Are you lost? Lead with Purpose

What is the point of being in a Leadership role?

• Why are you here? 
• Why do you do the work you do? 
• Why for this agency, at this time? 
• What’s the point in coming to work each day?

You might be shaking your head right now, saying, “I have no idea.” 

Are you lost?

​Leaders of all kinds get lost. 
Leaders lose track of where they are, what they are supposed to be doing and for what reason. If you are one of these lost leaders, you might notice that you spend more time running around putting out fires, rather than on what you "should" be doing.  Leaders who feel lost miss the priorities. They often burn themselves out. 

If you are lost, you might feel, you might feel lost!

• I don't know what the point is anymore. 
• My work doesn't fill me up.
• I don't feel like I accomplish anything in a day.
• I just chase fires and never get to the meaningful work.

When a leader loses their way, they become bitter, agitated and not very much fun to work for. 

The whole point of leadership is that we are going somewhere
The reason we have people in leadership is to lead the organization to a certain point. When we are clear on that direction we are going, then our team can come alongside us more willingly. Consider these leaders and their direction:

• A mountain climber guide their group to a particular destination in the mountains. 
• A captain of a cruise ship knows which ports to dock at and on what days. 
• A mother heading out may have a list of what she needs to pick up before making her way back home.

Each of these individuals is clear on the direction they are going and why they are going there. You need to get clear also!

​So what is your purpose?
What is your point or your purpose in leading this organization? 
That answer to that question may not come readily to you. But when you invest time in discovering the answer, or indeed a variety of answers you will find it chances the course of your day as well as your relationships. Identifying your core purpose makes it easier to lead, and thus people will follow you more willingly.

​Your purpose may seem to change over time
I found that my purpose changed many times in my duration as leader.

• At times, my purpose was to get my team through accreditation, contract negotiations or proposal writing.
• I had the purpose many times of getting new programs up and running.
• At other times, the purpose I was focused on was to build a strong team after some challenges.
• Looking back, my overall purpose was to grow the staff that reported to me. It was to leave a legacy of leadership. 

What about you? Are you running around like a chicken with your head cut off, not knowing where you are going? It might be time to find some direction.

#leadwithpurpose means you have a clear sense of what you are doing and where you are going as the leader of your team and the organization. 

Finding your core purpose
So how do you find your purpose? It’s not a simple, two-minute exercise. It is a mindful process that takes some time. If you want to get clear on your purpose, intentionally set aside some time to go through the process of:
review, reflection & identification.

Review 
Start by looking back over your career and your life. Identify peak moments. These are the times that you were "on top of the world". Look for patterns and similarities. When were you most alive, engaged and feeling fulfilled?

Reflect
Have some conversations. Talk to your staff, peers, colleagues, family and perhaps a Coach. It’s also great to do this kind of work in a group. Work together with some peers to mine for the gold! 

Then contemplate, ponder and my favourite, write. Journal about your purpose. Just let yourself answer the questions I listed at the beginning of the article. You'll be surprise what you discover. 
​
Identify
Start somewhere with identifying what your core purpose is. You may alter it and tweak it as time goes on to get the words right, but start somewhere. By putting some words to your focus, gives you a sense of direction. 

Gaining a sense of direction
Leaders who move forward with a sense of purpose, find they are more effective, they also find they are more fulfilled. Take the time to get a sense of direction. Identify your core purpose by reviewing and then reflecting. Trust that in doing so you'll unearth some things you didn't know before that get you and your team back on track. 

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Kathy is a leadership coach for women who want to strengthen their leadership and find balance in life. She mentors females as they rediscover their purpose, passion and persistence for life while dealing with office politics, jerk bosses and the challenges of family life. In her signature program Women with Grit: Leading with Courage & Confidence, Kathy gives her ladies the hope and inspiration they need along with a kick in the pants to make positive change in their lives