10 years ago, my family and I immigrated from Scotland to New Zealand in the hopes of experiencing a new adventure, meeting new friends, and building a life we could be proud of. We have accomplished all of that and more, with the unintended side effect of searching, discovering and creating my Purpose along the way.
During my journey as a Business Development Coach, I have encouraged business owners to articulate the Purpose of their business, their Why, their ‘North Star’ guiding the direction and intended contribution of their enterprise. For years, I focused on Business Purpose and Values as two key components defining an Organisation’s Culture.
What was missing was the clarity of Purpose of the OWNER and all key staff within the business. Businesses exist to serve the Purpose of all key stakeholders (Owner / Shareholders / Employees / Clients / Strategic Partners) and the Purpose of the business is there to unite and inspire everyone invested in the organisation. The key is the congruence of the Purpose of the business with the collective Purpose of all stakeholders.
Following a personal crisis and over two years of soul searching, I discovered / created my own Purpose:
“To be a great Dad, loving husband, and an extraordinary coach.”
I am ‘on Purpose’ when I live each of these elements every single day. In time, I am sure my Purpose will expand, grow, change in some way, but for now, it serves me very well.
My coaching practice (ChrisMillerCoaching) defines its Purpose as:
“Inspiring individuals and organisations to create their Purpose and Live their Values in order to experience a life of success, happiness and fulfilment.”
ChrisMillerCoaching’s Purpose and my personal Purpose are wonderfully congruent, which has not always been the case throughout my career. For any Business Leader, I would encourage spending time reflecting on the value of clarifying your Personal Purpose and how this fits with the Purpose of your business.
