Many leaders are driven by the money mindset which is fueled by fear, security and scarcity. It is motivated by an urge to play it safe and not take risks or make a mistake. Let’s face it no one has ever changed the world or struck it rich by playing safe. Purpose-driven leaders know that letting fear guide their decisions blocks their ability to stay true to their personal and business purpose. Instead, they view fear as a sign that they are operating in their purpose and challenging themselves to do things that are crucial in the world and their organization.

If most of your decisions are centered on making money, containing costs and staying on budget, you’re falling prey to this fear-driven mindset. If all you are concerned about is, “Can we afford it?” you’re selling yourself and your company short. You’re asking..”How?”. Traditional management 101 teaches that focusing on budgets and profits is good business practice. But, great management does not always mean GREAT LEADERSHIP.

Great Leaders stay focused on where they want to go and how they want to make a difference in the world. With their purpose in mind, they are able to confront their fears and take strategic risks to do the things they “can’t afford” in the short term. They are aware that, in the long term, they can’t afford not to make the investment. Whether investing in infrastructure, people or ideas, purpose-driven leaders focus first on whether the investment is going to help them fulfill their company’s purpose. But don’t get it twisted, they definitely do consider the profitability of the investment and how to fit it into the budget—they just don’t start there.

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SELF -AWARENESS

A purpose driven leader above all must possess self- awareness. In leadership, self-awareness is defined as an understanding of how your personality traits , habits and abilities affect your relationships and interactions with those around you. A self-aware leader is one who reflects on how their words and actions are perceived by others and work to change any deficits so they can be more effective leading their team. Self-awareness leads to personal control and growth which allows leaders to utilize all their strengths to guide their team to the most optimal outcome.

Why is self-awareness important?? Self-awareness is important because self-aware leaders make better decisions and are mindful of how their leadership impacts future outcomes for their organization. It allows leaders to more realistic in their expectations. Self-aware leaders understand how to balance what they want their team to accomplish with the creative vision they have for the group. Most importantly, self-aware leaders understand what they bring to their role. They have an in-depth understanding of their strengths, weaknesses, skills, knowledge, and personality traits which helps them to better perform within an organization.

Tackling who you are as a person is a very eye opening and daunting experience. In my life, there have been many occasions where I had to self reflect, evaluate who I was, and what I wanted and needed to be fulfilled. Then, I had to be courageous enough to make it happen….trusting myself and my judgement. Along the way, I received needed feedback from trusted friends and colleagues which helped me see my strengths and weaknesses better. It helped me gain some insight and make necessary changes.

Developing self-awareness might feel uncomfortable at first as you get used to actively seeking critical feedback and viewing yourself from an objective standpoint. However, the impact it can have on your professional relationships and the productivity of your team is undeniable. It is a lifelong process and it never ends. So, be patient with yourself and embrace the process.

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Are you leading work that you love in an organization you care about with people you enjoy?? If you are, then you have some idea of the power of purposeful leadership. Leading with purpose channels enthusiasm and zeal into an intense energy and drive. The leaders with purpose stay focused and committed which is extremely important in a world full of obstacles and challenges….Like a pandemic, or in the face of competition that threatens to dismantle your organization.

I faced such challenges over the past two years and had to refocus and rethink my leadership approach and find a purpose to drive and sustain the organization. I had to figure out a way to improve the team members experience in ways that respected the individual differences-home lives, skills and capabilities, mindsets, personal characteristics, and other factors. I was able to implement new strategies in listening, empathetic leadership, two-way communication channels and can now address team members experience in a more targeted and dynamic way. This all starts with effective purpose driven leadership.

When you lead with purpose in any environment, you radiate energy and passion for the work. It inspires and motivates others. These leaders attract talent to their teams and inspire achievement even beyond what is thought possible. Do you want to know what it takes to be a purpose driven leader?? Follow me, Dr. D, as I explain how to transform yourself into a purpose driven leader.

