eading a company with a strong sense of mission and purpose is not new. Yet I am always encouraged when I see clear signs that organizations are keeping purpose front and center with the work they do and the way they build their strategic plans. My recent piece on Patagonia highlights just one great example of purpose in action. 

But there are many more. CEOs were busy talking about, and driving, purpose in 2016. As I look back on the year, here are a few moments that stood out to me (I’m including links to the story behind each).

“Patagonia, the high-end outdoor apparel and gear retailer, generated a “record-breaking” $10 million in Black Friday sales––five times the amount it had initially projected––and has announced it will donate every cent of those profits to nonprofits focused on protecting and saving the environment.”*

Think about what you just read! The company announced in advance of Black Friday that it would be donating all of their profits from the most profitable day of the year to environmental causes. 

A high-octane culture powers exceptional performance. Creativity, constructive conflict, disciplined metrics, and accountable follow-up - all are well-known factors of high performance.  

Yet in the drive to perform, something important can get lost – gratitude. 

This readiness to show appreciation of others is tangible. You can feel it in the room. The higher the appreciation of each other, the greater the comfort with being real and the more likely you are to give others grace when they make a mistake. Sharing gratitude produces positive energy that powers teams to give their best.   

Positive psychology shows us that simply expressing gratitude to others on a regular basis can significantly increase well-being and life satisfaction. This is true for individuals and for teams. Practicing this habit across an organization will create a self-reinforcing positive loop.