3 Ways to be a Purpose-Driven Business in 2017

Some companies are primarily profit-driven, and are solely focused on hitting quarterly numbers. Other companies are purpose-driven, where profit is valued to meet personal and professional growth objectives. As you enter the new year, is your company profit-driven and purpose-driven? Here are some different ways to drive purpose, resulting in profit, into your everyday business environment.

Figure out the “why” behind what you do and ignite this purpose into action.

Here are some questions to ask yourself when establishing your “why”:

Why are you in business? What difference would you like to make with your life?

Working in commercial real estate gives McKinney Capital & Advisory the opportunity to enhance clients’ bottom line, create financial security, create meaningful relationships, and give back to the community. That’s our “why” behind what we do – and every business decision we make centers around that core purpose.

It can be easy to lose sight of our purpose as everyday business challenges arise unless we have a reminder. Our tip? Put something in your office that visually communicates your purpose to you. Let it be a daily reminder of the reason you are in business.

A wall of thank you letters and photos from the charities we support represents our purpose. We put this purpose into action by giving back with time, talent, and treasure. We only hire people who understand this “why” behind our purpose at McKinney.

Find creative ways to help your clients grow and make their businesses more competitive.

Building long-term client relationships goes far beyond providing a product or service. Adding to the client’s bottom line and ability to grow through collaboration is key.

• Publish a whitepaper with your client to give them added recognition in their industry.
• Take a class, conference, or seminar with your client that will enhance the way you both grow your businesses.
• Conduct research with your client to solve their pain points.

Collaborative learning about the client’s industry will lead to better decision making and will help to foster a prosperous and mutually beneficial long-term client relationship.

Take every business experience as an opportunity to become a better version of who you are and to help others become a better version of who they are.

Servant Leadership is a simple concept: living life for the sake of others. When we live our lives for the sake of others, it is amazing how our lives take care of us.

Many companies are known for impeccable client service, such as Southwest Airlines, Zappos.com, and Nordstrom, and have adopted the Servant Leadership model. The values of Servant Leadership also motivate the culture of the McKinney team. Some of these values include cultivating a culture of trust, developing other leaders, and acting with humility. Our definition of Servant Leadership is, “Creating an environment where others are empowered to become better versions of themselves.” This concept extends to you, your coworkers, and your clients.

A new year calls for new beginnings. Ask yourself: will you become a purpose-driven company this year? Will you become a better version of yourself this year?

Read Next: Servant Leadership & Business: Here’s What You Need to Know

Damian McKinney is the President & CEO of McKinney Capital & Advisory, a purpose-driven commercial real estate brokerage firm that specializes in tenant representation, corporate strategy, and corporate portfolio transaction management.