The Story of Purpose

Some ideas are bigger than others, and the Master Idea—your company's purpose—is the biggest. Whether addressing communication between leadership and associates, suppliers to manufacturers, sales force to customers, or brand to consumers, The Story of Purpose details a proven methodology for businesses, small to large, how to build a purpose-inspired organization to positively impact employees, customers, and the bottom line. It reveals the process for uncovering what makes a company distinctive and guides you to discover the fundamental force behind the organization that no competitor can replicate or replace.

• The Story of Purpose incorporates stories of purpose from Procter & Gamble, McDonald's, Newell Rubbermaid and many more purpose-driven companies. These stories come to life in a comprehensive book that promises to guide, inspire, and transform your organization
• Offers a blueprint for creating powerful internal and external messages for current and future customers, employees, and shareholders

The Story of Purpose will leave you asking yourself "what gets me up in the morning?" instead of "what keeps me up at night?"

About the Cover xiii

Foreword Philip Kotler xv

Preface xvii

Introduction 1

I The Purpose: Put Humanity Back In Business 5

1 The Purpose of Work Is to Work on Purpose 7

2 Purpose-Inspired Leadership 17

3 The Master Idea 33

II The Black Box of Strategy 41

4 Ethos: The Fruits Are in the Roots 43

5 Culture: Creating the Cult in Your Culture 53

6 Values: Your Most Valuable Asset 67

7 Strategy: The Plan to Win 80

8 Tactics: All You Need Is Love 99

III Purpose, Inc.: How To Incorporate Purpose Into Your Business 115

9 Investigation 119

10 Incubation 131

11 Illumination 146

12 Illustration 161

IV Creating A Lasting Legacy 175

13 The Road to Camelot 177

14 A World on Purpose 195

Epilogue: Collective Purpose Is Our Saving Grace 209

Notes 213

Resources 221

About the Author 223

Acknowledgments 225

Index 231

JOEY REIMAN is founder and CEO of the global consultancy, BrightHouse, a company whose mission is to bring purpose to the world of business. Reiman has emerged as the leading expert in the area of purpose-inspired leadership, marketing, and innovation. His breakthrough purpose methodology and frameworks have been adopted by top firms, including Procter & Gamble, The Coca-Cola Company, McDonald’s, Nestlé, MetLife, SunTrust, Michelin, and many other Fortune 500 companies. Fast Company named him one of the 100 people who will change the way the world thinks. Reiman is married to women’s activist Cynthia Good. They have two sons, Alden and Julien, and reside in Atlanta, Georgia.

Some ideas are bigger than others, and the Master Idea—your company’s purpose—is the biggest. When Nike said, Just Do It, the company put a voice to the belief that human beings have no limits. When Disney asked people to wish upon a star, they instantly established the powerful idea that life is magical. The Story of Purpose details a proven approach to engage and align leadership and associates, suppliers and manufacturers, a sales force and customers, and brands and consumers through a higher purpose.

The Story of Purpose offers a blueprint for creating timeless messaging and powerful actions for both internal and external stakeholders. Learn how to uncover what makes your company distinctive and discover the fundamental force behind your organization that no competitor can replicate or replace. Through stories of purpose and best practices from Procter & Gamble, McDonald’s, Newell Rubbermaid, American Standard, and many more purpose-driven companies, this book promises to help you guide, inspire, and transform your organization. You’ll learn how to:

• Discover, articulate, and activate your Master Idea
• Move from a brand to a stand, and turn purpose into practice
• Lead with purpose and become the moral center of your company
• Define your organization’s culture around your shared beliefs
• Build a family of employees first and a company second

Your organization’s Master Idea or purpose has the power to propel your company to its fullest potential. It offers the opportunity to ignite you and your employees’ spirits, liberate your creativity, unleash your compassion for others, while driving dramatic business results. Instead of focusing on what keeps you up at night, The Story of Purpose will leave you asking yourself “what gets me up in the morning?”