W-W-W and Mandate: Two Distinct Tools, Both Essential
When working on their business, leaders sometimes ask: Which sequence is right?
W-W-W → Mandate
Mandate → W-W-W
Both sequences work. You need to work on both.
W-W-W is about purpose. It clarifies identity by answering three simple but interconnected questions:
- WHAT do we provide?
- WHO do we serve?
- WHY do they choose us?
This is the cornerstone of clarity, rooted in Drucker’s insight that the purpose of a business is to solve a problem for a customer.
The Mandate is about goals. It defines what must be achieved, financially and non-financially, in a time frame. It sets targets, aspirations, and milestones. Where W-W-W establishes identity, Mandate locks in success conditions.
Though related, they require distinct lines of thinking:
- W-W-W = identity and purpose
- Mandate = success conditions and commitments
Which comes first? Both sequences work:
- Mandate first: If you like Covey’s “Begin with the end in mind,” Mandate lays out the outcomes that guide everything else.
- W-W-W first: Ensures that goals tie back to a clearly expressed purpose.
What matters more is that teams use both. W-W-W brings clarity of purpose. Mandate brings clarity of outcomes. Together, they create a foundation for alignment, prioritization, and growth.
W-W-W and Mandate aren’t one-and-done — they evolve together and become the backbone of the story you tell, tailored to what you need to say and to whom.
So, whether you start with W-W-W or Mandate, don’t stop until you’ve done both. And remember, they aren’t “one and done.” As your organization grows, work on one will often lead you to refine the other. Together, they form the backbone of your storyboard — a foundation you can adapt depending on what you need to say, and to whom.
Put These Ideas Into Practice
In the Manage to Lead (MtL) program, you don’t just study tools like Mandate and WHAT-WHO-WHY, you apply them directly to your own organization. YOUR CASE IS THE COURSE. By working hands-on with proven frameworks, you and your team surface hidden assumptions, sharpen execution, and accelerate performance. Learn more about the MtL program here »