The Story of Purpose: The Path to Creating a Brighter Brand, a Greater Company, and a Lasting Legacy

Introduction

Maybe stories are just data with a soul.

—Brene Brown1

Can business save the world? I’ve pondered this question for years and find that it has always remained core to a company’s purpose. Against the backdrop of international terror, teetering economies, a compromised climate, and a crisis in meaning, I witness every day how business is coming to the rescue.

As the chief executive officer (CEO) of global consultancy BrightHouse and professor at the Goizueta School of Business at Emory University, I have studied for more than 30 years what makes certain companies and brands flourish. And I have consistently found that the best companies are the ones that want to make the world more successful.

Pioneering the fields of ideation and neuroscience, I have set my sights on what I call the unified theory of purpose and how business can apply it to make great contributions to humankind and all species. As a key advisor to Procter & Gamble, McDonald’s, and other corporate giants, I have witnessed a superior level of leadership driven by higher callings in the world. I have concluded that the higher the individual or company’s purpose, the higher his or her profit.

Purpose is both a financial and humanitarian force. Purpose-driven organizations create more good in the world, which begets greater profit, which allows them to then create even more good. It’s a virtuous, never-ending circle.

Until now, the goal of business has been business: to improve the bottom line and make ...