Today more than ever, the evidence is clear that businesses need to find and communicate a purpose beyond making a profit to ensure both customer and employee engagement whilst driving results. Through coaching, I have concluded that finding and communicating that purpose is often more important than the solution offered.
Below I provide from my own experience some insights and tips that may help you develop your purpose. My challenge to you is to find that purpose that will drive your business, your team, and your customers to the next level.
1. Be inspired by the desire to leave a lasting legacy
I have worked with several business leaders whose purpose was to create a positive personal legacy, such as research to cure a difficult disease. But they failed to disclose this intent to their team and stakeholders. I urge you to share your purpose early and highlight it in your strategy.
Perhaps a more important legacy to your team is how you treat them in the business. Make your purpose to leave a legacy as an example leader and it will live on for years. With continuing positive impacts in team meetings, presentations, and around those water cooler moments.
2. Challenge yourself to deliver a technical innovation
Many technologists have a passion for new technology, but only a few are able to communicate the value in terms of future impact on society. Elon Musk, for example, has been able to achieve SpaceX success largely by linking efforts to the future of mankind in their travels to other planets.
3. Ring fence time to travel and learn
Your purpose may be purely to enhance your own lifestyle, but even that needs to be communicated to your team and highlighted in your strategic guidance. Everyone needs to understand what drives you, and how they can help you achieve your purpose. People need to see you as a person.
4. Satisfy a need for personal lifestyle fulfilment
Many of the most successful fashion and even dating businesses were built around a leader with the purpose of personal dedication to a more fulfilling lifestyle. You see this today on the internet. People who dominate social media as influencers lead customers to new trends and brands.
5. Accept a challenge to share a unique gift and skill
We all have unique strengths (or as I call them superpowers), such as design skills, or connecting well with others. I encourage you to discover yours, and listen to friends and mentors, to find and highlight a purpose that perhaps you didn’t even see in yourself.
