The Essence of Purpose as Seen Through Practice
This article is written based on the content of audio content distributed on Spotify (Hiroaki Hasegawa, Organization Building Lab, "The Essence and Practice of Purpose-Driven Management").
I hope you will also listen to the audio version.
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【Part 2】 The Essence and Practice of Purpose-Driven Management (Part 1)
【Part 3】 The Essence and Practice of Purpose-Driven Management (Part 2)
Hello.I am Hasegawa, the representative of RELATIONS.At RELATIONS, we explore purpose-driven management, but if I were asked again what purpose means to me, I would answer that
it is something at the very core of the organization, and it is the very reason for the organization's existence.And I believe that this source at the very core is not something that can be simply put into words, but rather something like an
impulsethat naturally drives the organization forward.To naturally fulfill the reason for existing, an impulse arises, which leads to action.Experiencing this cycle repeatedly. And the very process of gradually growing into something that society needs is, I believe,management that values purpose.However,I myself was not able to honestly perceive this impulse or express the organization's purpose from the beginning.
I will write about my bitter experiences as a manager and the purpose-driven management we are currently practicing at our company, incorporating specific examples.
1. The trigger for practicing "purpose exploration" was the realization I gained from "should-based" management
Since founding RELATIONS in 2009,my mind was always dominated by "should-based" logic.(Now that I am honest with my impulses, I feel that way when I look at my past self objectively.)
"I must increase sales more."
"I must protect the employees' jobs."
"As a manager, I have to work hard here."
"I must provide even more value to our customers."
"I want our employees to think, 'I'm glad I'm a member of this company.'"
With the goal of overcoming my own immaturity, I read MBA books, read books by great managers, and learned about decision-making methods by participating in seminars. As I studied desperately, I built up animage of what an ideal manager should be,and acted in imitation of it. The revenue of our main business was also rising, and I used that as capital to invest in new businesses one after another."Okay, this is good," I thought on the surface as I moved forward.
But from a certain point on, I think a gap was gradually emerging in an invisible way.
The biggest trigger for me to face my impulses was when a conflict occurred around 2019 with members who had been with us since the founding. Fortunately, I had founding members around me who had walked the path with me, and they were at the core of the organization and truly wanted to make RELATIONS better.
Precisely because they were thinking seriously,
"RELATIONS feels half-baked right now."
"I don't know what Mr. Hasegawa is thinking."
"Isn't Mr. Hasegawa not doing what he really wants to do?"
it seems they began to feel discord in the way the organization was.
At that time, I set up many opportunities to have honest discussions with the members, and I receivedserious feedbackfrom them."Mr. Hasegawa, doesn't that make you disqualified as a manager?"There were also words like that. For me at the time, those words were truly painful.
On the surface, the business is successful, and management looks like it's going well. Yet, where did that sense of discomfort actually come from? What was the cause?
I fell into a state where I didn't even know what was right myself.Coaching, system coaching, mindfulness, process work, adult development theory, learning organizations, Theory U, SECI model, etc.,I began to invest time in exploring my own inner self.
And as I walked step by step,I was finally able to face the fact that the cause was "me myself putting a lid on my impulses."
【Mini Column】 What I consider "impulse" to be...
As in the expression "driven by impulse," I recognize it asan uncontrollable, compelling desire,a pure source that, so to speak, wells up. When looking at a company from a bird's-eye view, it is not something you "think" about, such as "our company's purpose should be this," but rather, I think it is "something that already exists there and wells up."
If I dig a little deeper into the part about "feeling" an impulse,it refers to a state where, when you see it, you can't put it into words, but for some reason you can't help but want to get involved, or your body reacts on its own.In other words, an impulse is not something that can be created artificially, nor is it something that is made. Through various practices and experiences, it feels appropriate to say it's a sensation of suddenly realizing it's naturally there.It's a feeling close to falling in love; you can't do it even if you try to like it, and you can't make yourself like it. I think it's something that naturally sprouts there.
At that time, while providing consulting services to customers,"I want to develop a business that delves deeper into solving organizational issues. I want to increase the investment weight toward that," my desire was gradually becoming stronger.
On the other hand, the company as a whole also had SaaS and media businesses, and since the flow was toward steering in a direction that integrated both consulting and SaaS, I unconsciously avoided even opening the lid on my own impulses and having proper dialogues, thinking, "If everyone is okay with it, then let's go with that."
