Purpose and Passion in Leadership
I was intrigued to learn that European Union leaders, gathering in Brussels to decide on carbon emission reductions, arrived in big gas guzzling Mercedes cars. Surely, I thought, anyone whose purpose is to reduce emissions would want to be a role model and behave as they would like others to behave? Wouldn’t a Toyota Prius, the most popular energy friendly car available today, be giving a clearer message about the urgency to create change? Incongruent behaviour like this suggests a lack of real purpose, and certainly little passion for taking positive action to reduce carbon emissions.
This question takes me back to a workshop we ran recently for a group of 50 graduates in a large energy company. We asked if they had an aspiration. Some had no idea what they wanted to do, some wanted to be a director or CEO of a business, and others wanted to pursue specific aims like flying an airplane, or helping third-world countries. We then asked those who wanted to be a CEO why they wanted this, and what they would be doing as a CEO. Most did not have a clear answer.
These results fascinated me. Some of the graduates had an aspiration to make a contribution and this was more motivating to them than who they would be. The ‘want to be a CEO’ group had no idea about the contribution they wanted to make, and were focussing purely on being in a job where they would be recognised as someone of power and importance.
I generally work with people who are well into their careers. I meet people who are living their aspiration and others who are just doing a job in return for pay and benefits. Through my interactions and work with them I have discerned two things that have significant consequences on leadership.
- Where the leader’s purpose is focussed outward on personal and team contribution, there is strong leadership and a positive buzz in the air. People draw inspiration from the leader’s passion and will be inspired to do a great job.
- Where purpose is turned inward, and is more about personal status and recognition, there is weak leadership and a lack of a positive buzz. People are less likely to do a great job because it probably wouldn’t be recognised if they did.
How does inward purpose develop?
It often happens that a person may accept a job which is no more than a means to an end, i.e. the need for money to pay the rent. They may remain in the same job for reasons of personal/family security. Once security ceases to be such a pressing need life can get a little dull if there is nothing in the job to get excited about, or look forward to. Maybe a certain job is chosen purely for career prospects alone – for the status and recognition. The job will either bring power and authority, or simply look good on the cv.
There are problematic consequences to both these scenarios, as inward purpose is experienced by others as a lack of leadership. I once met a managing director who wanted his employees to be more passionate about their work. He said that people needed to work harder and increase productivity, but there was a distinct lack of passion from the MD, and when challenged about this said, ‘how can you get passionate about these products?’ He was purely focussed on numbers, but numbers only motivate shareholders and high performing sales execs. Compare this with the CEO of a different company in IT development who recently told me, ‘our company is special because of our people, their skills, and their achievements. Their ability to create solutions to difficult challenges is driving our growth and innovation.’ Clearly there is outward purpose (challenges) and passion (skills and achievements).
There is a danger also that talent groups being honed for top positions become focussed more on their status and position than their contribution. When people are selected and given special names like a ‘talent group’ it can become the first stage to an inflated ego unless the focus is on outward purpose.
A lack of outward purpose is often a barrier to be overcome when coaching leaders. Where there is no outward purpose there is no passion. No passion, no positive energy. No positive energy, no employee engagement. The result is low morale and a demotivated team.
Most people have some focus on their well-being and sense of personal achievement. I believe the overriding question is about balance – are the scales of purpose tipped more outward or inward?
So how are our politicians balanced on purpose? Where is the passion in politics? How about the leaders in your organisation? Can you recognise the personal balance of each one? If you have inwardly focussed leaders do you know how to help them to change? In which direction is your purpose going, inward or outward?
David Molden.
