Three-dimensional thinking

We live in a three-dimensional world (four if you count time), yet much of our thinking is two-dimensional. That's partly because so many consultants use two-by-two matrices to show relationships between different factors.

I've gotten into the act myself over the years. Recently, I suggested that trust is a function of rational and emotional factors, most specifically people's feelings of affinity and judgments of competence.

I stand by that theory but it occurs to me that the context within which this happens matters enough to warrant the addition of a third dimension.

Trust remains theoretical until it meets the job that people want done. That job can be functional, emotional, or social. Every job has meaning, but some have higher significance to people than others. For example, for some people, a drink that contributes to their sense of identity has higher meaning than one that simply quenches their thirst. 

A brand's higher purpose occupies the quadrant of a three-dimensional model where its recognized competencies are applied to a meaningful job people really care about. 

Market leaders have figured out how they can make a difference in people's lives. It is their higher purpose -- the reason they're in business, beyond making money. 

Higher purpose doesn't have to be high-minded, but it does have to be deeply rooted in an understanding of people's needs, values, and aspirations within a company's areas of competency.

Determining a brand's higher purpose is not a job for the company wordsmiths. A brand's higher purpose defines its very business strategy. It needs to permeate every function, system, and operation.

But the organization most associated with managing stakeholder relationships and articulating the company's values is often best positioned to help lead such a definitional effort, integrating different perspectives across the C-Suite. And helping to ensure that the brand's higher purpose reflects that fourth dimension -- time -- as people's needs, values, and aspirations change.