The purpose of an organization, as stated here, is not only broader than profitability, but even broader than “getting and keeping customers.” Both, to extend the metaphor, are just mountain springs sourcing the river’s flow. It seems to me that the purpose of the river company is the perpetuation of an entity worth preserving—that is, survival of the company and preservation of the values that define it. To go further, the purpose of preservation is the enrichment of “employees, suppliers, communities, and shareholders [who] all feel the loss when a company dies.”

Another lesson is that developing people through training and mentoring is often prioritized too low in busy times.

Evaluating activities—from hiring to project management—in the light of the central essence and purpose of the company should have a formal process and schedule, like any other activity.

Thanks for narrowing (and broadening!) my focus on some important things.

Here’s a great HBR piece about purpose I just discovered: http://bit.ly/8iXYbh