Purpose Driven

Smart Growth: How to Grow Your People to Grow Your Company made the Wall Street Journal best-seller list. In its first week, it was a best-seller in nine categories on Amazon. As an author, best-seller lists serve as a metric that allows you to evaluate the success of your work. And while it feels good, it can’t sustain you. 

Humans are hardwired for growth, and even after achieving success, there are always more to learn. So, what guides you to your next S Curve when you have reached the metric toward which you have been working? What keeps you moving forward when things are difficult? Purpose. 

The book’s success is thrilling, primarily because of its role in advancing our purpose. Our main goal for Smart Growth is to reach as many people as possible, giving them a map to grow. At the core of my work is a belief that growth is our default setting, and growth is exponential: the more we grow, the more we can grow.  Our work is oriented to help individuals tap into their deep desire to grow, increasing their capacity as individuals, leaders, and community members. At Disruption Advisors, unlocking potential drives everything that we do. 

I recently spoke to Fran Katsoudas on the Disrupt Yourself podcast. Fran, the Chief People, Policy and Purpose Officer for Cisco, knows that our “work selves” can't be separated from our “regular selves.”

Because of this, purpose is paramount — not just for the individual but for the entire company. “Purpose has to be embedded in your day-to-day business,” Fran told me. She reflected on the current shift in how companies integrate purpose into their work. It used to be that companies set out to ‘do good’ by creating a team or setting aside some resources to positively impact a community. Today, talent is making decisions based on the extent to which companies are committed to a larger purpose. As a result, we’re moving towards a world where purpose-oriented work cannot sit on the organization’s periphery. It’s not an elective; it is the core curriculum. 

Cisco’s purpose is to power an inclusive future for all. How does that mission drive the enterprise? Cisco leverages its technology to provide people with access to education, jobs, and healthcare. They are focused on fighting the digital divide and ensuring people have a seat at the table. The company capitalizes on its technology, people, and IP to drive toward its purpose every step along the way. 

Fran calls it a system of goodness – Cisco’s purpose is not just a hat that can be taken on and off – it is the company’s lifeblood. They aim to be not just a technology company but a system for good. 

As individuals and organizations, purpose is a compass, orienting us toward the next S Curve when we’ve reached mastery on our current curve. For Fran, she continues to find new S Curves within Cisco because she aligns herself with the organization’s purpose. She shared an example of her time at Cisco, where she jumped to a new curve by reframing the way she looked at her work. She took a step back and viewed her world through the eyes of a consultant. By taking this metaphorical step back, Fran realized a bigger opportunity for her team than the one they were currently pursuing. She realized the team’s work was leading to a summit, but not the summit. They reframed and disrupted her mindset. 

As my team reaches the top of our Smart Growth S Curve, I am considering how the unwavering purpose of our organization is going to orient us onto our next S Curve. After celebrating our accomplishment, we will leverage the success of Smart Growth to propel us toward the launch point of our next S Curve in pursuit of unlocking the growth potential of individuals and companies. 

Is your purpose in alignment with your work? How do you continue to find new challenges in pursuit of this purpose? How do you help employees do the same? 

After you accomplish a goal, how can your purpose help you identify your next S Curve?