Purpose, Proposition and Positioning

Course Overview

As Dylan once wrote ‘times they are a-changing’.  We should therefore be taking stock of who we are and what we represent as a business; what our purpose is; why people should want to work for us and buy from us and, ultimately, where we sit in the grand scheme of things when looked at as one, of potentially many,  in the market, and why we should tell our story.

Our series of three practical workshops will identify why we need to take stock and how, and then why we should clearly identify and unlock our value and business purpose, proposition and positioning.  This helps us to agree as a business what we are about, take our own employees on the same journey and ensure we have meaningful ways of sharing that purpose with all our stakeholders to optimise trust and commitment to us as a brand.  We achieve this through developing effective narratives and storytelling.

You can opt to do one, two or all three sessions depending on the skills you wish to develop.

Session 1 – Identifying Why You Are in Business
10 – 11:30 am
Looking at your purpose, the organisation’s primary reason for being in the markets it serves.  Is this ‘business as usual’ for you or do you need to reframe, or create a better, or new narrative of your ‘why are we here?’

Session 2 – Your Value and Purpose Proposition
1 – 2:30 pm
Why this is important to understand, firstly by you, and your leadership team, internally and then externally amongst your stakeholders.

Session 3 – Communicating your Value & Purpose Positioning through Narratives & Story Telling
3:30 – 5:00 pm
Developing effective narratives and storytelling to optimise trust and commitment from all our stakeholders.

Course Content

1. Identifying Why You are in Business

Purpose is increasingly presented as the way to steer individuals, communities, organizations and businesses through the complex, volatile, ambiguous world they face.

The ‘Purpose’ of an individual or organization is the fundamental reason why it exists. A sense of Purpose explains why you do what you do, recognising a connection with others, how you fit in, and how, by collaborating with like-minded others, you can realise a greater goal. But how can you as a leader or manager make the ideas of ‘Purpose’ and ‘Purposefulness’ relevant to your work? How do you make it an unstoppable force to realise your goals? You need a Purpose Plan.

We will cover:

• • The 7 types of people when it comes to ‘Purpose’ and how to manage
  • Identify your Business, Creative and Social Purposes
  • The first steps to creating your ‘Purpose Plan’

2. Your Value and Purpose Proposition

If everyone in your organization or community were asked ‘Why are you here?’ what would be their answer?

To succeed and make optimum use of your resources and opportunities you need, alignment, everyone pulling together in the same direction towards a united goal. Internally, your wider family of suppliers, local communities and consumers, in a competitive world, to make it easier for others to be attracted to you and to tell and share your story.

We will cover :

• • What is your character, ‘Persona’ and story?
  • Going beyond the ‘What? and ‘How?’ to your ‘Why?’
  • Creating alignment through your Persona, beliefs and values

3. Communicating your Value & Purpose Proposition through Narratives & Story Telling

No matter how purposeful you are you need to connect powerfully with others. Talent, consumers and partners are increasingly attracted to brands that stand for something, offer meaning and a sense of wider purpose in their mission. Stories enable us to make sense of our world to us. We don’t dream in bullet points. We understand each other and our world through stories. Stories can share wisdom and spark connections to inspire. If you want to engage, create change you need narratives connecting to your strategic goals. Strategic narratives connect your stories to wider issues, wider goals, to your purpose – and your ‘Purpose Plan’.

We will cover :

• • Creating a narrative around your beliefs and values
  • Understand the power of strategic narrative
  • Creating compelling strategic narratives for your Purpose Plan.

Course Leaders