How to Align Communication with Social Purpose: 10 Questions to Explore

The first belief in the up-and-coming movement towards conscious capitalism is having a “higher purpose.”

(From Conscious Capitalism: Liberating the Heroic Spirit of Business by John Mackey and Raj Sisodia).

We know that organizations with a higher purpose have worked through the process of answering these two important questions:

1. What purpose does your organization serve?
2. What problems does your organization solve?

The answers to these two questions are vital for achieving an organization’s mission
and can act as signposts to guide your communication programs.

Here are 10 more questions you can explore to bring clarity and focus to your organization’s communication programs for positive change:

1. What is your organization trying to achieve?
2. How is “doing the right thing” given priority within your organization?
3. What is your short-term and long-term communication strategy and plan?
4. What is your complementary internal communication strategy and plan?
5. Who are your stakeholder groups?
6. What are your key messages?
7. What is your content management strategy?
8. Which communication tactics seem to be working well (and not working)?
9. How does your organization define success (i.e., how are programs evaluated)?
10. What kinds of resources are your communication programs lacking?

“Purpose” Solves Problems

Michael Porter, a Professor at Harvard Business School believes in a “creating shared value” (CSV) model, which, in his writings, he describes CSV as being a new development phase, which began with philanthropy and morphed into corporate social responsibility (CSR). As Michael describes in his presentation and writings, the CSV model “addresses a social issue with a business model.”

In his TED Talk (I recommend you watch it), he says, “Conventional wisdom has been that businesses profit when they create social problems. But we’re beginning to realize that that doesn’t have to be the case.”

Are Your Communication Programs “On Purpose” Too?

To make positive change, your communication programs must be brought on board and in line with your organization’s purpose. Having answers to these 10 questions is a good place to start and will bring clarity and focus to your communication programs.

Clear and focused communication is not only a recipe for success; it’s simply the right thing to do.

What do you think of the up-and-coming movement toward conscious capitalism and increased social consciousness? Please comment or reach out to me; I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Good luck!