Bonus Model:
Purpose, Way, Impact (PWI)
While all of the models contained within this book are my own original content, I wanted to add this brand-new model by my friend JP Laqueur and his partner Steve Goodwin of BrandFoundations. Their rocket model is bound to really “take off”…and, as such, I wanted to be among the first to share it with everyone.
Their “Purpose, Way & Impact: A Three-Stage Rocket to Clarity and Growth” model is their next-generation version of the traditional Vision, Mission, and Values model that we’ve all been using all these years. In brief, as they say in their description, “Rather than rehash a comparison of these old terms, we think it’s time to retire the Mission, Vision, and Values framework entirely in favor of a new model that we believe is more intuitive, easier to remember, and more useful to leaders and employees alike.”
The analogy they propose is that of a three-stage rocket3. (See illustration opposite.)
To BrandFoundations, there is no more important or more differentiating foundation for an organization than having a clear and powerful expression of these three areas:
1. Purpose: why you exist, and the change you are trying to bring about (the Why);
2. Way: the unique ethos and behaviors that characterize the way you operate, the few unique ways you will make it happen (the How); and
3. Impact: the ultimate impact you make on society, your statement declaring how you will make the world and people’s lives better (the What).
What I also love about this innovative visual model—in addition to its simplicity and its intuitive nature—is that it’s not a model limited to organizations. Individuals too can create their own personal Purpose-Way-Impact statements to help formulate their thoughts and guide their actions into the future.
For example, here’s mine:
1. My Purpose: Is to help make the world a better place…one leader at a time. And, to me, everyone is a leader in one way or another—even if they’re just managing and leading themselves.
2. My Way: Is through my innovative approach that I call “VisuaLeadership,” which is all about leveraging the power of visual imagery, mental models/frameworks, metaphor/analogy, and visual storytelling to manage and to lead.
3. My Impact: In so doing, I am contributing to helping people to maximize their own—and others’—performance, productivity, and potential…in leadership and in life.
In Review
The Big Lesson: The Purpose-Way-Impact model is a new and future-oriented visioning model that will help you—and your organization—clarify how you will make your vision a reality in the future of work.
The Big Question: How will creating your own PWI statements help you to turn your vision into a reality?
Your Big Insight:
Your Big Action: