Providing a Sense of Deeper Purpose: Leadership Best Practice

Association Of Mbas

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• Publié par: olurosot
• Nombre de lectures: 162
• Langue: Français

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Providing a Sense of Deeper Purpose: Leadership Best Practice

Loïck Roche, Associate Director, Vice-Dean and Professor of Management, & John Sadowsky,

Chairman of Mosaic Capital and Professor of Leadership, Grenoble Ecole de Management

Providing a Sense of Deeper Purpose: Leadership Best

Practice

Loïck Roche & John Sadowsky

Grenoble Ecole de Management

Introduction

In a previous article,

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we wrote of our belief that effective leaders motivate those around them

by telling certain types of stories — stories of identity and vision of the future. Indeed, one of

the ways a leader can use stories effectively is to enlarge the perspective of the group, to

convince employees they are doing important work, and that their efforts will make a

difference in some wider context. Now, we complement the storytelling concept by focusing

our attention on how leaders can generate passion and commitment to a cause or mission.

As we will see in this paper, it is by providing meaning and purpose, by encouraging the

individuals on their teams to share a journey and a common quest, that leaders can ignite true

passion and dedication in their colleagues and subordinates.

In our research, consulting practice and corporate executive coaching, we have long been

interested in identifying common personality types, behaviours, or traits that distinguish

effective leaders. Years of study and observation have led us to the conclusion that such

universal attributes do not exist. Leaders can be short or tall, charismatic or unassuming,

introverted or extroverted, calm or animated, authoritarian or consensual in decision-making.

Thus, we have come to focus increasingly on a relatively small number of characteristics that

successful leaders seem to exhibit in almost all cases. In our judgment, one of these

characteristics is an ability to define and provide, on an enduring basis, a sense of deeper

purpose for their followers.

The Search for Meaning

Numerous business authors of recent years allude to the importance of meaning and pride in

the workplace. One of O’Reilly and Pfeffer’s major findings in their book Hidden Value is that

most workers “would like to believe that what [they] are doing makes a difference to others

and that [their] work is important.

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In his discussion of authenticity in the workplace and in

leadership, former Medtronic CEO Bill George expresses his conviction that “employees

today are seeking meaning in their work…In mission-driven companies employee motivation

comes from believing in the purpose of the work and being part of creating something

worthwhile”.

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Katzenbach’s book Why Pride Matters More than Money argues eloquently that

pride and sense of purpose are the most powerful motivating forces in the world, and that

thriving corporate leaders motivate by igniting these feelings among their employees.

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Storytelling guru Annette Simmons agrees, expressing her own conviction that “everyone,

deep down, wants to be proud of their lives and feel like they are important”.

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Cooper and Sawaf assert that true leaders tap into the unexpressed desires of others, desires

for meaning and substance in their working lives: “Great leaders put words to the formless

Business Leadership Review

II:III

www.mbaworld.com/blr

July 2005

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© 2007 Association of MBAs