“What this High Purpose is all about and why is it important?”

If you are leading an engineering company, you may find this explanation helpful.

Purpose to company is like magnet to a box of iron pieces.   A strong magnet creates an invisible but powerful magnetic field. If you place a piece of magnetic material into a strong magnetic field, you convert it into a magnet.

Leading with a high purpose is like being the strongest magnet in the box: attracting and magnetizing all the pieces. Their domains are randomly arranged until the strongest magnet rearranges and aligns all the pieces in the same direction—towards the Purpose. Then the pieces turn into magnets themselves and snap together.

Domains, in turn, are groups of atoms. Electrons are spinning inside atoms and generate magnetic field around them. Each atom produces a magnetic field that is not strong – until their electrons change their axes so that their own magnetic field aligns with the external field.

You need a Purpose to align the entire organization, so that all pieces line up and create a strong force.

The parallels do not end here though. For example, you need good magnetic materials to maximize the result. Defects are inevitable, some pieces will have to be replaced.

And do not forget: even the smallest magnet has two poles.