Leading with Purpose: How to Inspire and Motivate Your Team

Dear Friends,

Today, I want to dive into something that lies at the heart of effective leadership—leading with purpose. It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day grind, focusing on tasks, deadlines, and targets. But to truly inspire and motivate your team, you need to connect those tasks to a bigger picture—a purpose that resonates with everyone involved.

Why Leading with Purpose Matters

Leading with purpose isn’t just about having a mission statement; it’s about embodying that mission in everything you do. Research by McKinsey & Company found that employees who feel connected to their company’s purpose are more than four times as likely to be engaged in their work. When your team understands the ‘why’ behind their work, they’re more motivated, more innovative, and more committed to achieving great results.

How to Lead with Purpose

1. Clarify Your Vision: Start by clearly defining the purpose of your organisation. What impact do you want to have? What values guide your decisions? Make sure this vision is communicated consistently across all levels of your team. For example, during the early stages of Women's Biz Global, I made it a point to regularly share our mission—empowering women to succeed in business and leadership—during every team meeting, ensuring that everyone felt connected to this larger goal.
2. Connect the Dots: Show your team how their individual roles contribute to the broader purpose. When people understand how their work fits into the bigger picture, it gives them a sense of meaning and motivation. A practical way to do this is through regular check-ins where you discuss not just what’s being done, but why it matters. For instance, when planning an episode for Women’s Biz Leaders TV Show, I always emphasise how each segment ties back to our mission of uplifting and educating women leaders.
3. Lead by Example: Your team will look to you as a role model. If you’re passionate and committed to your purpose, they will be too. It’s about demonstrating through your actions that the company’s purpose is more than just words on paper—it’s a way of life. Whether it’s the way you interact with clients, make decisions, or tackle challenges, your actions should always align with the company’s purpose.
4. Celebrate Successes: Acknowledge and celebrate when your team achieves milestones that align with the company’s purpose. Recognition not only boosts morale but also reinforces the importance of purpose-driven work. For example, when we hit a viewership milestone for our podcast, I made sure to highlight how this success brought us closer to our goal of reaching and empowering more women in business.

Purpose-Driven Leadership in Action

One company that exemplifies purpose-driven leadership is Patagonia. Known for its environmental activism, Patagonia’s purpose isn’t just about selling outdoor gear; it’s about saving the planet. This clear and powerful purpose motivates their team to innovate and push boundaries in everything they do. It’s a great example of how a clear purpose can inspire a team to achieve remarkable things.

So, how are you leading with purpose in your organisation? Are you connecting your team’s work to a larger mission that resonates with them?

If you’re looking for more help to grow yours, please book a meetup to chat through your needs. For more insights on leadership, check out the latest discussions on Women's Biz Leaders TV Show, the Women's Biz Podcast, or Women's Biz Magazine. And if you’re ready to position yourself as an authority in your niche, take a look at Women's Biz Publishing and let us help you skyrocket your personal brand positioning.

I’d love to hear how you’re inspiring your team with purpose. Let’s keep the conversation going—because together, we’re unstoppable.

To your success,

Annie Gibbins xo

Founder and CEO Women's Biz Global