Leadership encompasses the ability of an individual, group or organization to “lead”, influence or guide other individuals, teams, or entire organizations. True leaders understand that leadership is all about people. The task of leadership is to align people and motivate them to work towards shared goals. Unfortunately, some companies are stuck in a more traditional managerial view of leadership as something possessed or owned by one individual due to their role or authority. In this view, leadership is a title. There is so much more to leadership than a title. Leadership is serious stuff and it takes dedicated effort to develop yourself into a true leader.

Management is the process of dealing with or controlling things or people. A second archaic definition is trickery or deceit. A company that manages people utilizes trickery to fool people into believing they are being led. Instead, they are being controlled liked pawns on a chess board. Great management can get positive results for the company; but, it almost never invests in the people. Management has to maintain power because that’s the only way to control the team. This is very different than true leadership which develops their team to eventually lead. The goal of leadership is to inspire and encourage team members to attain their highest potential. In other words, leadership is people-centered and empowering.

If a manager desires to become a leader, there are characteristics that have to be internalized. These characteristics include:

• Self Awareness. True leaders are always aware of their strengths and weaknesses and reflect on their decisions and actions. Leaders always strive to improve and are accountable for all their decisions.
• Empathy. True leaders understand that leadership comes from the heart. Relationships with their team are important. These relationships are cultivated through empathy, listening and communicating.
• Integrity. A true leader does what they say and they mean what they say. They are full of character, transparent and honest. They work hard to gain the respect of their peers. They are very aware that they need the trust of their peers to be able to lead.
• Vision. True leaders lead with purpose and values. They make the team aware of where they are being led. This inspires the team to aim for that goal/vision.
• Listening skills. True leaders know that they are able to gain more information by listening and keeping an open mind to others’ ideas. They will even make changes to adopt viable ideas from their team.

The time and energy expended in the development of these leadership characteristics is completely worth it. When an individual embodies these characteristics, all are able to recognize the authentic leader. They are visible because they are surrounded by an empowered and inspired team. If you see a lackluster, tired and uninspired team, look for a manager at the helm.

Anyone who thinks that true leadership is not necessary within an organization is insane and fooled by the management in place. So, don’t be surprised when the results are the same.

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The catalyst which drives a leader to continue to move forward in difficult times is the “why”. It is the company’s purpose and values which propel a leader to stay inspired to continue pressing forward to achieve the goals of the company. The “why” allows the leader to focus and attack work with a sense of urgency and vigor. As long as the “why” is front and center, a leader can remain positive and overcome obstacles in order to achieve long-term sustainable results. Leading with purpose, especially when trying to sustain during turbulent times of change and uncertainty, requires resilience. It requires a resilient mind, behavior and action.

So what happens when there is a lack of purpose in your work?? Or the “why” has up and gone and you are just going through the motions. Well, it will definitely be apparent to others. It may manifest or be perceived as a lack of direction and commitment. This will cause results to suffer. Other times a leader can lose the passion they once had for the business. This is not an unusual occurrence nor does it signify ill-will. If this is the case, the leader must step back or move aside. But this is not the end of it…there is more work to do.

The leader must try to figure out what is getting in the way of developing a purpose that will ground their leadership style. There are several things that can be blockades to purpose. Perhaps, the leader is not interacting enough with the team they need to inspire. The leader could also be so focused on the future that they do not manage the present. They may talk about the “purpose” and “the why” without driving action. All of these blockades cause a leader to be out of sync with their purpose. The most detrimental blockade is when the work and the goals that inspire the leader are not supported by the organization. This by far is the worse. This leaves a leader isolated with no support from the organization…..rendering the leader ineffective.

What needs to happen now??

Here are a few tips for a leader who has lost sight of their purpose:

• Make the time to think about your purpose and what you care about. Figure out how you want to spend your time, energy, and talents.
• Know why you want to be a leader. Understand the negatives and positives of leading and the burdens it can present. Talk to people in similar positions and ask for feedback.
• Identify your uniqueness and use this to help inspire your sense of purpose.
• Minimize distractions and competing priorities. Hone in on the things that align with your purpose. This will keep you focused and motivated.
• Reflect and move forward. Reflect on the times in your career when you were full of energy, driven and enthusiastic. What was different about you and your work at that time?? Try to re-create those conditions in your current situation.

