By Cole Porter
President and CEO, Porter Steel Inc.
LILBURN, Ga. | What’s in a mission for an organization? It can be simply an explanation of your product and service that lets the public know what you strive to do in the market. Or alternatively, it can be an anthem that the members of the organization can get behind – understanding that every finger lifted ultimately points to achieving a higher purpose.
Porter
At Porter Steel, we strive for the latter in our mission “to change lives and to lead by example.” While our service is fabricating and erecting structural steel and miscellaneous metals on commercial construction projects, it is our belief that simply performing these tasks well – along with countless other similar companies across the globe – is not enough to motivate, inspire, and push our employees to reach their highest potential.
We intentionally have a mission that in no way describes our business so that our work will transcend the walls of our shops or the doors of our service trucks. We want our customers, vendors, and the communities in which we work to also feel that they can be a part of our mission and purpose.
At the root of our mission is a desire to connect our human purpose with our work. We believe that if we give individuals purpose, they will be more fulfilled and actually enjoy their role and their life more.
What if every person was able to stay on mission throughout their week, knowing that they can embrace the mission of their job in other aspects of their lives? What if individuals could take the skills and experience they have acquired and match it to a mission that inspires them? What if we could bring our work, our lifestyles, and our ambitions into one space – sharing a mission, but simply changing tactics? At Porter Steel, we view this as an effective and productive vision, and we constantly seek to nurture its impact on our business and all those under its influence.
But it’s more than just words. If we didn’t align our actions with our statements, we would actually move backwards, withering from insincerity and hypocrisy. One of the most challenging tasks we have before us is making sure we stay true to our mission. By no means are we perfect. There’s room for improvement every day, but we constantly seek to do the next right thing that will show our unwavering commitment to our mission. And we believe that the fruit of our labor is coming to bear.
Our top priority to ensure we can indeed change lives and lead by example is to make a profit. We are proud to make money and to perform well, and we know that that success must occur to keep the organization healthy and impactful. However, we always put people and principle over profit. Our mission starts with the employees and families that represent our company to the world and then overflows to others within our influence. And while we have growth goals and seek more success within our industry, we are content that our mission will never be fully complete yet also completed in a small way every single day.
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