Leading with impact: From purpose-setting to purpose-enabling

In the last few editions of Three on Purpose, I discussed purpose, impact purpose, and purpose setting. This week, I want to take it one step further into purpose-enabling: leading others to have a strong purpose and generate a positive impact.

1. Purpose enabling

This week, I was invited to speak at Taylor's University in Kuala Lumpur. It was heartening to see how much this institution implemented my ideas on the Purpose Driven University, as portrayed in my TED talk and book. They even use my phrase "from best in the world to best for the world" in all their communication and merchandise. It is not often that I get to see first-hand the impact I create, which is remarkable. As I shared my personal story and ideas on purpose and impact, the audience asked: "How can we help our students also create positive impact?". The question rephrased is: "How do we become purpose enablers?"

Purpose enabling is about creating opportunities for others to generate a positive impact. It is about looking for novel ways to involve the highest number of people with the greatest impact possible. For organisations, it begins with identifying the most important stakeholders, such as employees, consumers, students, or guests, and continuing to wonder - what else can we do together to achieve our social and environmental goals??

Purpose enabling is about creating opportunities for others to generate a positive impact.

2. Creating platforms and opportunities

In the last edition, I spoke about the KIND framework, with the N standing for "network". I suggested that you don't have to walk your purpose journey alone. Seek others who share your passion - your purpose tribe - and invite them to work with you on your project. Even if you only start with a few, you enable them and others to live more purposeful lives. You can create this for others.

You don't have to walk your purpose journey alone. Seek others who share your passion - your purpose tribe - and invite them to work with you on your project.

When the Australian Museum created the Digivol program to involve citizens from all around the world in digitalising its incredible collection, it enabled thousands to volunteer online and contribute to knowledge and humanity. When Simon Griffiths founded Who Gives A Crap, millions could take part in the positive impact this social enterprise created for the world. And when Natalie Isaacs dreamt of 1 Million Women joining her sustainability quest and jointly making a significant impact on the environment, she provided us with tools to reduce our environmental footprint.

3. Purpose enabling is true leadership

Leadership can be seen as having an inspirational vision and influencing others to achieve it. Purpose-driven leaders see an opportunity or a strong impact: A world with zero poverty or hunger, a world where children are judged by their merits and not the colour of their skin, and a world where all the people are living life in peace. Imagine.?

Such leaders can dream of this better future and work their entire lives to ahceive it. But they never do it alone. As such, these leaders become purpose-enablers. Those who invented cars and aeroplanes changed humanity (and the planet) forever. So do those who dream of scools in Africa like Annabelle Chauncy OAM or reimagine the education system in India as Clary Castrission OAM did. They enable many to use the platforms and opportunities they create and live and work with purpose.

P.S. As International Women's Day is upon us this week, let's celebrate women who are purpose-driven and purpose-enablers.