It’s important for the leader to not internalize these times in the valley which can be very negative. Remember, you are the captain of your destiny and purpose. Focus on it, and lead your BEST life!! Everything will fall into alignment from there.
Have you ever lost sight of your purpose?? What did you do??

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What is Company Culture? It is a set of shared values, goals and attitudes and practices that characterize an organization. It is the way the people in the organization feel about the work they do, their mission, values and where they see the company going in the future. More important to culture is how the individuals fit into the framework of helping the company achieve its goals. Taken all together, these characteristics represent the personality–or culture -of an organization.

The company’s culture influences the productivity of workers from the top to the bottom. The work environment will largely dictate the quality of an employee’s work life. If an individual works in a company that has a culture which aligns with their own beliefs, values and attitudes, they are more likely to remain with that company for the long haul. However, if a company’s culture does not reflect one’s own personal beliefs/values, they are more likely to leave the company or be a lackluster underproductive team member. The latter is definitely more detrimental to the organization.

So, the company culture is crucial to the viability of the organization for several reasons. A strong culture will aid in the recruitment of top recruits because job seekers consider company culture and values to be the most important factor when considering career opportunities. Also, it aids in the retention of employees and increasing engagement. The end result is a more productive work environment which translates into increased profits. All organizations must manage the company culture and find ways to improve it. Since the PEOPLE in an organization are its most valuable asset, the investment in company culture is logical.

How does a company build a great company culture? The first step is defining what you mean by work culture and that is determined by the values of the company and why it exists. For example if your company does not do anything to promote recycling, it will not be an ideal environment for an individual who values recycling. Many of these types of values are outlined in the mission/values/vision statement. These can be modified with the input of the team to further bolster a strong company culture

Other tips to bolster company culture are:

1. Ask employees for input- many employees come from varying experiences and can provide valuable information about past experiences that worked in an organization. These tidbits can be tweaked and implemented in to the present organization to improve the culture.
2. Hiring people from diverse backgrounds (race, age, genders, and cultures) will help to provide an environment that is rich in differences which fosters greater cultural awareness.
3. Encourage Work-Life balance to reduce stress
4. Make sure employees know your expectations.
5. Always remind employees that heir work matters and recognize their achievements
6. Create opportunities for team building and the development of relationships (outside of work).

Bolstering company culture creates an environment where employees feel more comfortable with each other. They feel safe, supported, and appreciated at work. This is an environment where people are able to work hard and perform well. Both the employee and the employer will benefit from this type of culture.

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“Everyone of us needs to show how much we care for each other and, in the process, care for ourselves.”- Princess Diana

Great leaders make it their purpose to work hard and to do things that are up and beyond their call of duty. They tend to take on tasks and power through them because that’s what the “leader” is suppose to do. Lots of times, this means giving up or sacrificing things that should be more important, but in the end feeling accomplished for successfully completing a project, making sure your team is thriving and/or helping to ensure the viability of the organization. This self sacrificing behavior over time takes a toll on the physical and mental health of the leader. So, I pose the question…”who takes care of the leader?”.

The question almost seems like an oxymoron. The leader is suppose to be the strong person in the organization…the glue that keeps everything together. But, what happens when that leader is suffocating under an insurmountable amount of pressure and just has no time to rejuvenate?? Again, I ask. .”who takes care of the leader??”

The answer is clear and obvious:

THE LEADER MUST TAKE CARE OF THE LEADER!!

That’s it in a nutshell. Every leader has to practice sound self care activities daily in order to be able to deal with the stress that is presented in leading, managing or directing any type of business. Self- care is taking care of one’s mind, body and spirit to enhance an overall wellness. In Webster’s dictionary, it is defined as “the practice of taking an active role in protecting one’s own well-being and happiness, in particular during periods of stress”. Wow.. let’s break this down.

