Featuring: Carlos Rey, PhD
Author of Purpose-driven Organizations: Management Ideas for a Better World
In today’s business landscape, purpose isn’t just an ideal—it’s a catalyst for performance. Employees are more willing to work for less if their role feels meaningful. Customers are ready to pay more for products and services that stand for something real. And investors increasingly recognize the higher returns of purpose-driven companies.
But here’s the question: How do you move beyond a statement on the wall to a purpose that is lived, measured, and activated across the organization?
That’s exactly what Dr. Carlos Rey helps us explore in this conversation on the Working on Purpose podcast. His book offers a practical framework for embedding purpose into strategy and operations, while ensuring it translates into real impact.
Why Purpose Must Be Lived—Not Just Stated
“Organizations need tools that reflect their true essence, their reason for being, and what they aim to contribute to the world. Among the different indicators that make up an organization’s scorecard, there is one metric that transcends company specifics: the internal experience of purpose.” – Carlos Rey, PhD
The essence of organizational purpose comes down to this: it must be experienced personally by every employee. When people understand, identify with, and embody purpose in their daily work, the result is stronger alignment, higher trust, and sustained performance.
Practical Ways to Activate Purpose
Here are five proven strategies to take purpose from concept to culture:
- Host purpose discovery workshops
Invite employees to reflect on their personal values and align them with the company’s mission. Storytelling sessions can build connection and foster a culture of shared purpose. - Measure the experience of purpose
Use pulse surveys to track how employees perceive and live the organization’s purpose. Data opens the door to honest dialogue and stronger leader-team connections. - Track purpose over time
Create a “purpose engagement index” and review quarterly results. Celebrate wins, adjust strategies, and keep purpose alive as a driver of growth. - Develop leaders at every level
Train managers to lead with head (clarity of purpose), heart (passion and motivation), and hands (daily action). Equip them to integrate purpose into decisions and team practices. - Connect personal and organizational purpose
Help leaders articulate their own purpose, guide their teams to uncover theirs, and build meaningful bridges between the two. This coherence fuels performance and belonging.
Purpose in Action: The Case of Grupo Bimbo
Global food company Grupo Bimbo offers a powerful example. With 130,000 employees across 33 countries, the company ensures that every worker reflects on their personal purpose early in their journey. Their founder believed that “the company has a soul made by the souls of each of its workers.”
This practice fosters unity, authenticity, and a deeply embedded culture of purpose—driving both engagement and extraordinary business results.
The Three Levers of Purpose: Head, Heart, and Hands
Dr. Rey highlights three dimensions that make purpose actionable:
- Knowledge (Head): Clear understanding and alignment with purpose
- Motivation (Heart): Emotional connection and inspiration to act
- Action (Hands): Consistent execution in daily behaviors
These dimensions mirror the principles of coherence, authenticity, and integrity. When all three are present, purpose becomes more than a statement—it becomes the engine of organizational vitality.
Translating Purpose Into Impact
Purpose-driven leadership is about more than growth or profit. It’s about building organizations where employees thrive, customers are loyal, and society benefits. Purpose fuels engagement, sparks innovation, and creates resilience in the face of change.
Or as Alise Cortez often reminds leaders: “Your culture is working every day—the question is, is yours working for you or against you?” Purpose is the most powerful lever to ensure the answer is: for you.
Ready to Bring Purpose Alive in Your Organization?
Purpose doesn’t have to be lofty or world-changing. What matters most is that it resonates authentically with your people, customers, and community—and that it’s lived daily.
So, ask yourself:
- How do your employees experience your purpose?
- Do they feel connected, aligned, and energized by it?
- What practices can you introduce to help purpose come alive in every role?
When you’re ready to take this step, that’s where I come in. Together, we can design the frameworks and practices that turn purpose into measurable engagement, performance, and lasting impact.
Your Call to Action
👉 Read the full article HERE
🎥 Watch the full episode HERE
🎧 Or listen here:
🎓 Explore the Gusto, Now! Academy — Where Purpose, Belonging, and Growth Come to Life
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