Starting a leadership journey can be challenging, especially when facing difficult decisions or moments of uncertainty. Whether you’re navigating tough conversations or trying to stay true to your values, this post offers insights on how to find a leadership purpose that keeps you grounded and authentic.
“A good objective of leadership is to help those who are doing poorly to do well and to help those who are doing well to do even better.”
Jim Rohn, American Entrepreneur and Author
As a leadership coach and trainer, I often hear this question: “What do I do when I need to X?” X could be giving difficult feedback, having a tough performance conversation, realigning expectations, inspiring and empowering my team to deliver, delivering an important presentation, delegating a task, the list goes on and on.
And there are several tools and techniques out there that give advice on what to do relative to these challenges. Tools and techniques are helpful, and I’m not underestimating the value they can add. These types of conversations take skill. But a participant on a course I was facilitating the other day summed it up very well when she said:
“There’s no checklist for leadership. And people can see straight through you when you’re just going through the motions.”
She’s right. I’ve wished there was a checklist. It would make things so much easier. And trying to apply a technique can be tricky. We have this uncanny knack as humans to sense when someone’s intentions aren’t aligned with their actions – they’re saying the so-called “right” thing to manipulate or control. It’s patronizing, and it can quickly erode trust.
So what is a leader to do? I take clients through a visioning exercise where they imagine themselves out on a boat out in the sea. Initially, the day starts out sunny and beautiful. Go ahead, hop in the boat, the water’s fine. Calm waves, calm seas. Perhaps a dolphin or two. Isn’t it cute? The sun is shining. And then the waves kick up, the boat tosses and turns in the storm. You’re holding on for dear life, you’re leading your crew through the storm, and there’s no end in sight.
Leadership can often feel like this. You’re all alone as the leader, responsible for the ship, the crew, ensuring the boat and every passenger aboard returns safely to the shore. You’re blown off course, and yet there is still a course to be maintained. And no one’s given you a manual, unfortunately. Where do you turn to when the going gets tough? What do you lean on when everything around you is becoming unhinged?
I often have clients write a leadership purpose statement. It can feel like a daunting task. How can I sum up all my aspirations for my leadership in a couple of sentences? Where do I even start? And does it even matter? I’ve thought about my leadership purpose statement as my lighthouse. My north star that I lean on when the going gets tough. And while I may not always be super sure of what I’m doing, it’s a strong reminder of who I need to be being to weather the storm.
Writing a Leadership Purpose Statement – A Three-Step Process
Step 1: What are my values?
One of the most important things we can do is think about our values. Whether you’ve consciously taken pen to paper to write them down or not, it doesn’t matter. You still have values. They drive what we prioritize. They drive the decisions we make. They drive how our colleagues experience us. The key is to make a conscious choice as to what you want them to be. You get to choose.
So what do you value? Maybe it’s integrity or authenticity. Maybe it’s accuracy. Write them down. And write down your definition for what each means to you.
Step 2: What gives me a sense of purpose?
The next step is to think about what gives you a sense of personal purpose. Purpose is powerful, as it can propel us through uncharted waters and give us a sense of direction in the most difficult of storms. Consider the following questions:
- What do I love?
- What does the world need?
- What are my strengths?
- What can I prosper at?
Maybe there is something that ticks all these boxes for you, or maybe just some of the above. There may be several things that you love, but you may not necessarily be able to prosper at them. Perhaps you honor that by pursuing a hobby or volunteering your time to a cause you are super passionate about. There’s no right or wrong way of responding to these prompts. The key is to have a think about them and see what comes up. See where you may be able to find the intersections.
Step 3: What goals do I have for my leadership?
The next step is to link your values and your personal purpose to the act of leading by asking yourself a few reflection questions:
- What goals and aspirations do I have around my own leadership?
- How do I want others to experience me as a leader?
- How would I describe my leadership personal brand?
Once you’ve considered these questions, it’s time to put pen to paper and create your leadership purpose statement. Maybe your statement looks something like this:
“I’m excited to work on the challenges of AI, and that gives me a sense of purpose. I want to lead my team to innovate and tackle this challenge by showing up as a leader full of curiosity. In doing so, I will bring out the best in my team and inspire them to take risks and pursue creative solutions.”
Or maybe this:
“Having a safe and sustainable operation with long-term growth potential gives me a sense of purpose. As a leader, I want to have an adaptable and high-performing team who not only think about the day-to-day but also about their career and company growth. I will model this behavior to my team, and I believe all of us have the capacity to achieve this.”
And just in case you were wondering, here’s mine:
My purpose is to help myself and others tap into inner authority. To recognize, feel and know one’s worthiness, one’s true spirit. I believe that when we are grounded in our worthiness, we can show up to lead and live with compassion, confidence and clarity that inspires ourselves and others to bring their best.
There’s no right or wrong with this exercise, it’s ultimately what resonates with you. And the beautiful thing about this statement is it’s a living one. Revisit it from time to time. Write it out and put it where you can see it. Spend a few minutes each week in reflection, thinking about how you’ve lived it. Share it with your team and ask for their feedback on how they see you showing up. Ask them, “Is this how you see me?” Enrolling your team in your journey of leadership is a way to build trust and psychological safety with your team. You may even inspire them to write a purpose statement of their own.
If you or your team would like to feel more purposeful about the work you do, join me on The Center For Professional Education’s free virtual webinar, Defining Your Leadership Purpose, on Thursday, May 8, at noon. I’ll share more insights and host a Q&A. Hope to see you there.
Sign up for the free webinar.
Shelley Pernot is a Leadership Coach in Austin, Texas. She has over 20 years experience teaching leadership in fortune 100 companies. Pernot earned a BBA in Accounting and a master in professional accounting (MPA) degree from The University of Texas at Austin and a MBA degree from Erasmus Rotterdam School of Management in the Netherlands. She is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) through the International Coaching Federation, a part-owner and faculty member of the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (IPEC) and a certified public accountant (CPA).
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