Self care is :

1. A practice– We all know that a practice is a repeated exercise of an activity as to acquire or maintain proficiency. Self- care has to be done regularly so it can become second nature, a part of your daily routine, or a habit.
2. Taking an active role– This means that one has to be involved in the activity and make it a priority.
3. Protecting one’s well being and happiness– this is a crucial element of self-care. It is a protective mechanism to safeguard your mental and physical health.
4. Periods of stress-like the Pandemic, supply-chain and staffing issues and a looming recession to name a few. Stress is at an all time high globally. This makes a focus on self care extremely important.

Everyone would like to tell you to go get a massage, manicure or exercise. Self care is more than that and it is an individual practice. So here are a few tips you can use:

1. Let go of what others think you need and do what makes you feel good. In other words.. “DO YOU!”.
2. Shift your focus. This is extremely important in stressful times. One cannot focus on the negatives or deficits. Changing one’s focus to the positives during a stressful situation can shift thinking and make one more productive and creative.
3. Create Routine. This is the best way to take care of the leader within you. To become consistent just add small things to your routine. It may be meditation, hot baths or a workout. No matter what it is, make it a part of your routine. Not only will your body and mind reap the benefits, but everyone else around you will too.

Remember, the quest to self care is a marathon not a sprint. You have to practice and make a conscious effort to put YOU first. Everyone in your life will thank you for it. More importantly, you will thank yourself.

What does self-care look like for you?? Please comment below.

Purpose-driven leaders must be able to incorporate innovative leadership principles in order to keep their team competitive and up to date. Innovative leadership is a style that entails applying innovation and creativity to managing people and projects. An innovative leader will inspire productivity in ways and through different avenues than have been used or taken in the past. Especially in times of uncertainty (like post pandemic), an innovative leader or a creative leader is of great benefit to a company.

Innovative leaders are willing to try different concepts or ideas. they are able to think outside the box in order to meet a challenge and be successful. An example of an innovative leader would be Steve Jobs, former CEO of Apple, Inc.. He inspired his team to “Think different” and it revolutionized Apple’s ability to market and sell their products.

An innovative leader does not have to be the mastermind behind all new and creative ideas produced. This leader is able to acknowledge the greatness in their team and assist to help develop ideas. They have no problem in being a participant in helping to guide a team idea to success. These leaders are able to adapt to change, try new concepts and envision the path forward for a creative idea.

Any leader can become an innovative leader. One can start by:

1. Being willing to keep learning
2. Study innovative leaders
3. Look for ways to improve upon current concepts
4. Set manageable goals
5. Find you passion
6. Be willing to adapt
7. Be persistent

How are you leading and promoting innovation in your organization??

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“Your purpose in life is to find your purpose and give your whole heart and soul to it.” …Buddah

Ever since I was six years old I knew I wanted to be a doctor. I was fascinated by science and how living things worked. I would read the Worldbook encyclopedia and study the transparent pages which illustrated the insides of a dissected frog. I wondered if the insides of a frog looked like those pages. I was that kid. So, at the ripe age of 7, my friend and I caught a bullfrog and dissected it under the porch (using the encyclopedia as my guide). I was so excited to see that indeed my dissection looked just like the book. At that moment, I knew I would be a surgeon. I never wavered and in the end accomplished what I feel I was called to do…practice medicine/operate. But, is this my purpose?? I don’t know…..let’s define purpose.

The dictionary defines purpose as the reason something exists, an intended end; aim; or goal. I suppose finishing medical school and residency and then eventually practicing was my goal or the intended end. In that case, I guess I have attained my purpose. But is purpose finite?? or does it evolve and change as we move closer and closer to our purpose?? All things in nature are moving towards some form or type of outcome. Whether it’s an apple tree producing fruit or the sun rising to produce daylight, everything is moving, shifting and evolving towards an intended fulfillment.

