Transform Yourself, Inspire Others

It requires an understanding that a company’s purpose is about more than making money – it is about finding ways to make a positive contribution to the world in which the company finds itself, the world in which we all live.

It is to create a culture of growth and resilience, where people feel a sense of connection and belonging – and hence kindle an intrinsic motivation to contribute to the organization’s success. It is about doing the right thing in and of itself which yields the fruits of innovative problem solving, teamwork, efficiencies and yes, even greater profitability. But how do we accomplish this?

Being a purposeful leader in today’s fast-changing, complex and uncertain world necessitates a different kind of leadership.

Here are seven skills to help you transform into a more purposeful leader:

1. KNOW YOURSELF: BE CLEAR ABOUT YOUR PURPOSE.

Why do you do what you do? The Japanese call this “ikigai,” meaning: “a reason for being.” Reflect on your values, passions and strengths. Ask for feedback from the people around you – what do they see as your unique talents and strengths? What do they see as your blind spots that you can overcome to be more effective? Success happens at the margins where nobody else is standing and understanding yourself and what you do differently allows you to hone your skills to lead others towards a future of possibility, positivity, growth and hope.

2. IDENTIFY WHAT DRIVES THE COLLEAGUES AND EMPLOYEES AROUND YOU.

Help connect these motivations to the organizational purpose using your unique set of leadership skills. The goal is to establish momentum and ultimately lead the organization towards innovating and taking risks to achieve great things.

3. KNOW WHOM YOU SERVE. HINT: IT’S NOT YOU.

If you discharge your duties in a manner where service to others is at the forefront of your actions, that is modelling something powerful. Taking the time to mentor others and helping them have the tools they need to be successful is one of the most rewarding aspects of purposeful leadership. Those who understand this, are successful not just as leaders but as human beings as well.

4. ROLL WITH THE PUNCHES.

Resilience is a learned trait, and a malleability that comes from doing difficult things. When we train ourselves to see challenges as opportunities that serve our growth, it helps us understand that we can gain control over how we respond – despite the fact that we cannot choose our circumstances. A leader’s key role is to create energy and momentum, even in difficult times. When we wear our challenges with dignity and sit with even our most difficult experiences, we gain insight and empowerment from that process. This not only transforms us but also inspires others in very meaningful ways.

5. BE OPEN AND HONEST, EVEN WHEN YOU FALL SHORT – ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU FALL SHORT.

Connection is an essential element for motivating your team and creating a sense of belonging. So share your emotions and struggles with integrity and humility. For example, our work from home journey over the past four years has revealed much more of our selves to our colleagues than before — our children, our pets, our Wi-Fi connectivity issues.... We learned to see one another in a new light and as more complete human beings. Employees expect leaders to be human, too. This starts with the integrity to acknowledge what we do not know and to accept when we make mistakes. As Brené Brown points out, vulnerability is at the heart of social connection, and social connection, in turn, is at the heart of business.

6. ALLOW CREATIVITY TO FLOURISH.

As Oscar Wilde said famously, “be yourself because everyone else is already taken.”

Encourage problem solving and brainstorming throughout the organization. Talk about perspectives. Break down silos. A creative mind solves problems and encourages solutions, boosts productivity, is open and allows for adaptability. It fosters growth and creates opportunity. A creative mind broadens perspectives and overcomes prejudices that limit possibilities. Creativity is also related to 9 of the top 10 skills that Global Executives say is essential according to the World Economic Forum, and it is also the single most important skill in the world according to LinkedIn Learning.

7. NO MATTER WHAT, TREAT YOURSELF WITH GRACE.

Remember to apply all of the wonderful skills you possess as a leader towards your personal growth and well-being first. That means practicing self- compassion in good times, bad times and every type of time in between. If you don’t take care of you, then you will not be able to effectively take care of what you need to. This benefits no one and will lead to inevitable burn out. Therefore, we must remind ourselves that we cannot be of service to others without first tending to our own well-being including our mental and physical needs.

On our journey to leading with greater purpose, we realize that the more human we allow ourselves to be – and the more integrity we have with ourselves and others – the deeper our connections, and the greater our ability is to influence change and to innovate. It is about understanding the values that drive us, how to connect with those whom we serve, and using our knowledge and skills to create a positive impact on those around us to create a sense of belonging so work is not a mechanical process but one in which people’s hearts and minds are engaged towards collective growth and success. When we think, do and say things together, this creates organizational harmony and momentum to achieve great things. This is the point of being a purposeful leader – to embody the essence of the change you want to see in your organization, with integrity, resilience, creativity, openness, honesty and a sense of service to unify the people of the organization to reach new heights together.