EP 420: Why every business is "on a mission to..."

It seems like every company today claims to be "on a mission" to change the world or improve our lives. They bill themselves as social movements more than profit-driven enterprises. It sounds nice. But how does it really function in the lives of workers? Do these missions meaningfully improve our communities?

In this episode, I briefly explore the history of the corporate mission statement and then dive into a critique of the bestselling leadership book, Start with Why. You'll hear why the Start with Why ideology is so appealing, how it sets us up for disappointment, and whether it's actually an effective brand and marketing strategy. Plus, I leave off with an alternative take that flips this ideology on its head.

Footnotes:

• Walmart’s Statement of Purpose
• Management: Tasks, Responsibilities, and Practices by Peter Drucker
• The New Spirit of Capitalism by Luc Boltanski and Eve Chiapello
• Start with Why by Simon Sinek
• “Start with Why” TEDx talk by Simon Sinek
• The Problem with Work by Kathi Weeks

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What is What Works?

Work is central to the human experience. It helps us shape our identities, care for those we love, and contribute to our communities. Work can be a source of power and a catalyst for change. Unfortunately, that's not how most of us experience work—even those who work for themselves. Our labor and creative spirit are used to enrich others and maintain the status quo. It's time for an intervention. What Works is a show about rethinking work, business, and leadership for the 21st-century economy. Host Tara McMullin covers money, management, culture, media, philosophy, and more to figure out what's working (and what's not) today. Tara offers a distinctly interdisciplinary approach to deep-dive analysis of how we work and how work shapes us.