Purpose offers a sense of direction and helps guide our paths, behaviors and our goals when applied to our lives. Purpose creates meaning. Defining and understanding my own purpose has been a big focus of the last 2 years of my life. Nothing like a pandemic to make you think about where you are in life and what you really want for the later half of your adult life.

While a lot of people are happy living a predestined existence in auto-pilot. I want and need more. I desire to get up every morning, not with a sense of dread or lack of motivation, but with a sense of enthusiasm about what the day holds and what I can contribute. Can anyone else relate to me?? Please read on with an open mind to learn how knowing your purpose and living in it will enrich your life.

Your purpose is unique to you and everyone’s purpose is going to be slightly different. However, most people tend to agree that there are three main areas through which we typically connect with and express purpose in our lives. These three areas are:

1. Vocation- through our career or work that is purposeful and aligned with our values.
2. Social/Familial– Personal values are aligned with our relationship to family, friends, and/or our community.
3. Spirituality– drawing meaning and fulfillment through our religious and/spiritual beliefs.

One can align their purpose with one of these areas while others will try to align their purpose with all three. There is no “one size fits all” in this quest for purpose. And, purpose can change throughout our lives as our priorities and situations shift, and we gain more life experience. Purpose is not finite…it is fluid.

The key to living with purpose is:

a) knowing your purpose and doing the work to align one or more of the areas of your life with that purpose;

b) knowing what you value in each area of your life; and

c) living intentionally using your values to guide you as you continue in the quest for your purpose.

What areas are you aligning in your quest for purpose? I am on the quest to align all three areas (career, family and spirituality)…How about you??

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Organizational Capabilities are the intangible, strategic assets that an organization draws from to get work done, execute its business strategy, and satisfy its customers. They can include expertise, activities, information, knowledge, procedures, processes, skills, systems, technologies, or other unique adaptive features. The alignment and strength of such assets is what sets a company apart from their competitor. A company with strong organizational capabilities is able to gain success and stand out from the competition.

These organizational capabilities matter especially when implementing strategy, yet companies do not plan for them as meticulously as other physical and financial assets. One of the critical contributors to organizational capabilities is the leadership. It is crucial that purpose-driven leaders posses organizational capabilities and are able to perform in order to implement company strategies and drive business performance. It is very clear the impact that leadership has on the results an organization is able to attain.

So, what are the capabilities found in an effective organizational leader are:

1. Problem-solving and decision making
2. Communicating (especially listening) effectively
3. Relationship- and team-building (including developing leadership potential in others)
4. Identifying future innovations and opportunities
5. Understanding the business environment and operations
6. Using integrity and ethics to govern decisions
7. Thinking strategically, system-wide, and holistically
8. . Spreading the organization’s vision and inspiring others to share in that vision

A leader’s organizational capabilities have a profound impact on the business. They must align with company’s mission and vision to ensure its future success and ability to thrive in a rapidly changing environment. It is also the responsibility of the leader to develop and acquire talented team members who also embody the same capabilities. This will build a robust organizational culture equipped to carry the company into the future……growing and crushing all strategic goals…….ensuring it’s long-term success.

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“Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.”–Warren Bennis

When you think of a visionary leader, you may think of someone like Martin Luther King Jr., who peacefully led black people in protest against racial discrimination/segregation, or Mahatma Gandhi, who revolted nonviolently against the British rule in India. Both men saw a new vision for their people and set out to achieve it- and they did.

Given the greatness of both men, you may be thinking that visionary leadership is rare and is certainly not something that the average person can possess. But, visionary leadership doesn’t have to be world-changing. You may already have visionary leadership and not even know it.

So, what is visionary leadership?? A visionary leader is a person who sees the potential for how the world should be and they are able to make a plan and lead others in the execution of the plan. These two abilities combined–the ability to see the potential for change coupled with the ability to lead others creates a visionary leader.

