How purpose and values create a common language for all stakeholders
Author Bethany AndellCategories Brandonomics, Core Values, Purpose, Savage Thinking
There are many ways to make a company successful. At InkJet, mission, vision and values are purposeful to the tribe and critical to the individual. But what is the benefit of doing this? As it turns out, every company has many different stakeholders, and the common ground for all starts with connecting around purpose. Savage’s Bethany Andell interviews Patricia Quinlan, a maverick spirit who is also chairman and owner of InkJet, Inc.
Bethany: Welcome to this edition of Brandonomics, an inside look at top brands and their strategies. I’m Bethany Andell, President of Savage Brands, and my guest today is Patricia Quinlan, she is the Chairman and Owner of InkJet. InkJet provides printing solutions to industrial clients and they are also a very purposeful company which is why I’m excited to talk to her today. Welcome Patricia.
Patricia: Thanks Bethany, I’m very happy to be here.
Bethany: So I mentioned that InkJet is a purposeful brand, just for the benefit of everybody watching today what is InkJet’s purpose?
Patricia: InkJet’s purpose is to nurture the maverick spirit in each of us.
Bethany: That sounds pretty awesome. Was there something that happened or what led you to want to go through the process with your leadership team to really articulate your purpose is?
Patricia: We wanted to be able to create common language around, and how, in describing the company. A lot of companies can get really caught up in trying to make something very industry specific and we wanted something to be individualized and creative. We are in an industrial industry and so it’s very easy to get caught up in the logical, analytical side of the world and it’s very important to have balance. So having a purpose, mission, vision, core values and behaviors that are very unique and very vivid, it helps paint that picture and gives balance to the situation.
Bethany: I’ve heard you before mention that beyond purpose that the company’s mission, vision, values and behaviors serve as a road map so that people understand how they can deliver on that purpose; what are those? What are those to InkJet?
Patricia: It’s really neat. It didn’t really click to me until we started to go through the process that it created common language. You could almost say what is the definition of a maverick spirit and it’s everything that comes after. It’s that mission, vision, core values and behaviors and all of that combined really gives someone, like you said, a road map to be able to figure it out what it means for them. The mission statement is very profound to me because everyone makes choices in life. Everyone makes choices in life, subconscious, consciously and you have to keep it at the forefront of your mind that you are purposefully going to try and do something different and try and use new ideas that put you sort of out there.
Bethany: So you talked about your purpose, your mission and your vision, what about your core values that you hold so dear?
Patricia: So we have four core values and one has sort of manifested itself into what I would say is the flagship, the main one, and then there’s three others. So the main core value that in my eye everything sort of falls under is “express your mad scientist” and the other three are “pulverize expectations”, “be rabid about reputation” and “build the tribe.”
Bethany: Patricia I love talking about this subject and I hope you’ll come back to take a deeper dive with me. Thank you so much for being here.
Patricia: I’d love to, thanks Bethany.
Bethany: That wraps up this edition of Brandonomics, and inside look at top brands and their strategies. I’m Bethany Andell with Savage Brands.
