On Purpose

A porpoise.
When I was asked to come back to Twitter in 2017, (the how of which is its own story) I was initially tasked with three things: Improve morale, revamp policy, and give the company a clear purpose. We had never articulated a purpose which meant if you asked any employee, “Why does Twitter exist?” you’d get a different answer. I succeeded with these projects and some others. But, by the time I left (quietly) in 2021, I understood how singularly important purpose statements can be.
Many people, groups, or companies will say they have a Mission. That’s okay, but a mission is either completed or failed. I prefer purpose because it is enduring. When I joined Google in 2003, they had a clear purpose statement, “To organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible.” This is great because it will never be finished — the world’s information is vast and ever expanding. It attracted the right talent and set the right, crazy ambitious tone.
It took me a few weeks of wordsmithing to craft a purpose statement that felt right for Twitter: To serve the public conversation. I knew if we got it right, that it would be helpful — but I didn’t anticipate just how helpful.
The phrase was adopted by the company as if it were always true — which is a good sign because it suggested that it felt true. That’s important because a purpose statement can’t just sound good, it needs to feel true. The purpose aligned a global company which helped with morale. It illuminated the work that mattered and also the work that didn’t matter. It helped with policy because of the word “serve”. If we were to serve the public conversation, then it stood to reason we were responsible for its health.
This purpose statement also helped attract purpose-driven employees. In my experience, people who are motivated by something bigger than themselves are happier and more productive at work. Largely because they are surrounded by happy, motivated people. And the people you work with are what makes work fun or not fun. The paycheck, equity sharing, benefits, and perks make it even better.
The most compelling purpose statements express an aspirational vision while capturing a company’s authentic goals and ethos. Some other outstanding purpose statements are Airbnb’s, “To create a world where anyone can belong anywhere.” And Patagonia’s, “Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, and use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.”
So if you’re starting a company, or even if you’re well into it and you haven’t yet crafted a purpose statement, I recommend it. A clear purpose bonds the team, highlights what does and what doesn’t matter, improves productivity, and helps attract the best employees. In turn, your product or service will improve and your customers will be delighted.
P.s. Purpose statements aren’t only for companies. A personal purpose statement can help you in much the same ways. I’ve found that, in my own life, when I think about what I’m doing through the lens of purpose everything becomes more clear. I know what to do, what not to do, and where I should be heading. A personal purpose statement (or several for different aspects of my life) is like having a map in my head. Why am I here? Oh, that’s right. Then I need to follow this path.