Over the past few weeks, my colleague Lewis Brown has begun to introduce the concept of the Elemental P's. Thus far, he has taken us on a journey to more deeply understand how the first two Ps, Purpose and People, serve as foundational components in our talent ecosystems. As we continue the conversation around the Elemental Ps, two key tenets become increasingly clear:
- The Elemental P's framework is relevant and vital in both our corporations and our communities.
- Each Elemental P is interconnected and reliant on the others.
Zooming into #2, the key to understanding this framework lies not in viewing each Elemental P as independent but in how they interact. Purpose without People is theoretical. People without Purpose are untethered. When the two align, momentum follows.
In McKinsey's research, nearly 70 percent of people say they define their purpose through their work, and this number is even higher among Millennials. When People are connected to the Purpose of the environments in which they live and work, productivity and innovation increase naturally. Through our work in both corporate and community environments, we have seen how a strong connection between People and Purpose can propel organizations and neighborhoods forward. We have also seen how easily that connection can fracture, and the toll it takes on engagement, trust, and ambition.
One of the main challenges in sustaining that connection is change itself. People evolve. Opinions and values shift. Organizations and communities grow, shrink, or transform, and with that change, Purpose must adapt. This reality tells us that Purpose needs to be fluid because People are fluid. But there must be a balance. A Purpose that changes constantly loses coherence. A Purpose that never changes risks irrelevance.
When thinking about crafting Purpose, we know some components must remain consistent. Building on the Sun metaphor that Lewis used when introducing the Purpose element, the underlying values and the reason our organizations and communities exist are the constant source of light that fuels all we do. People are the soil that receives that light and turns it into growth. However, the way that light reaches them must evolve with time and context. The light remains constant even as the atmosphere changes.
So, how do we tend to that light and soil practically? How do we keep People and Purpose connected in real, everyday ways? It's not as tricky as we often make it.
The first thing we do is engage with the people who do the work, we quiet ourselves, and we listen. We approach those conversations with curiosity. We leave our conference rooms, offices, and dashboards behind and venture into the field.
We do that by being open to hearing, "You're wrong." In fact, we should hope to hear it and elevate the voices of those who aren't afraid to say it, because that's how we learn and improve.
Once we have listened, we identify where disconnection exists. We compare how leaders describe Purpose with how employees or community members experience it. The gap between those two perspectives often reveals where meaning has been lost or distorted.
Then, we must ensure the tactical work is linked to Purpose. Purpose only matters when people can see and feel it in their daily work. Teams should have the chance to define what Purpose means in their own environment. Leaders can help by lifting and spotlighting authentic stories, translating strategy into meaning, and recognizing the moments when Purpose is on clear display.
Most importantly, we have to live it.
It should appear in how we evaluate performance, celebrate wins, and make decisions. It should be revisited and renewed as the people and the world around us continue to evolve.
Evolving Purpose requires both a steady core and a disciplined process for renewal. We have to work with our teams to determine what is nonnegotiable, those core values and beliefs that define who we are. We need to identify what should be revisited regularly, such as the stories, metrics, and priorities that give Purpose life in the current moment. We build rhythm by consistently inviting a mix of voices to test whether the Purpose still feels true, especially to the people on the front lines doing the work every day. When the perspectives of those employees shape how Purpose evolves, it stays connected to reality instead of fading into meaningless corporate speak. Remember, the goal is not to rewrite the Purpose, but to renegotiate how it's expressed so it continues to reflect both who you are and who you are becoming.
These conversations about People and Purpose are never finished, and they shouldn't be. We would love to hear how you're approaching this balance in your own organization or community. What keeps your Purpose alive? Let's keep learning from one another.