Also, it is a fact that one of the reasons I kept a lid on my impulses, even while being aware of them somewhere in my heart, was my anxiety and fear as a business owner.
“By following my impulses, I might drastically change the company's direction.”
“By pursuing the business I want to do, I might lower the company's overall revenue.”
“I might not be able to protect the employees' jobs.”
I had a feeling of these voices rushing into my mind all at once.
However, when there is a discrepancy between superficial strategy and the impulses welling up from the depths, consistency eventually fails, and cracks begin to show. The more I ran from my impulses, the more I experienced them as if they were pressing me from within, asking, “Isn't what you really want to do something else?”I feel that these impulses did not just descend upon me one day, but rather that the thoughts welling up from the source gradually accumulated and grew larger.
Let's be honest with our impulses and practice purpose-driven management—it was around this time that I decided this.
2. My deepest wish is for even one more person to be able to spend their life in a fulfilling way.
According to a Gallup survey, only 5% of people in Japan are working with passion, and I feel something like a restless irritationtoward that. It feels like the lives of people who should be shining are being wasted.
As a factor for these results, I think it may be that the organization is moving forward without its true voice (impulse) being expressed as a purpose.
Because of my profession, I meet with business owners of various companies and sometimes hear their corporate philosophies, and when the “stated words” and the “company's heartfelt thoughts” match, the words sink into my heart effortlessly.
Conversely, there are also many moments when I feel a sense of discomfort between the “stated words” and the “voice heard from the organization.”It is a feeling that the two do not match, and people are being pushed around by the words. When I encounter such scenes, my own impulse to support them sometimes rises up. (laughs)
・The purpose clearly expresses the organization's impulses and thoughts.
・Practicing purpose-driven management based on that.
・And that such companies increase in society.
These are very close to the worldview I wish for. Perhaps it is because I have the bitter experience of suppressing my own impulses in the past that I have a strong desire for people to cherish their fundamental impulses.
However, I do not mean to recommend to every business owner, “Let's open the lid on your impulses!”Of course, there are companies that are running well even with the lid kept on their impulses. I think that is fine as it is. However, as my own real experience, I felt wonderful changes before and after I was able to be honest with my impulses.By acting based on the impulses from the source, I became lighter in both mind and body, and the stress disappeared.If there are companies or business owners who are suffering in the same way, I have a strong desire to share and support that.Since we only have one life, I want more people to have passion and enjoy life. It is simply better that way,is the thought I have.
An organization is a collection of people. I believe that if each person belonging to a company acts according to the voice of their soul (heart), it will naturally become a vibrant organization.
Of course, I think there are times when that does not directly lead to profit, but even so, I still think that a worldview where the heart is fulfilledis also connected to happiness, and above all, it should be the priority, so I have set up a hypothesis within myself,and am in a state of challenging it at my own company.
3. An example of the purpose exploration process at RELATIONS
At RELATIONS, there is currently a movement to change from the purpose words “Creating a Good Company” to new words. As for the background, while deepening the reflection on various activities of RELATIONS and on myself and the organization,
“I want to go to a world where many people work using the ‘voice of the soul (heart)’ as energy, and I want to be honest with that impulse.”
This voice has become stronger. At the timing when that thought matured within me, I started the purpose word re-examination and branding project. The words spun out from there are
“Vitality to the Company”
. Although I have positioned it as a tentative proposal, I feel that it has become exactly the words that express the existence significance at the root.
Can a vivid image be expressed with the word purpose? Also, can you get excited when you hear that purpose?This is also extremely important for employees to feel the organization's existence significance and to promote it company-wide. “It's just words, but they are words.”
The previous purpose of “Creating a Good Company” has become a familiar and deeply ingrained wordfor me, for RELATIONS members, and for customers. It is a word with deep attachment.
I think there were many voices of doubtfrom internal members as to why I thought of reviewing that purpose.
In fact, as the one taking the initiative in the purpose change project, these thoughts were born.
● The purpose “Creating a Good Company” expressed the spirit of the organization called RELATIONS, and it felt right. There is no doubt that it is a word I want to cherish in the future.
● However, it is also a fact that at RELATIONS now, the future focus is being narrowed down. Cases of connecting from cost optimization to organization building are being born little by little, and I feel it is important to provide support so that “energy as a living organism” dwells in the organization itself.
● I feel that the previous purpose had a wide focus and the perspective was dispersed. To clearly express where RE is heading from now on, the word “Vitality to the Company” is more suitable.
