
The majority of people leaders in organisations simply rock up at work every day, carry out their leadership duties and don’t necessarily consider their leadership any deeper, They don’t lead with a clear purpose. They transactionally undertake what their organisation requires of them. Even those who have attended leadership development programmes, whilst they may make tactical changes here and there, they don’t bring a transformational shift to the heart of their leadership.
What I am getting at is that they don’t have a core purpose to their leadership. They don’t have a driver (Simon Sinek’s ‘why’) to their leadership, or a reason to their leadership. They haven’t considered why do they choose to lead people.
Most, not if all leaders have not sat down and inwardly examined why they want to lead, or be a leader. They just ‘do’ their leadership as best they can. Many people have the title of ‘leader’, but virtually all don’t know why they want to lead. Interesting isn’t it? Is this you?
Is knowing why you want to lead important? On the surface perhaps not, but examine it in more detail and you begin to uncover the power that comes from leading with purpose. Leaders mostly want to achieve for themselves, their teams and their organisation, bringing change and growth. Sustained leadership shift however, is often elusive. Or it requires a lot of effort to keep doing it well. Almost as if they are not ‘at one’ with their leadership. It has no flow. This can be because they don’t have a purpose to their leadership, not knowing their own leadership ‘why’.
Team development often focuses on the team purpose, not the leader’s purpose.
If a leader knows why they want to lead, this becomes the keystone of all they do. It’s what makes them distinct and unique from every other leader. This understanding consistently underpins all their thinking, ideas, plans and decisions, in all matters. This understanding becomes the justification, reasoning, logic and beliefs behind their leadership existence. Their yardstick or measure of their leadership and it’s achievement.
What is leadership purpose?
Leadership is a meld of thinking and ideas. It might be something you really believe in or are passionate about. Perhaps leaving a personal legacy with people, serving your team, or helping others achieve their potential. It might derive from your existing values, beliefs, internal truths or ambitions. So perhaps around fairness, personal growth or learning, or even leadership ambition. Maybe a truth or what you believe to be right and proper. Something you want to stand for, be held accountable against. It is usually something meaningful to the leader rather than something arbitrary.
Many refer to leadership purpose as a ‘north star’, which guides, which you follow or apply, no matter what. It has been metaphorically positioned as being a compass, rather than a leadership map. Pointing to where you are going, rather than bringing specifics.
Purpose is not something the leader simply verbalises. But they express and state it, they look for it, encourage it, expect it of themselves, they hold themselves internally and externally accountable to. And expect others to do the same of them. Purpose is something you embody and become. A unique part of your identity as a leader. Through turmoil, change, growth, ambiguity, success and failure, your purpose remains constant, clear, unwavering.
Value of having a leadership purpose?
Identifying and shaping your leadership purpose will provide you with focus, drive, and a unique energy. Guiding you through all business weathers. Enabling you to continually demonstrate consistency and authenticity in language, decision making, activity and relationships. It will also provide an opportunity to bring collaboration and alignment with organisational purpose, values and beliefs.
In times of challenge, it is that anchor to hold onto and protect yourself with. When you perhaps question or doubt yourself, your purpose will be present, a reminder as to what you are about. It is your leadership ‘stick of rock’, no matter where others might question or challenge you, your leadership purpose is a constant. It’s how you live as a person in the business.
Having and demonstrating your leadership purpose brings meaning to what you do and who you work with. It is used as a tool, maintaining your leadership lens on your work and people, stopping you from becoming engrossed in day-to-day, tactical, operator activities.
Others will sub-consciously use their understanding of your purpose to reinforce their trust in you, what you bring to them. It’s what you become known for, acknowledged for within the business. It’s what people trust, expect and measure in you and your leadership continually. Stating your leadership purpose is one thing, living it every day is another…
Once identified, with examination and reflection, knowing your purpose will allow you to consider how you will bring it to life and demonstrate it within your leadership. It will enable you to tease out the behaviours and language which will showcase your purpose, bringing it to life in you and what is experienced by others.
How to identify your leadership purpose
We all have a purpose, we just need to unearth it, bring it in from the shadows. Asking others about your leadership is a starting point:
- What stands out to you the most about my leadership and how I lead?
- What legacy will I leave with you if either of us move roles?
- How do you perceive and receive me as a leader in this business?
- What do you associate with my leadership?
- What qualities do you think I stand for?
- What resonates the most with you about my leadership?
Understanding these will prompt thought and reflection and help shape your potential purpose.
A natural stepping stone to leadership purpose is to spend time uncovering your personal purpose. Again, speaking to others can provide insights you can chew over. Or listening for feedback which may reinforce existing thoughts you might have had. Knowing what is important to you, drives you, or what you won’t compromise will present further ideas to play with. Being able to identify your values and beliefs will also provide useful purpose building information.
Thinking about your personal gifts / abilities or the value you feel you bring or want to bring to others, will add to this mix. Considering what you want to be known for (or not known for!) or remembered for in the organisation can provide a different way of stimulating ideas.
Working with a coach is a great opportunity to play with this topic and discuss the depth, flavour and shape of the purpose you wish to lead with. The coach will be able to explore the area with you, notice things about you and identify themes and patterns to what you say or do.
Maintaining leadership purpose
Identifying and establishing your leadership purpose will take time and determination. To avoid it becoming a ‘New Years resolution’, crumbling after just a few weeks. Or it being smothered at the merest hint of a challenge, is even harder. The saying ‘old habits die hard’ resonates. Old habits are ingrained, a deep part of our psyche. To nurture a purpose will need you to be present with it for many months, feeding it with regular reflection and sourced feedback.
Writing your leadership purpose down and continually adding to it will bring it to life. Declaring and sharing your purpose with others enforces an accountability in you to maintain it. Identifying opportunities to showcase it will be bring it to life more often.
With this new year now properly under way, go discover your leadership purpose and transform what your leadership becomes to you and those around you!
Nick Howell is a coach, facilitator and author of Great Coaching Questions, whose purpose is simply to help people learn and grow.