Purpose-Driven Paths: Leading with Impact

If there’s any one universal truth, it’s purpose. Every human on the planet is driven by purpose. It’s the thing that makes us all feel part of something bigger than we are. It fuels our passion and drives us to achieve. It’s the very fabric of humanity.

Growing Up With Purpose

Purpose is something that is instilled early. We are taught early in school the importance of volunteering and giving back to our communities. From Girl Scouts to Boy Scouts to community clean-up events and a whole host of other activities, children are introduced to purpose-driven initiatives early.

As early as elementary school, I volunteered with “Operation Life Saver” with my dad where we visited local schools to teach kids about safety around trains. I can still hear it - my dad’s “Look, Listen, Live” lesson as I walked around the classrooms handing our CSX coloring books and crayons. Today, many, maybe even most, high schools prioritize community service hours for graduation and scholarship requirements. And it’s a beautiful thing.

Living With and Living Out A Purpose

Our family became involved in RAD Camp when our boys were in high school. RAD Camp has a single mission to “Rise Above Disabilities”. Both of our boys volunteer their time every summer as camp counselors at RAD Camp. This is an experience like no other.

Counselors are responsible for their campers 24/7 for nearly a week. You’d think the campers are the ones learning and growing from the experience, and while that’s true, it’s the counselors who learn the most. They are learning and experiencing what it means to live with purpose and to live out a purpose. A super skill that will serve them for a lifetime. As a board member for RAD Camp, I volunteer my time throughout the year and at camp in the summer to create an amazing experience for more and more campers every year. Purpose bucket filled.

Translating Your Personal Passions to Your Business

I’m sure many have similar experiences of supporting organizations and missions that fuel passion in your personal lives. But purpose isn’t reserved for our personal lives. Purpose in our work lives is equally, if not more, important.

Why then, does talking about purpose in our work lives feel so awkward for most?

Because it’s something that can be hard to define and even harder to talk about. It’s a feeling, not a ‘thing’.

For most, talking about emotions feels vulnerable – especially in the business world.

Imagine your boss asking you “What are you doing today to fuel your soul? Let’s talk about it.”

If that prospect makes you shudder, read on, and allow me to convince you that it’s a question and conversation you should welcome.

Defining a Purpose You Can Feel

What if I told you that defining, articulating and evangelizing an aligned purpose could be the single biggest driver of your team’s and business’s success? A well-defined purpose is crucial for aligning teams and creating space for others to join your mission and movement. A mission is only as good as the momentum you apply to it. You must give people a reason to buy into your mission and join you. You must give them a reason to feel it.

Your mission isn’t your revenue goal. Your mission is something much more human and soul-feeding. Your revenue goal achievement is an outcome of living out your purpose.

How then do you go about articulating and better yet, evangelizing a team purpose?

Spoiler alert: You must be authentically vulnerable. And emotional. And make it real. You must feel it. And talk about your feelings.

The First 30 Days

In the first thirty days of my new role, I affectionately called my new team “Life Savers”. Sure, it felt a little hokey and maybe even a little cringe-y. And anyone who knows me knows, I go all-in on a good theme. Our Teams logo instantly became a life savers candy icon. I even found a great Life Savers coffee mug. (Thank you, eBay). I love a good theme.

The beautiful reality is that “Team Life Savers” seemed to stick and resonate. We had easily landed on a common purpose, a common goal, and something authentically true to who we are. Even better, this mission already existed in the fabric of the team – it just needed a name. Enter “Team Life Savers”. We are part of something bigger than ourselves.

The Life-Saving Work of Team Life Savers

Our work in life sciences is uniquely impactful. Every innovation we develop and every solution we implement accelerates the delivery of life-saving therapies to patients in need. Whether it’s optimizing manufacturing processes to speed up the time-to-market for critical treatments or developing technologies that improve the safety and efficacy of new drugs, our purpose is clear: we’re here to save lives.

When someone asks, “What do you do?”, we have the joy of answering “We save lives through innovation”.

艾默生 is at the forefront of enabling real-time release, pipeline acceleration, operational integrity, flexible manufacturing, and sustainable operations for pharmaceutical manufacturers. These advancements are crucial in getting life-saving therapies and treatments to patients in need, faster and more reliably than ever before.

In an industry where every second counts, our contributions make a tangible difference. We’re not just meeting expectations—we’re exceeding them, driven by the knowledge that our work directly impacts human health and well-being. This is more than just our job—it’s our mission.

We got together and crafted a purpose narrative around why we exist and how we make a difference. It’s impactful, emotional, and inspiring – and a purpose we can live with and live out.

If you just read that and are fired up to join us in Life Sciences community, let's connect. It takes a full thriving ecosystem to fully live out our purpose.

And if you just read that and are fired up to articulate your a purpose narrative for your team, here are some tips to help you get started.

1.????? Define the Present

Clearly define the current environment, outlining the challenges and opportunities that exist. This step sets the stage for why action is necessary and why now is the time to act.

2.????? Define your Aspiration

Articulate your vision and the impact you aspire to make. This step should reflect a bold ambition that inspires and motivates others to join in the effort.

3.????? Define your Transformation

Describe the specific actions and strategies you will use to achieve your vision. Highlight the qualities and values that will drive your success and make the path forward clear and actionable.

4.????? Define the Hero

Inspire others to join the mission by showing them how they can be heroes in this journey. Emphasize the legacy they can help create and the lasting impact of their contributions.

Crafting your purpose narrative can seem daunting – don’t let it be. Just start writing. And rewriting. Before you know it, you’ll land on your own Team Life Savers statement and might even snag a cool vintage coffee mug to go with it. Team Life Savers is here to change the world.

What are you doing today to fuel your soul?