As the leader of Greater Purpose, a relatively new organization that aims to put purpose at its core, I’ve been reflecting on a phrase that we see in a lot of books and articles relating to our work: purpose-driven.
Let’s be honest — ‘purpose-driven’ is quickly becoming the most overused badge on LinkedIn. But what does it actually mean? How do we authenticate it? Is it enough for me to simply say it, or do I have to show it? I felt ill-equipped to answer these questions and as a result, I’ve had to do a lot of soul searching.
Having a purpose, according to most definitions, is knowing your “why”. If you can easily articulate your why, that’s fabulous. Admittedly, I had a lot of trouble. I turned to some “Purpose Worksheets” available on the web and they were unhelpful. I turned to ChatGPT and quickly realized the bitter irony of asking AI to help me find my why. I think the better question, for me at least, is what kind of person I want to be. Again, not so easy.
The line between Greater Purpose, my company, and its leader (i.e. me) is a blurry one but one that deserves consideration. If we’re building a movement rooted in purpose, we have to start by asking hard questions of ourselves. I can’t be a warm, authentic business leader if I neglect my wife and children in the process of doing so. I can’t plan fun, exciting conferences and spend my home time as a complete and utter bore. My “why”, I decided, is the essence of who I’ve become but also who I want to be. I am fun. I am vulnerable. I am committed to making a difference. I work very hard. But I also play hard and make time for friends and family. These are, I think, the makings of a purpose-driven leader.
But what about the not-so-good things? I’m easily slighted and oversensitive. I take things far too personally. I am sometimes lacking in empathy. I am incredibly impatient (in the not good kind of way). How do these traits form part of my WHY? As much as I can try to improve on these things, they are also part of who I am. Do these things undermine my ability to be purpose-driven? Can I be oversensitive and impatient and still lead with purpose?
Admittedly, I’m a fan of Netflix’s Trainwreck program, which is a series of one-hour vignettes about when things go terribly wrong. Last night, I watched the episode about the rise and fall of American Apparel, a popular fashion brand in the 2000s which no longer exists. The founder, Dov Charney, is a truly despicable character, treating his trusted employees in ways that can only be characterized as abhorrent. I turned to my wife, Mina, my Trainwreck co-conspirator, and told her that my goal with Greater Purpose is to be everything that Dov Charney is not. Charney is purpose gone wrong.
Being purpose-driven means having a social purpose and sticking to it. Every day. It means letting our team shine. It means both understanding AND admitting when I am out of my element. It means bringing on people with talents that I lack and allowing these talents to shine. It means treating everyone with respect and dignity. Maybe being purpose-driven isn’t about having all the answers. Maybe it’s about showing up — flaws and all — and doing the work anyway. Being purpose-driven means knowing who I am, but also who I am not. “To thine own self be true”. That is what is truly means to be purpose-driven.
