What is Your “Why”?

Finding your company why is so important because it gives you the direction you need to be great.

You already have a company. You already have a product. You have employees, and you have clients. But something is still missing and you can’t quite place it.

There is a good chance that you are missing your company “Why”

You may think, “but I have a mission statement, isn’t that the same thing?”. For a lot of companies, the mission statement focuses on the practical elements of the company. The company “why” should answer more philosophical questions about the company.

The most basic version of your company “why” is as simple as what you literally do. You sell a product to a buyer who needs it. The why at this level is why they need that product. Why do people need a floor cleaner? Because floors get dirty. Why do people need snow tires? Because it snows.

Knowing Your Company “Why” is Important

For your business to be as successful as it can be, you need to take your Why to a different level. Your company Why should answer a deeper need that the consumer has. If 20 other companies sell floor cleaner, you need something that sets you apart in the eyes of the consumer. You also need a company “why” to help you and your employees find value in the work that you are doing.

Odds are, you already know your “Why”, you just haven’t identified it as such yet. Start by asking yourself a few simple questions.

  • What motivated you to start your company?
  • What do you do better than any other company in your field?
  • What potential difference can your company make in your professional community or physical community?
  • What is special about the talent you have collected to work for you?
  • What aspect of what you do makes you feel the most fulfilled.

If you don’t take the time to answer these questions, you may never reach your full potential as a successful company.

Ultimately, a business should make a difference in some facet of the world, beyond the difference it makes in your personal bank account. So what difference are you making, and why should people care?

The Benefits of a Company Why

Your company “why” is what will keep you and your employees motivated for the long haul. Without this philosophical angle of your purpose, you will eventually lose your clients and burn out your employees, because everyone wants to know that there is some sort of deeper purpose and meaning to their actions. This includes what they do while they are at work. We all spend such a large portion of our lives at work. If that time seems inconsequential for your employees, they will feel like they have wasted half of their lives.

Don’t let your company be one of so many that drift around in the market place with no place to go. Find your company “why” and get where you are trying to go.