Purpose as a Driving Force

In previous posts, I’ve been exploring boredom, creativity, and the power of diverse teams as drivers of innovation, and I believe these are fundamental and central points when thinking about what we do. But today I want to focus on another aspect of innovation and leadership: purpose.

Innovation isn’t just about Post-it notes and fun team-building activities. Behind the scenes, there are many tasks that—just like in any other job or aspect of life—aren’t particularly glamorous or appealing. Even when they are, there are days when we’re tired, stressed, and juggling a thousand things. There are processes that get stuck, that take weeks, things that don’t work out as we hope.

So how do we sustain our drive, energy, and motivation—and that of our teams—over time? How do we create systems that endure, that are resilient, and that don’t depend solely on our motivation?

As I thought about and researched this, I came across the concept of the Massive Transformative Purpose (MTP) proposed by Salim Ismail, Mike Malone, and Yuri van Geest in their book *Exponential Organizations*. The book analyzes the 100 fastest-growing companies, systematizes their key characteristics, and the authors conclude that all of them have an MTP.

But let’s take it one step at a time: What is an MTP? And what sets it apart from the classic “vision” and “mission” that many companies have had for years?

An MTP is an organization’s raison d’être, formulated as an aspiration that goes far beyond a business objective. While the mission typically describes what the organization does today and the vision describes where it wants to go, the MTP addresses something deeper: what impact it wants to have on the world, its industry, or its community. It is not measured in quarterly results or management metrics; it is measured by the impact it leaves and the energy it is able to mobilize both within and outside the organization.

An organization’s MTP is highly aspirational, bold, inspiring, and mobilizing. It is unique to that organization and fosters a sense of belonging. It aims to build a future—something different, something that does not exist today. While it is ambitious, it also has a clear focus: it is not “achieving world peace”; it is something more concrete and specific—something that only that organization, and no one else, could claim as its own.

The MTP inspires not only those who belong to the organization but also the community and the ecosystem surrounding it. It fosters a sense of belonging that extends beyond strictly transactional relationships between organizations. It is an all-encompassing purpose that, in some way, makes the entire ecosystem more attractive. And of course, it influences the culture, the day-to-day experience, and what gives meaning to people’s daily activities.

It is what sustains us beyond mere motivation; it is what gives meaning and warmth to our actions and to the moments that may not be so pleasant.

And in these times of AI, rapid change, and alarmist voices (whether justified or not), I believe the MTP can serve as a reliable compass to return to when we feel everything is in flux. A few days ago, I wrote about love as an anchor in times of uncertainty and as a filter for deciding what we want to delegate; I believe the MTP must be closely related to that—to the desire to build something greater—and that it also serves as a good filter for deciding what we want to delegate, what we don’t, and what will remain under our unequivocal control.

The Personal MTP

Just as organizations benefit from clearly articulating their MTP, I believe we can do the same on a personal level. What gets me excited? What makes me dream? What motivates me? What do I want to build? When we begin to align all of that, we discover something quite powerful that allows us to navigate this ever-changing world with a little more peace of mind.

Unlike an organization’s MTP, I believe our personal MTP can change and fluctuate more (and that’s perfectly fine!), but it’s so important to feel that we can create a narrative that defines us, shapes us, and guides our future.

The Long-Term Plan to Foster Innovation

As I said at the beginning, innovation is much more than just the colorful, fun part: it involves planning, measuring, organizing, managing, and documenting. It means failing a thousand times. It’s about facing a thousand obstacles. It’s about navigating uncertainty. And I believe that to achieve this, it’s essential to have this purpose as a guide—an element that helps us get through those less-than-appealing moments and put them into perspective.

I believe that organizations that succeed in having a Long-Term Purpose have an incredible competitive advantage that sets them apart. But I also believe that this comes with its own challenges: managing that passion is complex, and living up to the expectations it generates can be challenging as well.

Ultimately, a Long-Term Purpose isn’t a phrase we define once and tuck away in a drawer: it’s something we review, question, and reaffirm every time the path gets tough. A good Long-Term Purpose doesn’t promise that the journey will be easy—it promises that it will be worth it.

See you next time! 🌱

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