The journey

There is no one size fits all approach, no template to become purpose-led and the journey is rarely linear.  

To facilitate the practical application of Blueprint – how do I use it? – we have developed an illustrative journey that can help companies understand what might be involved. 

Based on what we are learning working with business, we have mapped out four broad phases. Each of the icons below take you to the relevant sections in our Knowledgebase where you can explore each phase in more detail.  

Inspiration

Raise an awareness of what the world needs and what the business could become if it was purpose-led. 

Challenge the assumptions and beliefs that shape decisions and behaviours in the business:

  • Profit is an outcome not the purpose of business
  • Business is a series of relationships
  • People are motivated by more than money, status and power – they seek meaning and are relational 
  • Each person is a ‘someone not a something’ 
  • Business is part of society

Shared understanding

Build an understanding of what it means to be purpose-led and what it implies for the future of the business.

Build a shared understanding of what it means to be purpose-led, with leadership teams:

  • Provoke a different way of thinking about the purpose of the business and about people 
  • Become aware of the assumptions and beliefs that influence decision making and behaviours 
  • Consider the better world that arises as a result of the business’ success that is better for the business, people, the planet & society

Articulation

Articulate a purpose which acts as a ‘north star’, informing strategy and decision making.

Articulate a purpose which:

  • Is inspiring, authentic & practical 
  • Is informed by engagement with stakeholders 
  • Informs strategy, decision making and culture 
  • Avoids purpose wash 

Bringing purpose to life

Create an environment in which the purpose can come to life.

The critical work that creates the environment in which the purpose can come to life and ensures the business is purpose led in practice:

  • Strategy: a strategic direction and decision making that flows from the purpose
  • Culture: engage the whole organisation through a compelling and inspiring narrative, role modelling, development and reinforcing mechanisms
  • Governance: the board ‘owns’ the purpose. Accountability and dialogue with stakeholders 
  • Assessing progress in a way that enables learning and informs strategy 

Raise an awareness of what the world needs and what the business could become if it was purpose-led.

Challenge the assumptions and beliefs that shape decisions and behaviours in the business:

  • Profit is an outcome not the purpose of business
  • Business is a series of relationships
  • People are motivated by more than money, status and power – they seek meaning and are relational 
  • Each person is a ‘someone not a something’ 
  • Business is part of society

Build a shared understanding of what it means to be purpose-led and what it implies for the future of the business.

Build a shared understanding of what it means to be purpose-led, with leadership teams:

  • Provoke a different way of thinking about the purpose of the business and about people 
  • Become aware of the assumptions and beliefs that influence decision making and behaviours 
  • Consider the better world that arises as a result of the business’ success that is better for the business, people, the planet & society

Articulate a purpose which acts as a ‘north star’, guiding strategy and decision making.

Articulate a purpose which:

  • Is inspiring, authentic & practical 
  • Is informed by engagement with stakeholders 
  • Informs strategy, decision making and culture 
  • Avoids purpose wash 

Create an environment in which the purpose can come to life.

The critical work that creates the environment in which the purpose can come to life and ensures the business is purpose led in practice:

  • Strategy: a strategic direction and decision making that flows from the purpose
  • Culture: engage the whole organisation through a compelling and inspiring narrative, role modelling, development and reinforcing mechanisms
  • Governance: the board ‘owns’ the purpose. Accountability and dialogue with stakeholders 
  • Assessing progress in a way that enables learning and informs strategy 

How Blueprint helps catalyse this journey

All of our work is aimed at raising awareness of what a purpose-led business is and provoking a different way of thinking about the purpose of business and our assumptions about people.

The Knowledgebase

Drawing on what we are learning from our work with business we have built a Knowledgebase to help you use our thinking and approach in your work.

Our Work

Blueprint aims to stimulate and energise a different way of thinking and behaving in business. We work with businesses and those who influence them.

The Framework

An outline of how purpose should be defined and the behaviours needed to achieve it, as well as a link to the underlying provenance.

The Principles

A picture of what purpose-led business might look like and the diverse relationships it depends on for its long term success.