What do you stand against?

That's not as negative as it might sound. Some of the strongest brands have built their position through opposition: "We're No. 2 - we try harder" was the grandfather of challenger brands. I've always felt that Virgin's brand grew from its persona as the popular David against the inpopular Goliath. I worked with a new bank and credit card business that was inspired to counter the complacent attitudes of the giants of that time. And the lineage continues in today's "disruptors".

Screenplays and novels make frequent use of 'log lines', in which the antagonist is as important as the protagonist. The conflict between the two provides the plot and, hopefully, the core message of optimism.

The purpose bandwagon might continue to roll, or it might lose a wheel or two because of recent political backlash. Either way, there are genuine questions over organisations' claimed purpose: are they authentic, can they be delivered, will they withstand inevitable commercial pressures...and, not least important, can they really create differentiation?

Sometimes, thinking about what you stand against can be more powerful, energetic and ownable, than trying to express what you stand for.

To put it another way, if your organisation didn't exist today, why should the world welcome it tomorrow?