The “Roots” of Purpose, People, Productivity, Progress

Lately I have been studying the roots of key words, and I studied the roots of the four elements of an effective strategy; specifically, Purpose, People, Productivity and Progress.

Purpose: Origins in pose, which means “question” and Early English appose meaning “examine closely” and “interrogate”. Early French porpos meaning “aim” “intention” and “by design”.

People: Founded in Latin populus, meaning “population” or a “body of persons” comprising a “community”, or a “host of warriors” - acting upon character, personal power, influence and the destiny of men. “People” are the ultimate creation, and thus they are the ultimate priority.

Productivity: Based in Latin pro, meaning “forward” or “in favor of”, and ductus meaning “to lead”. A social principle meaning “fit for production” or to “lead or bring forth” and “create” something strong and of social worth of valoir or “value”. Without productivity, there is no value.

Progress: From the Latin progressus. The roots of this word are pro meaning “forward” and gress meaning “flow” or “movement”, or “moving forward”. The “action of walking forward” and the “advancement of higher stages” is taken by the avant-garde or “pioneers and innovators”.

Knowing these four words is a powerful strategy just by themselves. For example, when I walk into a meeting, the first thing I want to know is, what is the “Purpose” of the meeting? Then I want to know about all the “People”, both in the meeting and who will be affected by the meeting. Then I want to look at our current level of “Productivity” in relation to the meeting’s agenda. Last, I want to know about “Progress”, or where we go from here.