Leading with Purpose is not a Trend: Starting the New Year with Intention and Impact
By Jayson Krause, Managing Director of Level 52 & Award-Winning Author of The Science Behind Success
As we usher in a new year, it's a perfect time for leaders to reflect, recalibrate, and renew their commitment to purpose-driven leadership. Why? Because leading with purpose isn't just a feel-good mantra. It's a strategic imperative that can drive performance, inspire teams, and create lasting impact. Here's why leading with purpose matters and how you can kickstart the new year with purposeful leadership.
Why Leading with Purpose Matters
Drives Performance: Purpose acts as a north star, guiding decisions, aligning efforts, and driving performance. When leaders articulate a clear and compelling purpose, it helps teams understand not just what they're doing, but why it matters.
Inspires Teams: Purpose is a powerful motivator. It taps into our innate desire to contribute to something bigger than ourselves. When leaders lead with purpose, they inspire their teams to bring their best selves to work.
Creates Impact: Purpose-driven leadership is about more than just the bottom line. It's about creating a positive impact on customers, communities, and the world. By leading with purpose, leaders can build organizations that do well by doing good.
Fosters Resilience: Leaders who are connected to a compelling purpose are more apt to navigate turbulence gracefully and be fueled by eustress rather than distress. This enables them to be resilient in face of headwinds because they are tethered to something that continues to pull them forward, thus impacting their ability to demonstrate grit when others quit.
How to Kickstart the New Year with Purposeful Leadership
Reflect: Start by reflecting on your own purpose. What drives you? What impact do you want to have? Use these insights to inform your leadership approach.
Articulate: Clearly articulate your organization's purpose. Make sure it's more than just a slogan. It should be a clear and compelling statement that guides decision-making and inspires action.
Align: Align your strategies, goals, and actions with your purpose. This ensures that your purpose isn't just words on a wall, but a living, breathing guide for your organization.
Engage: Engage your team in your purpose. Make sure they understand it, believe in it, and see how their work contributes to it.
Model: As a leader, you need to model purpose-driven behavior. Show your team what it looks like to lead with purpose through your actions and decisions.
Leading with purpose is more than just a leadership trend. It's a powerful approach that can drive performance, inspire teams, and create lasting impact. So, as you step into the new year, make a commitment to lead with purpose. It could be the most important resolution you make that leads to a powerful revolution in performance.
