Purpose-Driven deServing Leadership

Mark Twain rightfully said, “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.”

We often talk about the importance of purpose for organizations but rarely talk about the importance of purpose for leaders themselves. While strategies can frequently change, decisions can be right or wrong, organizational mission and purpose may evolve, deServing leaders must be intentional about finding and living their purpose. However, very few leaders focus on their own purpose, let alone articulate it as clearly as their organization’s purpose. Furthermore, there is rarely a strategy to put their purpose into action.

I have often stated in previous blogs that leadership isn’t about managing others. You can and should aim to be a deServing leader regardless of your position. Having a purpose is no different and applicable to everyone.

According to Harvard Business Review, finding your purpose entails:

1. Identifying your core, lifelong strengths, values, and passions:

• What do you wake up every day driven to achieve, the magic that makes you tick?

• It’s not what you do; it’s how you do your job and why — the strengths and passions you display no matter where the challenge.

• It’s not what you think it should be; it’s who you can’t help being.

2. Mining your life story for common threads and significant themes:

• What did you love doing when you were a child before the world told you what you should or shouldn’t like or do?

• How have your most challenging life experiences shaped you; what do you enjoy doing in your life now?

After this self reflection, you should attempt to create a clear and concise purpose. The words in your purpose statement must be yours. They must capture your essence. And they must call you to action.

It’s only appropriate to end this blog with my own newly crafted purpose statement — “To be a humble, behind-the-scenes creator of teams that achieve beyond their wildest dreams.” I hope this blog inspires you to find your purpose and have a more meaningful life and career.