Make 2012 Your Happiest Business Year Yet - Part 2 - Forbes

2012 is the year to make your satisfaction at work and with your business a priority! Last week we examined how well your business delivers the rewards you want.

This week we will focus on: Your Business Purpose -

It is not enough for your business to be a means of fulfilling your personal motivations. Your business needs a purpose of its own in order to last in the market. It needs a declaration of what it is meant to accomplish, stand for and represent.

Knowing what you stand for and how you measure success not only helps to distinguish and add meaning to your business, it also provides much- needed direction and guidance, sifting out directions that could be pursued from those that really make sense and bring satisfaction.

What is a business purpose?

Your business purpose is not simply a mirror reflection of your own personal goals. Rather, it should create real business value, fortifying your business, allowing it to stand on its own two feet, and also acting as a decision- making litmus test as you consider opportunities in the marketplace. In contrast to independent strategies or goals, your business purpose is the overall impact you want your business to have in the marketplace and the world. It helps to distinguish your business from seemingly similar others within your category or industry. It serves as a reflection of what you think is important and enables you to declare what matters.

WHAT YOU NEED TO ASK YOURSELF:

1. What do you want your business to be known for?

Is it? Does it continue to make you proud?Does the feedback you receive reflect the reputation you want?

2. How does your business embody your business purpose?

Where can you see its fingerprints in your policies or offerings?

3. How does your business purpose help inform your goals?

How do you use your business purpose to stay on track? Inspired? Motivated?

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO (IF YOU WANT TO BE HAPPIER THAT IS!):

After you’ve answered the questions above, challenge yourself to do the following:

Identify 3 specific efforts/initiatives that your business does that are NOT in service of your overall business purpose. STOP THEM! (this will free up time and resources for more aligned and meaningful activities)Determine 3 areas of “missed opportunity” where your business purpose could better inform or strengthen your way of doing things. FIX THEM!Use your business purpose to edit your strategic planning for the upcoming year. Separate out goals that don’t reinforce your business purpose. LOSE THEM!

Next week, in Part 3, we will look at how well your business allows you to do what you do best…and the impact that has on your satisfaction as an entrepreneur.

Adelaide Lancaster is an entrepreneur, consultant, speaker and co-author of The Big Enough Company: Creating a business that works for you (Portfolio/Penguin). She is also the co-founder of In Good Company Workplaces, a first-of-its-kind community, learning center and co-working space for women entrepreneurs in New York City. She is also a contributor to The Huffington Post and a columnist for The Daily Muse. She lives in Philadelphia, PA with her husband and daughter. You can follow her on twitter here and here and on Facebook too.

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