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What Does the Future of Leadership Look Like? Purposeful Work is on the Horizon 

The future of leadership… What does it look like? Where will it take people within the modern workforce? How will it shape the workplace and corporate companies? That’s a lot to unpack. Things are still changing and there’s a lot of uncertainty, but I’m here to offer clarity. At the end of last year, I got into the weeds and did my own research, getting feedback from corporate professionals and leaders in the financial services, consumer goods, retail, and technology industries. I wanted to capture the essence of what’s top of mind for people at work, and I’ve packaged my findings into the Finka Inc. Career Advancement Forecast. One of the main findings was the quest for purposeful work. People no longer want to be cogs in a wheel; they want to do work that matters and make a unique, transformational difference. So, how can you find purpose in your work and help your people find their purpose too? Try these five tactics. 

Continue the conversation beyond the blog at The Future of Leadership Forum! Attend a jam-packed, 1-hour community event with fellow HR and L&D Leaders and People Managers to discuss future leadership trends, skills, and strategies. Transform your people and register today! 

Why Does Purposeful Work Matter?

Purpose is defined as an intention or something to be obtained. Essentially, it acts as a guiding light to fuel your engagement, momentum, and growth, and helps you reach your goals, which is especially important at work.  

Now, oftentimes, purpose can get confused with passion, but they’re not one in the same. While passion is fleeting and based on circumstances, purpose is ironclad, something you’re committed to no matter the ups and downs.  

Here’s how purposeful work can impact your leadership:  

5 Tactics to Make Your Work Matter

You know what purpose is. You know what the benefits are to link to it at work. But maybe you’re still unclear about what your purpose actually is. Follow these five tactics and define your purpose by the end of this blog.  

1. Acquire a Transformational Mindset

A transactional mindset focuses on the impact you have on yourself, whereas a transformational mindset shifts to the impact you have on others. So, how do you flip the switch? 

Take your job responsibilities, tasks, and activities, and observe how it all adds value to your team, organization, and customers. Connect the dots! Look at your boss’ goals and objectives, as well as your departments and organizations. Align your daily to-dos to understand how you impact the bigger picture.   

Last week, I was having conversations with RVPs at a company. I asked what separates their top performers from their average. They all said, hands down: “Strategy!” The ones who understand the big picture and how they impact that are the ones who are winning! 

2. Connect Your Purpose to Your Company’s

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” — Helen Keller  

I love this quote by Helen Keller. It’s powerful, as it speaks to having a greater impact when we work together and collaborate with others vs. isolating ourselves and going it alone. 

The same can be said for purpose. Sure, knowing your personal purpose is helpful, but it’s only magical at work when you align it to your company’s. 

To define your personal purpose and connect it to your company’s, make a list of how the work you do contributes to your company’s purpose.  

Step 1: Map Your Personal Purpose  

Ask yourself: 

  • What drives you at your core?  
  • What change do you want to create in the world?  
  • What brings you the most fulfillment? 

Step 2: Understand Your Company’s Purpose  

Answer these questions: 

  • Beyond the mission statement, what real-world impact does your company create?  
  • Who does your organization serve?  
  • What problems does your company solve? 

Step 3: Find the Intersection Points 

Identify the answers to these questions: 

  • Where do your values align with company values?  
  • How can your unique strengths serve the company mission?  
  • Where can your personal goals support organizational objectives? 

Here’s an example:  

  • Personal Purpose: “I want to help others grow and reach their potential.”  
  • Company Purpose: “To innovate solutions that make businesses more efficient.”  
  • Intersection: “Leading team development initiatives that help people master new technologies and grow their capabilities.” 

3. Ask Why

The impact of your work and why you do what you do is much bigger than you. Identify what you get out of it, what others get from it, and how the world benefits from the work you do. Everything you do has a ripple effect on someone or something else. You cannot opt out of having an impact. Regardless of what you do or don’t do—you will. However, you get a choice in the matter by asking yourself why you do the work you do and how it expands beyond yourself, beyond your promotion and pay.  

Answer questions like: 

  • Why do you do what you do for yourself?  
  • Why do you do it for your family?  
  • Why do you do it for your team?  
  • Why do you do it for your company?  
  • Why do you do it for the world or your community?  

4. Identify Your Brilliant Difference

Your Brilliant Difference is an innovative, cutting-edge personal branding and leadership presence method that helps leaders get clear on their unique value proposition in the workplace, not just for themselves, but those they work with.  

For instance, last week I was running a workshop with a talent team. This team was able to get clear on how each person contributes and how they are uniquely wired to add value to the team and organization. They left understanding that the team works better and achieves desired outcomes when they bring their Brilliant Differences.  

Using the Brilliant Difference Value Matrix, you can get started by asking yourself: 

5. Define How to Bring More of Your Brilliant Difference to Work

Daily, ask yourself: “How you can I bring more of my Brilliant Difference to work?”   

For inspiration, at one point my Brilliant Difference was Ambitious Ideas. I was working in a traditional banking environment, which made it challenging to get people to adopt new ways of doing things. But every day, I was intentional on how to show up and be curious. Every day I walked in, saying: I wonder how I may bring Ambitious Ideas today. And opportunities started showing up every day.   

What's Your Purpose at Work?

Purposeful work is invaluable. It not only fuels transformational leadership, but it expands the impact of entire companies so they can make a meaningful difference in their clients’ lives. If you want more support in aligning your purpose with your companies, let’s have a quick chat and see how I can tailor a customized workshop to meet your needs.  

Or to continue discussing prominent leadership themes that will shape this year, don’t forget to register for The Future of Leadership Forum. I can’t wait to chat with you and disclose insights that are pivotal for supporting your people in 2025. 

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