Purpose Without A Lineup is Useless

I was astounded to read of the innovations made by companies like Nike, Reebok and other gear companies in preparation for the Summer Olympics. They included things like:

• Replacing a shoe's heavy structural materials with support threads (think steel cables on a suspension bridge).
• Swimsuits that compress a swimmer's body at key points to reduce "form drag," making the swimmer smaller and faster.
• Zoned venting in certain athlete's outfits
• Adjustable screw in spurs that can be raised or lowered on an equestrian's boots. (It reduces about 4 pounds of weight per boot)

A call out quote on the last page of the article caught my attention. It read, "Innovation isn't helpful unless it's tied to a powerful company that drives it somewhere." A Juggling Elephants application of that quote might be Purpose isn't helpful unless it's tied to a lineup that drives it somewhere.

We can clearly identify our purpose and create all kinds of value statements or desired outcomes, but if we don't create a disciplined plan of action that carries it out, we are fooling ourselves. Nike, Reebok and other companies know that for the athletes to win using their gear, they have to expend every possible resource to help make it happen. Does your lineup reflect a desire to have some "winning moments" in the coming days?

Read the entire article in Fast Company.