“Screw the numbers! We were many more [do que os “Confederados”, na guerra da secessão americana]… But do you know what took us 4 years and what we should have done in just a few months?…Will and Purpose! Because when you have those two things, the numbers are worthless.” These are “lines” from the movie “Jane Got a Gun”. This is how Dan (Joel Edgerton) explains to Jane (Natalie Portman) that they can defeat a group of evildoers, even though there are only two…. And Dan concludes: “When a man loses his purpose, it’s like dying.”Looking at the present time, it was certainly “Will and Purpose” that led the Ukrainians to repel the Russian army from the outskirts of Kiev, at a time when foreign aid was still incipient…It is also the same with companies!The force that drives business activity; the “glue” that brings together and motivates (or not) the people who come together in a company is its Purpose, it is its “reason for being”. A few years ago I introduced the “Golden Circle” / “It starts with why” of Simon Sinek, in the teams he led. From the purpose of the company, we worked on what would be the “Why” of the activity of each team/department. This was a very interesting process and genuinely participated by the collaborators, and that led them (at least for some) to a better perception of the value that their department, and that their own functions had on the whole At the end of one of these sessions, one concluded: “From now on we will always know what to do. When in doubt, we follow our “why”. Another, in another team (and another session), said something like: “We should have done this exercise last week, because my daughter asked me what I did and I replied that I answered phone calls and sent emails, now my explanation would be different…”It is really fundamental and mobilizing to give a sense of purpose to organizations, and within them to teams and people.The way each of us perceives what he does, determines the degree of commitment you dedicate to what you do, and the more or less coordinated way in which it carries out its activities within the organization. be easily understandable and appropriate by all employees. A way that guides and motivates them in their activities, from the simplest to the most demanding. But also that it is recognized and valued by customers, suppliers, investors and other company participants. In this framework, in the PAE we talk about the strategic definition, the theoretical concepts and how they evolved to the most current perspectives. But, more importantly, we work on practical tools, and we do concrete exercises, which will support program participants in defining the Purpose and strategy of their companies. We do not intend to build the strategy by producing a pompous document to bind and put on the shelf. We advocate that purpose and strategy be something known to everyone in the company. And more importantly, the Purpose must be lived by everyone and visible in the processes, actions and attitudes of the company’s employees, with customers, suppliers, society, etc. We work together, on tools that allow us to reach the “Value Proposition unique” of the companies. In other words, what identifies us as a company and distinguishes us from all others. We will define the way in which we can clearly and concisely communicate the distinct benefit that the company delivers to customers. From the purpose and value proposition, we rethink the company’s business model in a harmonious and coherent whole. And this is just the first step. of the PAE, in a path composed of 7 modules of one day, with a fortnightly frequency. There are 5 hours of presentation of concepts and 3 hours of practical work dedicated to the practical resolution of concrete problems in companies. All with the aim of convey, in a practical and intuitive way, the most modern and useful management concepts for leadersexecutive managers, partners and shareholders of Portuguese companies; enabling them to successfully lead and grow their companies, in an environment of greater and increasing complexity and competitiveness.” Over the next few weeks, PAE teachers will publish an article for each module. The objective is to make known our perspective on management and what we understand that our companies need in order to be able to grow solidly and sustainably.Doctor Finanças Empresas and PHC Software launched the 2nd edition of the competition for the award of a training grant in business Administration. Consult the Contest Regulations for awarding the scholarship. 
A professional writer by day, a tech-nerd by night, with a love for all things money.