By Kevin Cashman, originally posted to his Forbes blog Pause Point on October 20, 2017.
Every leader faces a daunting aspiration: Generate success now and then continuously accelerate it. It is hard enough to be successful and even more challenging to keep it going in today’s dynamic, change-rich world. As tough as our mandate is, I would suggest a sustainable simple success formula: purpose generates success, performance sustains it and ethics insures the first two endure.
Purpose is the creative force that elevates leaders and teams to move from short-term success to long-term significance. It engages and energizes workforces, customers, vendors, distributors, communities and stakeholders around a common mission, something bigger than products and larger than profit. It is the foundational meaning that unleashes latent energy and motivation as it generates enduring value. Purpose answers the essential question: Why is it so important that we exist? Ethics answers the enduring question: How are we in continuous service to our constituencies?
