizations Are Successful"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What is the definition of a purpose-driven organization? How can leaders create purpose-driven organizations? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Author Simon Sinek<\/a> co-wrote Find Your Why<\/a><\/em> with David Mead and Peter Docker: a book that lays out a step-by-step process for discovering purpose. According to Sinek, a purpose-driven organization is more successful and contributes more to the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read on to learn why purpose matters in organizations and advice for leading a purposeful organization, according to Sinek.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Editor\u2019s note: This article is part of Shortform\u2019s guide to success<\/a>. If you like what you read here, there\u2019s plenty more to check out in the guide!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Purpose-Driven Organizations<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sinek argues that finding your Why or purpose can help you make better choices in your work and your life that lead to greater fulfillment. That\u2019s what he found in his own life after struggling with depression until he identified his purpose<\/a>: \u201cTo inspire people to do what inspires them so that, together, we can change our world for the better.\u201d He then began to help others find their purpose, most famously through his popular 2009 TED Talk<\/a> and by working directly with individuals and organizations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Besides coaching and giving talks, Sinek shared his ideas about the centrality of purpose through his bestselling book, Start With Why<\/em><\/a>, also published in 2009. In that book, he outlined his theory that the most successful organizations are the ones that have a clear purpose<\/a> and stick to it as they grow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the center of Sinek\u2019s theory is a model he uses to illustrate the connection between your Why (purpose), your How (methods and practices), and your What (actions and outcomes). After several years of working directly with some organizations, Sinek realized that to achieve his purpose, he needed to broaden his impact. To provide practical help to more people, he co-wrote Find Your Why<\/em> with David Mead and Peter Docker: a follow-up book that lays out a step-by-step process for discovering your purpose<\/a> that individuals and organizations can follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lead With Your Purpose <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sinek says creating a purpose-driven organization means sharing the purpose when talking to customers<\/a>, clients, suppliers<\/a>, etc., because by keeping your purpose<\/a> to yourself, you only let others (for example, customers or potential employers) see your outputs and methods without knowing what\u2019s driving the organization. The connection they make with your organization is surface-level. According to Sinek, this doesn\u2019t foster long-term relationships. Let\u2019s explore why:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leading with What, or outcomes:<\/strong> You introduce yourself or your organization by talking about your product or service. Some people decide to buy from you, hire you, or join you\u2014but only for as long as you\u2019re the cheapest or most convenient option. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leading with How, or methods: <\/strong>You introduce yourself or your organization by talking about the unique methods or practices that set you apart from the competition. Some people choose you\u2014until your way of doing things catches on, and you become one of many similar options with the same How.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leading with Why, or purpose: <\/strong>You introduce yourself or your organization by talking about your mission, the problem you\u2019re trying to solve, or the fundamental belief you have about the future. More people choose a purpose-driven organization because they understand that supporting you means supporting that purpose. Other competitors might offer similar outcomes or methods in the future, and maybe even at more convenient terms, but you will always have the advantage of the emotional connection you forged by involving people in your purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: This concept of leading with your purpose is not new to sales. For example, in To Sell Is Human<\/em><\/a>, Daniel Pink recommends a model based on trust and a genuine interest in serving the customer rather than wanting to take advantage of them. His two rules for service-oriented<\/a> selling are to make it personal and to make it purposeful<\/a>. By leading with your Why rather than What or How, you create a purpose-driven organization and focus on what makes you unique<\/a>, thereby applying Pink\u2019s rules.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exercise: Lead With Your Purpose<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sinek recommends leading with your purpose or Why to create stronger connections and be more persuasive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n