The Importance Of Purpose

Below is an article by my colleague Gary Burnison, a seasoned CEO and well-respected expert on leadership. His topic is on the importance of "Purpose" in an organization. He knows the subject well and is deeply passionate about it, as am I, because we both understand that an ennobling purpose is a powerful catalyst for creating commitment and engagement from your people. Give a thoughtful reading to Gary's ideas, and at the end, I'll share a few of my own.

Leadership is less about analytics and much more about aligning, motivating, and inspiring others. It is empowering people so that their decisions and actions align with the organization's overall values and strategy. Effective leadership begins with purpose.

Purpose is the "why" of the organization. Its companion, vision, is the "what" – a picture of what the organization will look like when purpose is realized.

Based on my conversations with leaders around the globe and given my experience as CEO of Korn/Ferry International, I can attest to the power of purpose. When employees have a strong sense of purpose, they know that what they do really matters to the organization, to its customers and clients, to society, and even the world at large. Empowered and aligned, they become more engaged.

Purpose is the soul of leadership.

Purpose is not all altruism. Companies, after all, are in the business of making profits. However, purpose must extend beyond money. Purpose and vision are all about making a measurable and meaningful difference to consumers. Purpose needs to be tangible. Everyone at every level of the organization must be able to articulate the purpose, to know why they are working together and what they are accomplishing. Effective leaders use purpose to show their teams what is possible and what is within reach.

Without purpose, individuals and teams can easily go off track. When purpose is lacking, the telltale signs are obvious: fatigue, mediocrity, fractured teams, and goals that are stated but without accountability. Productivity goes off track. Even if people do well, they rarely give their best without purpose. Adapting to change is difficult without purpose, and initiating it is next to impossible. Without purpose, even the best strategies fail.

Everything — policies, programs, strategies, and rewards — must be aligned with purpose. People need to believe that every job and every task, no matter how big or small, is linked to purpose. Inspired leaders use purpose as a beacon that points the organization toward the long-term vision.

The leader must embody the purpose. As the leader, it's your job to articulate, model, and embody purpose in every communiqué, conversation, and interaction. But make no mistake: purpose has nothing to do with you, your ego, or your accomplishments. In order to be truly motivated and highly effective, your teams needs to see the alignment between what you envision, the values you live, and the strategy you outline to get there. If you are genuine, expressing your passion will electrify the entire team.

Purpose fosters authentic leadership. Purpose grounds the leader and his or her vision in the greater good of the organization and its stakeholders. When I spoke with William Clay Ford Jr., executive chairman of Ford Motor Company, about authentic leadership, he explained it this way: "You've got to be true to yourself. You can't say you want to pattern yourself after someone else. Everyone has his or her own unique style. So it's important to figure out what your strengths are and what your weaknesses are, and augment those weaknesses as best you can with people who have strengths in those areas. For me, leadership is about being honest with yourself."

The power of purpose is nearly boundless. Moving forward toward realization of purpose takes courage. The journey, however, is an amazing quest. Purpose inspires change, creates possibility, and elevates the organization. It is the difference between something being done and done well, mediocre and meteoric.

Purpose fosters alignment across the organization. Every day, thousands or even tens of thousands of employees are making countless decisions and taking innumerable actions that must be aligned with the overall goals and strategy of the organization. Purpose makes the difference. It is the glue that keeps the organization united, cohesive, and on track to achieve a grander vision.

From John

Purpose is now one of the primary decision criteria for top talent when considering a job offer. Today, many employees working towards a worthy purpose is more important than a fancy title or even a big paycheck. They don't just want a job; they want to make a difference.

Purpose has also become a main decision criterion for customers. When all things are equal, and your product/service is nearly identical to your competition, customers look to how you treat your employees, how you treat the environment and your organizational purpose as factors in choosing where to spend their money.

At a practical level, your organization's purpose must be fully aligned with your vision, mission, values, and strategy. People need to directly see how their work contributes to the greater good and that what they do is important.

And finally, purpose creates a legacy. At its highest level, pursuing a meaningful purpose helps one live a life of value and contribution. In addition to building a successful and prosperous organization, it challenges people to look beyond just today and think about their contribution to better tomorrow. A vivid, compelling, and challenging purpose inspires people to plant the seeds of trees under which they may never sit.

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