There are three main characteristics which are found across the board in all visionary leaders. These characteristics are:

1. Risk-Taking– Change is never risk-free. Martin Luther King Jr. lost his life fighting for change. The battle against racial segregation was not won with one march. It took time and came with a lot of risk. Thank goodness the rest of us don’t have to put our lives on the line. Suffice it to say–-Visionary leadership is all about change and change has risks.
2. Listening-A visionary leader hears the voices of their team members. They have to tune out the naysayers; but they will listen and take feedback from those trusted and close to them. A visionary that doesn’t listen to what people are saying is just an “idea guy” and won’t succeed.
3. Takes Responsibility– A visionary leader takes responsibility for their actions and vision because they are aware that their ideas are different and have significant risk. This individual takes the responsibility for ensuring that all the critical pieces are in place to move the vision forward. Remember, having a vision is much like having a child You would do anything and sacrifice everything for your child. However, when you need help with your child you solicit help and usually you have to pay for these services. A vision is the same: you cannot expect your team to sacrifice like you are willing to and they have to be compensated and treated fairly in this process. Remember, it’s your vision.

Visionary leaders set goals and devise a plan to work towards the said goal. This helps the leader stay focused on the priorities. A visionary leader looks at the status quo and devises a plan to make the situation different, instead of just making it better. After all, Mahatma Gandhi didn’t want to just make the relationship between India and Great Britain better. He set out to end that relationship. And that vision made all the difference for India.

Is there anything in your organization which you desire to make different?? That’s a vision…so now make a plan and rally the support of like minded individuals to help champion your vision!! See you too can be a visionary leader.

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Almost everything you do in life is made better when you are positive. Any difficult situation is handled better if one maintains a positive attitude. Leadership is no different. Positive leadership matters and has been shown to have a beneficial impact on the satisfaction, engagement, and performance of individuals, teams and organizations. So, what is positive leadership??

Positive leadership is defined as “the implementation of multiple positive practices that help individuals and organizations achieve their highest potential, flourish at work, experience elevating energy and achieve levels of effectiveness.” Positive leadership is modeling, facilitating, and purposefully influencing positive emotions that encourage team members and employees to excel in their work. Positive leaders foster an empowering environment through communication, accountability, emotional intelligence, motivation, and exemplary work ethic. A positive leadership strives to enact an effective and an emotionally engaged team in the easiest way possible. This creates positive work conditions for employees and builds strong relationships through teamwork. Thus, helping the organization success.

Positivity is a skill that requires work every day. It may seem to everyone that you are just a positive person and you were born with that type of attitude/personality. This is not the case. Positive leaders have worked on their ability to overcome challenges and obstacles. It takes focus and perseverance to be positive each day. Positive leaders still have the same fears and struggles as others but they don’t let them dominate their behavior and attitude. After all, who wants to follow a “Negative Nancy” or a “Debbie Downer ” type leader. This type of negativity is usually passed to the team and creates a recipe for disaster.

If you want to be a positive leader in your organization, here are some pointers based on research. You have to do more than just smile. You have to be authentic, which means you must:

1. Show you genuinely care for your teammates
2. Empower your team members to be autonomous and train them for success.
3. Show compassion when team members are struggling.
4. Support your team members and serve as their champion
5. Serve as a role model and demonstrate positive social exchanges (getting employees to keep conversations at work positive and avoid gossip and spreading negative information).
6. Show hope for the future and inspire people at work.
7. Bring energy and enthusiasm to work to motivate the team.
8. Remind your employees about the purpose of their work.
9. Treat all employees with respect and integrity.
10. Find and share humor with your team.
11. Focus on strengths and be the positive change agent.
12. Create a culture where everyone cheers each other on.
13. Focus on coming up with solutions to problems. Be optimistic when tackling challenges.
14. Accept that there will be conflict and address it in a timely manner.

It’s not easy for anyone to constantly display a positive perspective, especially during challenging times. It requires dedication, persistence, and continual focus for a leader to remain optimistic and encouraging/inspirational around your team members. But, positivity is something that we all can work on developing to build a better workplace for everyone in the organization.

POSITIVE LEADERSHIP MATTERS!

What are you doing to make your work environment positive?? Please leave a comment below.