In the midst of this, when the tentative proposal was completed, I wanted to hear the opinions of internal members, so I brought the plan to the all-company meeting. Looking back on the process of the purpose project so far, I set up a place to get reactions from every single employeeregarding the purpose candidates at the current point in time.
I wanted to create a space where we could reach a consensus as much as possible, but I also felt it was perfectly fine if voices of disagreement emerged. I also believed that by "everyone listening to everyone's voice," something new would be born.
In fact, there were voices like these from within the company. (I am extracting just a few of the voices.)
● "A good company" is easy to imagine, but even when I hear "vitality," I can't picture what that looks like.
● I have the impression that it is too focused, and I still feel a sense of discomfort.
● I feel that the phrase "Vitality to the company" expresses the direction we are heading well.
● Personally, I don't have much interest in the wording of the purpose. I want to face our customers and deliver value.
This became a very valuable space. By hearing the honest opinions within the company, I also received new stimulation, and there were things I discovered and became convinced of from there. I feel that I am now able to visualize the phrase "Vitality to the company" with a clearer image than before.
We are still in the midst of fluid movement toward the final determination of our purpose. I myself will continue to explore it while enjoying the process of seeing what kind of purpose we land on.
4. "Utilization of Collective Intelligence" is the Key to Increasing Purpose Resonance
In one of the company-wide strategies (priorities) that we revamped in July 2022, we included the following wording.
Let's not just rely on individual strength to get things done, but also look toward collective intelligence. And let's open the doors to further possibilities.
The reason for this is that one of the things I often feel recently is the "limits of cognition." In particular,
there are limits to my own individual cognition. For example, even for consultants assigned to each company, there are aspects of the customer's fine details that they cannot see. Especially with clients handled by other consultants, there are many parts of the communication taking place within those relationships and the actions being implemented on-site that are not visible.
If you look at it the other way, I think it can also be said that because it is an organization, when it becomes collective intelligence, there is unfathomable power and potential.
The company-wide meeting I wrote about in the previous chapter is one such example.
While each member is juggling multiple projects and moving around the country, adjusting everyone's schedule and creating time to exchange opinions on how to perceive the purpose is by no means easy. It also costs money.
Even so, I thought there was meaning in expanding the breadth of our collective cognition and creating expressions that emerge on the spot regarding what kind of words are suitable as a purpose.
The reason is that I believe by the entire organization repeating the process of exploring the purpose, the purpose will naturally dwell within the organization. Also,
it is because I realize that the resolution of what a purpose is varies quite a bit depending on the organization and the individual. The more I explore the purpose, the more I feel this. For that reason, opportunities to have everyone voice their thoughts and to listen to them are extremely important.
Having each member express their pure thoughts on the purpose after having free choice leads to their own self-understanding. Also, hearing the multifaceted opinions of others has the effect of creating empathy and promoting introspection, which is deeply connected to each individual's exploration of the purpose.
Although it is a difficult process for both the receiver and the sender, I also feel it is a process typical of RELATIONS.
I want to value the process of increasing, even if just a little, the overlapping parts between the organization's purpose and the individual's purpose, and increasing the degree of resonance through such a process.
5. The Role as a Manager that Changes Flexibly in Tandem with Organizational Maturity
I believe that my role as a manager is to take the initiative in the organization and raise the resolution of the purpose, and it is also an impulse that I want to cherish. I think it is important to continue to throw questions to the whole, even if friction occurs while repeating dialogues with members. Rather than a feeling of wanting to push through my own wishes, wanting to deepen it through dialogue is my heartfelt wish.
RELATIONS will continue to grow and mature gradually. I think the mechanism of Holacracy will also become more refined, and in the future, we plan to distribute shares (company ownership) to employees, gradually embodying the worldview of "employees becoming shareholders."
I believe that the process of the company's maturity increasing and my involvement as a manager are always linked.
I also have an attachment to RELATIONS and have a desire to make it a better state, so while I want to properly grasp the core parts of the company, when moving something forward, I don't want to be a stopper. So that I don't stop things just because of my own thoughts when there is potential there, I want to let go of attachment. For that part, I want to be seriously involved in areas where potential is unleashed or new possibilities are born through my involvement.
However, here too, I think there is a limit to my own individual cognition, so I want to be conscious of choosing what I want to do honestly and fluidly while always receiving feedback from those around me, such as internal members and clients. I want to ask myself these questions at a pace of once every three months.
That's all for today. Let's make it a good day.
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