Unlock the power of Purpose-Driven Leadership: align individual efforts with a shared mission for extraordinary results.
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Tom
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January 2024
Purpose Driven Leadership – just a buzzword?
While the basics of this article are being written, I’m watching the coverage of the Winter Olympics in the background. China is playing Canada in mixed curling. Rachel Homan is playing a stone and “shouts” at her vehemently wiping playing partner John Morris in a loud voice. She says that the stone needs to “curl” a lot more and he should stop wiping. As it turns out, the stone has had far too much draw-curl and it couldn’t get past the guard – a false stone in a not too difficult endeavour, including Rachel Homan’s incorrect assessment. What does this have to do with Purpose Driven Leadership, you ask? Almost before Rachel Homan’s stone has touched the Chinese stone, John Morris shouts in a loud and emphasising voice “Good shot Rache, was a hard call and we can definitely live with this…” – in other words: “We have a bigger goal than this single stone, we will make mistakes, but we have a common purpose – the medal at the Olympic Games! The next stone from Rachel was the absolute cracker, a difficult take-out and the comment from John “Great shot Rache, you naled it, I didn’t have to do anything” – for those who saw it, John wiped this stone like there was no tomorrow.
Your leadership style is what defines you and makes you unique. Whether you’re an entrepreneur in a start-up or the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, a call center employee, or a software developer, your purpose is your brand, your drive, the magic that sets you apart. It’s not about what you do, but how you do your work and why – the strengths and passions you bring, no matter where you are. Even if you express your goals in different contexts in different ways, it’s what those close to you recognize as unique and what they would miss the most if you were no longer there.
In the context of “purpose,” we differentiate between two important aspects: on the one hand, there’s personal purpose, and on the other hand, there’s the purpose of the company. Depending on the size of the company, it makes sense for a leader to define a purpose for their own area, naturally aligned with the company’s purpose. The central element of this leadership, as always, is communication. Only those who have all the necessary information can perform, and that would be the goal.
These are the most important characteristics of a purpose-driven leader:
To be a goal-oriented leader, you must not only be self-aware but also able to see the big picture. A leader who gets too caught up in details is likely to focus too much on day-to-day operations instead of working towards a larger, motivating goal, such as the impact of actions on the company’s success, customers, or employees.
Support and coach your team to help them develop and bring out their best. Leaders are not all-knowing; instead, they work together as a team to achieve the best performance and form a team that complements each other.
Motivate your team to engage in the company’s goals and help them connect these goals with their personal objectives. Communicate and discuss these goals with the team.
Possess strong relationship skills (emotional intelligence, empathy) and the ability to build meaningful interpersonal relationships with employees, members, customers, suppliers, and other parties.
Be flexible and understand that goal-oriented action is not always a straightforward path. Be willing to reorient and make adjustments along the way. Look for the best path to success, which may sometimes involve watering a plant and watching it grow instead of bringing a fully grown plant into the office.
Conclusion
Purpose-Driven Leadership is not just about individual actions but about embracing a shared goal and a collective purpose. Much like the Winter Olympics scenario where Rachel Homan and John Morris focused on the bigger picture of winning a medal, Purpose-Driven Leaders prioritize the overarching mission of their team or organization. They understand that mistakes may happen, but with a common purpose, challenges are overcome. As you navigate your leadership journey, remember the essence of Purpose-Driven Leadership lies in aligning individual efforts with a greater mission. Discover the power of purpose, lead with intention, and watch your team achieve extraordinary results.
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