12 distinguishing attributes of purpose-driven leaders & why others line up to join their teams

We were celebrating the achievements of our Learning and Development team, with at least nine promotions and fifteen high performers recognized over three years, showcasing the power of purpose-driven leadership.

This team, originating from next to nothing, had trained over 2,000 associates across 25+ countries, setting a global standard for leading practices in Enterprise Services Transformation for one of the Big Four firms. In the process, these rising stars were exposed to some of the best minds in the company, and identified as high performers.

Think of that synergy for a moment, and ponder the implications and economic impact in terms of leadership development, retention and turnover, agility, communication, building loyalty and community, and creating competitive advantage.

What defines purpose-driven leadership?

The example above illustrates a huge opportunity for organizations to innovate more profitable solutions while developing future leaders. A real coach or leader knows that any greatness they achieve will be through the accomplishments of others, therefore they passionately invest in the success of their teams.

Purpose-Driven Leaders are defined by 12 qualities:

1. Visionary leadership that inspires.
2. Recognizing and nurturing the potential in others.
3. Sharing credit and owning responsibility.
4. Advocating for team members and opening doors.
5. Setting high standards and clear expectations.
6. Being approachable and patient in explanations.
7. Using mistakes as a teaching opportunity
8. Providing a clear path for advancement.
9. Shielding and supporting the team.
10. Not threatened by others’ success.
11. Practicing servant leadership from an inverted pyramid approach.
12. Demonstrating a level of care that exceeds expectations.

Why is purpose a game-changer?

Purpose transforms businesses and lives: The following statistics, assembled by TeamStage in 2024[1], speak volumes:

• Organizations with higher than average levels of employee engagement realized 27% higher profits, 50% higher sales, 50% higher customer loyalty levels, and 38% above-average productivity.
• Companies in the top quartile of engagement had 50% higher shareholder returns.
• 65% of the US workforce is not engaged and 39% feel under-appreciated.
• A 5% increase in recognition can spike profitability by 25% to 85%.
• Engaged employees are 87% less likely to leave.
• Engagement reduces absenteeism by 41%.
• 81% of employees contemplate leaving for better opportunities.
• 75% of those who leave quit their bosses, not their jobs.
• 70% of the variance in team engagement?is determined solely by the manager.
• Feeling heard makes employees 4.6 times more likely to excel.
• Engaged firms are 43% more productive.
• Improved culture could quadruple revenue.
• 2/3 of the staff are inspired to stay with a motivational program.

As they say, people don't quit their jobs. They quit their bosses.

Gallup defines employee engagement as the involvement and enthusiasm of employees in their work and workplace. They go on to say:

"The greatest cause of a workplace engagement program's failure is this: Employee engagement is widely considered "an HR thing.” It is not owned by leaders, expected of managers, nor understood by front-line employees."

To summarize, there's ample room for improvement in organizations and culture, underscoring the increasing need for purpose-driven leaders. And, with the competition for talent, it's just smart business to make people feel valued and invested in.

For Purpose-Led Performance in your organization, team, or career, reach out to George Henderson here or write [email protected].

[1] Statistics assembled by TeamStage 2024. Source: https://teamstage.io/motivation-statistics/.