In the course of a work day, it's easy to spend your time putting out fires – we've all been there. it reactionary management brand results in a disjointed, chaotic feeling for everyone from the workforce to the customers. Focusing on your original vision for your company can create a synergy that connects your staff, your customers, and the community you serve.

It is possible to create one culture of purpose in your workforce and maintain a positive and attractive reputation in the market, but this will require your executive team to stay true to the original motivation you had in your mind and heart when you started your business journey.

Connected: Embrace your purpose as a path to success

1. Catch outstanding employees in the interview

Management and staff can work together to discover common ground and agree on goals, but this process begins in the interview. One of the best predictors of loyalty is a candidate's desire to focus on meaningful work.

I run my company like a blind CEO. When I interview a candidate, mostly I want to learn why they want to work for me. I'm always shocked when job seekers discover they've never been to the website compared to those who are excited to share why they feel connected to our mission. When I interview a candidate, it's often the vulnerability in their answers that speaks to me. Sometimes the person I'm interviewing tells me about a personal disability or limitation, which for me is an act of openness and transparency. I love hearing people say they are passionate about working in an inspiring environment. When our conversation begins, I'm listening to a story.

What many candidates don't know is that the interviewer is waiting for them to have their breakout moment. This departure from the usual questions and answers often reveals their passion for the work or their weakness.

It is important to make sure that interview questions allows you to see a potential employee's connection to your mission. You can start by asking candidates what measurable impact they would like to have in the offered position. You can also find out how they envision their working life five years from now.

2. Create a culture of engagement

Doing work with purpose means that the executive team must create educational opportunities for staff as well as customers, extending engagement with the company beyond “working hours”. This is a chance to show your team and your customers that their needs matter beyond the job description or the product or service you offer.

Having a corporate reputation as a company that nurtures young leaders and supports hard work and ambition will go a long way towards retaining good team members with the skills to innovate, create and energize your workforce. Whether it's a group meeting or a corporate retreat, it's important to mix staff together, allowing employees from all departments and positions to collaborate, exchange ideas, step up as leaders and support each other.

This type of change can begin simply by reassigning tasks or creating challenges that give employees a chance to stretch their wings. You can take some projects off the administrative assistant's board or reassign some items on the to-do list to a staff member who has shown initiative. A team member can send meeting invitations or reminders to committee members drawn from a list of goals. An employee can also create a committee to help plan a corporate event and see it through.

Keep a watchful eye on employees who stand out and give them the chance to be seen as experts. Let some be advisors, coaches, or provide support to other team members. This will make staff feel recognized and encourage others to rise to that intentional level. This kind of support will give you a “pool” of potential leaders, helping your team members feel that their contributions are noticed and rewarded.

Connected: 3 Reasons Why a Strong Purpose is a Good Business Idea

3. Build a positive online reputation for your business

Although you can never eliminate negative reviews, the best approach to a positive corporate reputation is actively implementing a variety of ways to receive feedback from employees and customers alike. While it is estimated that 99% of customers read reviews occasionally, only 13% would choose a product or service from a company with a two-star rating.

There are several proven ways to generate positive comments. The process can be as simple as using comment cards. You can also request an email address from the customer. Some businesses have a physical “register”; others have an email link where people can log in and provide this information. From there, it's easy to follow up and ask for a rating or comment. Other stores offer rewards in exchange for reviews. This offer is usually seen on banners or signs inside the physical store, on the receipt (physical or email) or on the company's homepage. Some businesses use a QR code that leads directly to the online review site; you've likely seen an in-store kiosk that allows for instant feedback.

Another way to generate good reviews is to get endorsements or recommendations from businesses you've worked with over the years. These allies can speak to important attributes of your company that go beyond a short rating or comment system and can attract traffic to your website and new customers who respond to the positive vibe.

The mantra “If you don't ask, you don't get” works well here. There are more ways to get positive feedback for your business than ever before thanks to evolving technology. Instead of running from corporate fear bad commentsget your business searched and get the best reviews by engaging the community in the process.

You can drive your company's reputation by finding new ways to engage your workforce and the people you serve. By promoting outstanding employees, providing training and leadership opportunities, and prioritizing positive feedback, your company can stop putting out fires and start building on the culture of purpose you've always intended.