Forward – ElPropósito3 min de lectura

The freedom to act

Purpose and means are two words that come to mind when we want to reach a goal and need to find the resources to try to get there. I say try because nothing guarantees we’ll arrive. All we can do is find everything within our reach, and that’s what I mean by means. Between those two words, purpose and means, I feel something is missing: goals. Out of the vast universe of ideas that can come to mind, goals become the formulas for our own recipes. No two companies, people or teams share the same recipe, which is why each formula is shaped by its own reality. That doesn’t stop us from listening, asking questions or studying what has worked for others in circumstances somewhat like ours.

I firmly believe in the ideas of freedom, and that we can fulfill our potential as individuals and as organizations to the extent that our freedom is fully protected. I also firmly believe in each person’s individual purpose, and in the purpose an organization can define for itself. What is the nature of a purpose? If freedom is key to the fulfillment of every person and organization, it’s hard to imagine a purpose built on harming someone or violating their freedom. Quite the opposite: the Stoics would say our purpose as human beings is to live in harmony with nature, to live a life of virtue.

With all of that in place (freedom, purpose, goals and means), we have a clear road for whatever freedom and purpose allow us to do in life. The basic unit of any goal is action, and its effect is what shows up in our metrics. Whether the needle moves depends on action, and on how precise and well-tuned that action is in delivering the result we expect. Along the way, of course, we have to make every correction needed to use our means well, and we need a frame of reference to know whether those corrections are right (purpose and values, for example, give us that ethical frame).

Our freedom to act also runs into interference. Sometimes it comes as ready-made recipes, or as a single vision of the future, and of how to get there, imposed on everyone. If we think about the universe and its endless range of ideas, single solutions make little sense. No outside agent can coordinate or anticipate every action, wish and need of all the people, companies and organizations in this world. Our capacity lives in the freedom we should enjoy: the capacity to make decisions that turn into action and end up coordinating freely, so we keep finding the best way to achieve what we want.

In an increasingly complex world, where we need to make the most of our creativity as people, teams and companies, the key to moving forward is the freedom to act. Our power to unlock the potential of our ideas is directly tied to how free we are to carry out what we set out to do. Our capacity to create paths toward our goals is infinite, and so is our capacity to create resources. How? By acting, always taking action on everything within our power. Moving forward is steady work that means never stopping and making whatever corrections are needed, always in tune with a clear purpose.

Warm regards and all the best,

Rodrigo Baccaro

P.S. I dedicate this post to the 17th cohort of coaches who earned their certification at INCAE this week. Warm congratulations on what you’ve achieved. I know the seed of excellent coaching will bear fruit with a very clear purpose. A big hug, my best wishes, and always forward. Whatever I can do to support you along the way, count on me.

Author: Rodrigo Baccaro

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