Purpose isn't dead - shallow purpose is.

Headlines love to declare the ‘death of purpose.’ But the truth is very different.

What’s dying are the shallow, PR-driven slogans and campaigns that were never rooted in reality – or solving a relevant problem. And that’s good news. Because it signals a rebirth, where purpose is less about marketing, and more about solving problems that matter.

A powerful purpose doesn’t mean trying to fix every problem. It means fixing the right problem - the one your business is uniquely built for. That’s where relevance lives. Where people are inspired to act. And where long term value is created.

We all know that purpose-driven businesses:

• Grow faster and perform better than their peers

• Retain employees for longer

• Acquire customers who will actively support and defend them

But here’s the flip side… If customers or employees smell purpose‑washing, that same passion can turn into ruthless backlash.

Almost 9 in 10 executives say their company’s purpose is clear. But fewer than half of employees agree.  The real issue isn’t in the words - it’s in the strategic execution.

And that disconnect is why so many initiatives feel hollow. Purpose gets stuck in PowerPoint decks or glossy communications instead of daily decision-making. The companies getting it right have never treated purpose as a slogan. They use it as a strategic decision‑making filter. Asking the transformative questions like:

• What problems are we best placed to solve?

• Where should we innovate?

• Who do we partner with?

• Where do we invest?

• How do we measure the impact?

So, how do you avoid the shallows, and use purpose to drive real change?

Firstly, define a purpose that solves a problem (be that for employees, customers, communities, society or planet), that you are uniquely placed to solve – through your expertise, culture, experience and reach.

Secondly, think of purpose as the input to your strategic planning and decision-making process, not as an output or artefact that you can campaign on.

This way we move from slogans to strategy, from campaigns to strategic choices and from declarations to substantive change.

Because in today’s world, tackling a problem you are uniquely placed to solve isn’t just progressive - it’s becoming a competitive necessity.

If you want help to define or operationalise a purpose that matters, please get in touch.