By Lauren Elmore, President of Firmatek.
We all have something that drives us, as individuals and as companies. Knowing our why drives our decision-making and helps us live fulfilled lives. It helps us be our best selves. It helps us communicate to clients, to our families, and our communities, the reasons behind our actions. A purpose helps us make decisions about what to do and what not to do.
Many of you have probably seen Simon Sinek’s, Start with Why Ted Talk where he explains the Golden Circle. I love it because it is a really simple way to show why having a “why” is so important. While it is focused on companies and what drives decision making, the same is true for individuals. We need to be able to know and communicate our why, and ultimately our purpose.
We are at our best when we are living and working within that purpose.
At Firmatek, we are focusing on our purpose a lot this year. Why do we exist in this industry that is constantly getting flooded with new technology and new competition? Where is our place in it? What do we believe? We believe that our client’s ever-changing environments has a dramatic impact on their operational success and can make decision-making difficult. We are here to provide our clients with insights and confidence that will help them improve their operational efficiencies. We are here to support our clients so that they can make decisions that keep our world moving forward.
As we begin to focus on company purpose, it is also important to understand how each one of us fits into that. At Firmatek, I want to be focused on not just our company “why” but on how each one of us contributes to the organization and the company purpose by knowing our own unique why. I believe Firmatek, and all companies, are better off when each of us is living our why.
While some peoples’ why might be around our industry or technology, for most of us at Firmatek, it’s not. I strongly believe in the clients we serve and the technology we use to do it. We really couldn’t live without them and it is a joy to be able to serve them. But mining, solid waste, construction, and drones are not my unique purpose.
My purpose statement is a work in progress, and I think will continue to be reworked over the years. However, I’m confident in its core ideas. My purpose is to lead others into the arenas of life, and together build fulfilled lives. I’m passionate about building teams and organizations. It’s one of my favorite things to think about and create – how do we build this organization or this team? How can I provide the structures and environment to do that?
And this is what I get to do on a daily basis. It doesn’t specifically have anything to do with mining or mapping or data analysis or drones or really anything that Firmatek provides its clients. It does specifically relate to my role as President, my role in my family, and my role with other organizations that I engage with.
Each and every day, I have the opportunity to think about how we are building Firmatek and how we are creating an organization that is living its purpose, and hopefully where our people can find and live their own purpose.
Everyone has their own purpose that they need to find and fulfill. My passion is building organizations and partnerships where we can do that together. Where we can not only do business together, but also build fulfilled lives together.
So… What’s Your Why?
