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Inspiration

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Bringing purpose to life

What is the Blueprint Framework?

The Blueprint Framework sets out our core thinking. It provides a link to the underlying provenance of Blueprint and is drawn from strong foundations of learning from society including philosophy, faith teachings and social and behavioural science.

The core ideas that underpin our approach

We believe that many of the current problems in business and society have at their root some deep limiting assumptions and beliefs about both the role of business and what it is to be human. Our work focuses on stimulating and energising a different way of thinking and behaving in business. Assumptions and beliefs (mind-set) shape decision making and behaviour and much of our work is therefore about exploring and challenging these assumptions.

We challenge two ideas in particular which have dominated thinking in business for the last 40 years:

That the purpose of business is to maximise profits

That people are best assumed to be atomised individuals motivated only by money, status and power

In challenging these ideas we put forward two alternative ideas – these are at the core of our thinking and are set out in the top part of our Framework:

Each person is a someone not a something – people have intrinsic dignity and should never be used simply as a means of business success. This idea is explored in detail in the course: How Blueprint thinks about people

Delivering value by serving society – business is a social organisation, is about more than profit and can be a force for good producing “goods that are truly good and services that truly serve” whilst also aiming to reduce harm. This is explored in detail in the course: What is the role of business in society?

Taken together, these ideas orient the business to focus on people and the quality of relationships, alongside creating value for society and in so doing building a better business. Both these ideas – about the role of business in society and how the business sees people – are important and interlinked. We describe these as defining purpose.

The lower section of the Framework sets out five behaviour descriptors – aspects of how people can behave to enable an organisation to live out such a purpose in practice.

Other people matter (Solidarity) – actively seeking to serve the broadest community

Freedom with responsibility (Subsidiarity) – trusting and enabling others in decision making

Building trust and trusted relationships (Reciprocity) – generously sharing time and knowledge with others

Valuing diversity (Plurality) – actively engaging with critics and different voices to test thinking

Stewardship of people, values and resources (Sustainability) – developing people and replenishing resources

Each of these behaviours has a minimum and an aspiration. The idea is that as people adopt ways of behaving informed by a genuine care for others and a desire to pursue the purpose, they will recognise the need to behave in ways that create and sustain relationships guided no longer by self-interest but by a desire for mutuality.

There is an implied maturity model here moving from self-interest, to the good of the team, to how together we can contribute through the business to promoting the wider common good. Habitual behaviour that develops in service of this builds character, and a purpose-led business over time forms people in a way that enhances and builds the desires we all have for meaning, for relationships and to realise our potential.

For a detailed exploration of each of these behaviours see: Understanding the Blueprint Framework

The two sections of the Framework are interdependent – the behaviours come from the purpose, but the authenticity of the purpose is validated by behaviours that create character consistent with the assumptions around the dignity of people and delivering value by serving society. The behaviours are guided and motivated towards seeking the purpose. If the behaviours are deficient it is unlikely a business will deliver on its purpose and if the purpose is not authentic there is less motivation to pursue the behaviours.