Marzanne Oppel is the Global HR Director for Lobster Ink, a division of Ecolab.
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2020 brought a lot of challenges but it also offered lessons and growth. Purpose is not a new concept. However, this year has brought it into focus for me. This year has taught me that when you are stripped of everything else, the only thing that keeps you going is your purpose, which is defined by Merriam-Webster Dictionary as something set up as an object or end to be attained.
This year, many companies and employees were stripped of financial incentives. Merit increases, annual performance bonuses and promotions were all frozen. You could not really be motivated by money. People needed stability and security, and thus, you could not be motivated by your next big challenge or moving up the career ladder. Employees were working from home, so you could no longer retain employees because of free food in the office cafeteria, the sleeping pods or the table tennis in the lobby. Many people join companies to work with like-minded people, but even this seemed less relevant when we weren’t having chats about our weekend at the water cooler. We could no longer be driven by status because we were no longer driving our flashy Mercedes to work, nor could we show friends and family our beautiful homes with all the expensive furniture because we were in quarantine. We could no longer show off our Diesel jeans or the latest Nike sneakers to our colleagues at work because we were living in our pajamas and slippers for most of the day. We couldn’t compare and boast that our children were in an A-class private school versus a public school because all of our children were home-schooling.
All the things that used to drive us and motivate us or at least influenced our decision to work for one company versus another were null and void. Everything except one thing — purpose. Outside of taking care of our basic needs of survival, health and safety, the thing that personally kept me going was my purpose. You know you are doing purposeful work when it does not feel like a responsibility, but rather like this fire in your belly that you cannot ignore. I personally relate to Jim Collins’s Hedgehog Concept. I feel connected to my purpose when I do something that I am passionate about, competent in and that makes the world better.
The companies who purposefully adapted this year live to tell the tale. The companies that failed to purposefully adapt hit a dead end. A good example of companies that have purposefully adapted is grocery stores and food retailers. The pandemic created discomfort for shoppers to physically buy food in stores and malls. Most stores purposefully adapted by creating an online food delivery option. At the click of a button, my essentials were delivered to me. Their purpose remained firmly intact but they adapted to the times to stay relevant.
Most companies mistake their purpose with financial goals. Personally, I am not driven to get out of bed to make sure shareholders get a return on their investment. I am driven by making a difference. This is not to say financial goals are not important because, after all, it sustains the business, but it’s not the primary purpose. To discover your company’s purpose, ask yourself three key questions:
1. What void will the world feel if your company ceases to exist?
2. Why do people apply to your company versus your competitors?
3. In what way are you making the world/society better?
Purpose got me out of bed in 2020. Purpose made me a better mother. Purpose made me a better leader. Purpose was the difference between surviving and thriving this year. In a year where we were stripped from everything we thought was important but isn’t, purpose showed me the way.
Mark Twain is often cited as having said, “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” If I leave you with anything, it’s this: fight your way to a purpose-driven life. It’s the only way to achieve satisfaction, significance and success, whether you are experiencing good times or bad times.
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