Organisational Change Management Volume 2

Key Points in Developing a Purpose

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"Aha" effect, ie gets people's attention and creates excitement and energy

Maximum stakeholder involvement in creating a shared purpose

Must be actively supported from the top down and bottom up

Ideally around 7 words so that it is easy to communicate, clear, memorable and simple

Never a goal or objective or key result area

. Avoid focusing on immediate problems

Never about money (return on investments) or numbers or being No. 1

Not problem-solving

. Not about incremental improvements

Able to be remembered easily

. Expressed in the present tense

Sweeps people away, ie captures minds, hearts and spirits

Believable (not necessary to be realistic), ie stretches people beyond their zone of comfort

. Focus on what you want to create, not on how to make it happen

Revisit and review regularly

. If no formal purpose there is a "default purpose"

. Be careful of slogans and jargon, such as customer-obsessed

. Gives people a higher purpose and rationale for their actions

. Is strongest when the focus is on how people interact with each other or serve their customers or society in unique ways