MTP Defined

A Massive Transformative Purpose reflects an organization’s highest aspiration: the core, defining purpose of its existence. An MTP describes the change in the world that you want to achieve, the fundamental problem you are trying to solve, while recognizing that that change will not be accomplished, the problem solved, in the short term. The MTP is designed to inspire focused action, express your passions, and create an emotional connection that drives you and others toward meaningful, positive, and common change.

By definition, an MTP is likely never fully realizable. For example, Google’s MTP is to “Organize the world’s information.” Google will never fully organize all the world’s information—but that MTP still will remain its goal.

MTPs are distinct from simple “purpose.” All MTPs are purpose-driven, but purposeful organizations aren’t necessarily Massive or Transformative. Rather, MTPs are passion-driven and provide clarity on an organization’s emotional drivers: What gets you super excited? What drives your passion? And because they are passion-driven, MTPs instill an emotional energy and create a gravitational force around which communities gather. This is the most important outcome of a proper MTP: it generates the kind of cultural movement—that is, it generates a community—that authors John Hagel and John Seely Brown have called the Power of Pull. The MTP is so inspirational that an aggregation of followers forms around the ExO and then spontaneously begins operating on its own. 

Ultimately, this aggregation creates its own community, tribe, and culture that, in time, generate their own style, mores, and attitudes. Think of those lines outside the Apple Store, the waiting list for TED’s annual conference, or the vast crowds at Comic-Cons: these are people who likely have never met, yet they share a common attitude and purpose. When they do meet, they feel as though they’ve known each other forever. The MTP is the most human aspect of any organization, thus, the most relatable.

Peter describes an MTP to the companies and CEOs he mentors as follows: “Your MTP will be the filter through which you see opportunities in the world and will serve as your North Star in a world of ever-increasing abundance, distractions, and demands on your time.” 

The MTP is not an advertising slogan or even a traditional “mission statement,” which focuses on what the company does. Rather, an MTP is declarative. It doesn’t say, “We are going to try,” but rather, “We will.” It is a call to action for a community to gather and help solve a problem.

Apple and TED, in particular, have created enterprise-specific ecosystems based on their MTPs. That is, they have created communities so excited about being part of their products or services that they pull those products and services out from the core organization and assume ownership of them, complete with marketing, support services, and even design and manufacturing.