The current Harvard Business Review magazine issue has a a great article on Strategic Leadership. The main point of the article is that Strategy is more than a plan or an idea. It’s a way of operating a business.

The article concludes that at the heart of Strategy is purpose. The author asked a compelling question: If your company disappeared tonight, how would the world be different? What would happen to your customers? Would it really matter?

How you answer that question tells you alot about your business. Obviously, if your answer is that no one would notice or not much would change, then your purpose isn’t all that compelling.

Imagine if Google shut its doors tomorrow…or Starbucks…how about Wal-Mart? The world would go on, but each of these companies would be sorely missed.

Now apply this same line of thought to your web site: What’s your web site’s purpose? What is its main job? What if it disappeared and your company had no web site tomorrow? Would any one care? Would your business miss a beat?

Like the purpose Q&A for your business, the same is true for your web site. If you don’t have a compelling purpose, then why have a web site? If it’s not purposefully contributing to the business, then isn’t it just a waste of money?

Review-and possibly renew-your purpose. Do so for both your business and your web site. A compelling purpose will change everything.