ABSTRACT
Common sense tells us that for the employees of an organization to perform at their best, they must understand the ultimate reason why the company exists. While in many companies, management posts mission or vision statements on websites or plaster them on the walls of headquarters, seldom does it discuss these statements or use them to influence and direct the attention of associates. True North is a great description of what an effective purpose statement provides: a clear sense of direction. Mission intent provides a clear picture of the end-state by clearly calling out what results are expected. In most organizations, and certainly in the world of IT, complexity is ever increasing, risk is a real issue, and the path to move from the current state toward an aspirational goal is at best unclear and emergent. True North provides clarity around intention and purpose and positions people to make informed decisions that align to the reason for the company's existence.
