Aligning Strategy with the Fundamental Mission
Recently, I wrote a blog on the importance of simplicity. Today, I want to write about defining the fundamentals of your business that may have become blurred over time. Unless we are constantly reminding ourselves or consistently journaling, all memories eventually seem to fade. Even those moments we feel we will never forget eventually disappear without consistent focus. A language we once learned may slip away from us, the street names of a city where we grew up become mixed with streets where we live now, or lyrics to a special song are forgotten.
The good news is that these memories tend to come back to us once we start to practice the language, once we visit our hometown, or we hear that special song again. The memory is revived and we can relearn quickly.
Why is it important to understand the original inspiration of your company or why you joined a company? When your company was first created, it was created by a dream that inspired passion and drive. Someone saw a need and found a solution. They believed they were working towards something that was greater than the creation of a product or the delivery of a service. If you can begin to understand that initial burning drive, you will be able to rekindle that same passion into your business today and your business strategy will become aligned with a common mission.
To help spark your memory of the original dream of your company, there are a few questions you can ask:
- What inspired the dream?
More specifically, what is the history of the creation of the company? Where did it start? Was there a specific event that ignited the creation? - What was the original offering from the company?
Think beyond the original services or products. What made these offerings special? What was the unique positioning? What was the void that it filled? - What were the values of the original founders of the company?
What values and priorities were instilled into the original company culture? How was the company aligned with their passions?
Once you have a deeper insight into these questions, the passion and vision of the original company will come sharply into focus. Often, it is one powerful value-based message that was a driving force behind the hard work put into creating something of great importance.
For Solavei, I focus on providing the first social commerce company that will have a positive impact throughout our community, our state, our country, and some day, the world. A company that changes the way we do things today, a company that takes the billions of dollars that is spent on advertising through mass media and shift it to the greatest advertisers in the world, people. This is the foundational offering behind our company. Yes, we provide mobile service today, but tomorrow we’ll provide many of the primary goods and services people use. And in the process, we will provide an opportunity for recurring income and potentially financial freedom.
Keep focused on the foundational fundamentals and you will have clarity in business strategy to move you successful business toward your goals.
I actually study Brain structures and call myself a Software Sculptor(tm). It is so true that memories are not stored in a perfect digital form but are like stories that must be told and re-told often for our memories to stay strong.
I am working on a project which I expect will take the rest of my life … Theidd … http://www.Theidd.com.
Ryan, you insights into the Human Condition and what it takes to be successful will inform and inspire all of us at Solavei and beyond.
Thanks for being here for us.