Powered by Purpose: How and why you must enliven people

By Sarah Rosenthuler 

Many leaders miss out on the opportunity to make work meaningful. Research has shown that only 27% of business leaders help employees connect their own purpose to the work of the company.

Without this line of sight, people are less likely to experiment with new ideas, keep going when they meet obstacles and be an ambassador for their organisation in the wider world.

Powered by Purpose: Losing and finding your ‘mojo’

In my new book, I share the story of a leader who’d lost – and then found – his mojo. He’d had a brilliant track record as an engineer but his career had ground to a halt.

When we met, he sat slumped in his chair, avoiding eye contact. His heavy-heartedness was as palpable as a thick grey cloud going over the sun.

Six months later, after our last coaching session, we were chatting about DIY projects (mine had stalled) and I shared that my Dad had been a civil engineer. I wondered out loud why I hadn’t inherited any of his practical skills.

“But you’re dealing with the most complex machine of them all,” he said. “The human mind. That’s your purpose isn’t it – helping leaders like me to switch the lights back on inside.”

As he looked at me, I saw a smile on his face and a sparkle in his eyes. It had taken several months for him to re-connect with a sense of meaning in his work. Having someone to support this exploration is invaluable. We all need a sounding board at times to rediscover our sense of vitality when dullness has set in.

Leaders have a responsibility to care for the wellbeing of the people whose lives they touch. When they have a conversation with team members about how their daily work can express their purpose, it buzzes people.

It raises their motivation to make a difference. This small but significant step is a practical way to activate the power of purpose. Useful questions include:

• Why does your work matter to you?
• When do you feel most alive in your daily work?
• Who do you most enjoy helping?
• How does your work align with your personal values and aspirations?
• What feels most meaningful for you in your role and how can I support that?

Guiding and encouraging team leaders to have these on-going conversations with team members is crucial. They need to make it a ‘safe space’ where people free to open up and talk.

If team members perceive that this conversation might adversely impact their performance review, career progression, or bonus, they will shut down.

When a leader is genuinely curious about what makes work meaningful, they help to build the vital emotional connection that brings purpose to life.

‘Psychological safety’ is vital for people to be their best selves at work. According to Professor Amy Edmonson (who coined the term) this means ‘an absence of interpersonal fear.’

When psychological safety is present, people are able to speak up about work-related issues. For many people, the pandemic has led to a shared fear about the lack of safety physically, which has unexpectedly enabled them to voice their concerns more authentically with colleagues.

In this more open atmosphere, new ideas and greater collaboration are more likely to arise – but only if a leader sparks a different kind of conversation about why work matters and how people can feel more alive.

True leaders uplift their people by restoring their zest for work. They have meaningful conversations where people feel seen and safe to express their full selves. They enable people to see the positive impact of their work on others so that the ‘warm glow’ of purpose lights people up on the inside.

Article by Sarah Rozenthuler author of Powered by Purpose: Energise your people to do great work, published by FT publishing, out now, priced £16.99

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