Deriving a bigger ‘why’ helps businesses flourish
By Sandy Schultz Hessler
Last summer in Teton Valley, Idaho, I spent an evening on the land of a fifth-generation cattle farmer listening to his story of effective new grazing and siring techniques.
Over the years I’ve heard the founder of Cascade Engineering, which creates plastics’ design and injection molding, discuss its innovative employment model, and just recently I’ve enjoyed some evenings at Highpoint Cider in Victor, Idaho, listening to music or a story slam.
Over the years I’ve engaged with other organizations, including Stio, Vertical Harvest and more. While these organizations cover many industries, they hold something in common: a deep commitment to a core purpose, much deeper than just the products or services they bring to the marketplace.
You need only spend time with these founders or walk through their organizations to feel it. To the farmer his purpose is about sustaining a viable connection with the land for future generations. For Cascade Engineering it is about empowering people and giving everyone a chance; for Highpoint Cider it’s about creating community and connection.
I bring up these examples of the powerful ways that business becomes so much more than a financial bottom line. This work around the purpose and economics of mutual benefit is what I’ve been about for the past 30 years. It is also the core principle of the newly created Teton Leadership Center, founded by Silicon Couloir and Central Wyoming College.
Over 30 years ago in “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” Stephen Covey said that when we discover what deeply inspires us inside and what our more holistic purpose is, the money will follow. Highpoint Cider created a new drink as its financial “what,” but the underlying purpose points to inspiring community and connection. Additionally, organizations daily adhering to their core values also grow something much needed in the world right now: trust.
This bond of trust is the wider container of success that allows businesses to more easily innovate, to be nimbler and more creative in their thinking. It allows them to become better listeners, and to consistently replenish their energy with new ideas and new perspectives on how to bring that deeper purpose to life to benefit not just financial profits, but the health and well-being of all the stakeholders they touch.
This is the huge potential and possibility for our thriving future: When our purpose, values, collaboration and a deeper/broader sense of responsibility become infused in how we show up every day, companies across industries demonstrate that success grows wide and deep roots.
This way of thinking and being isn’t always easy or simple. It takes commitment and sometimes tough calls that prioritize a longer vision over short-term fixes. But research and data continue to demonstrate that businesses living their deeper purpose and values succeed more effectively in every direction: financial results, employee commitment, customer loyalty and environmental sustainability.
Continuing to learn and teach businesses how to live from this more holistic, multifaceted perspective is my purpose. I think of it as helping to awaken the Jedi within all of us. Many of us with a similar desire created the Teton Leadership Center.
We hope you’ll join us on Sept. 23 and 24 as we kick off the Teton Leadership Center’s first annual summit, titled “Connecting Deeper and Engaging Wide,’’ to learn from powerful thinkers and doers on how together through capitalism, connection and smart business practices we can strengthen the health and well-being of ourselves, our organizations and the nature around us.
And next time you’re in Victor, spend some time at High Point Cider and feel the power of community.
Visionary Ventures is a column written by the staff of Silicon Couloir. Contact Sandy Shultz Hessler via rebecca@siliconcouloir.com.