I agree with Drucker's customer-focused definition of business purpose. Most businesses understand this very well when they are formed - they have an innovation, or understand a customer need and go after it. Over time internal needs can become the driving force behind business strategy: Who do we want to be? What are we good at? What are our constraints? Growth slows or stalls, brand relevance declines, and people wonder why.

Consumers are smart. They always figure out where the best value is, and today they are helping each other by sharing their experiences very rapidly in online communities. Working at the speed of the market requires a fundamental rethinking of customer relationships and roles. It also challenges marketers to embrace transparency or be prepared for the consequences. Authenticity is key...in every aspect of the brand experience.

I do believe there is only one way to generate sustainable organic growth, and that is to focus on a valuable set of customers and make it everyone's business to understand them in order to serve them better. It's perhaps counterintuitive, but the more focused your target is, the more significant your growth opportunities.

I once heard it said that marketing is "far too important to be left to the marketers." A truly successful marketing transformation will be led by the CEO, and charge individuals and teams with discovering customer insights and solutions in every single part of the organization. It's an enterprise approach to marketing and innovation, and yes, it truly is "far too important to be left to the marketers."