Leading with Purpose
What is the purpose of business? How does a leader contribute to the purpose of the organization? These are two very critical questions and the answers are not easy. How narrow or broad the purpose of the leader is, equally narrow or broad is the purpose of the organization which he/she leads.
Helene Ploix, CMD, Pechel Industries and Pechel Industries Partenaires, France says, “I think the purpose of the business is to create wealth to the company and to create wealth for a larger number of people without harming the others. This should not be done just for yourself or for a few others, such as managers or owners. I think that the purpose of my own organization and for business in general is creating wealth for the largest number of people-to contribute.”
An organization is nothing but a group of people with defined roles and structures. To bring out the peak potential of the organization, the peak potential of each individual member of the organization must be harnessed. If the potential of each employee is actualized, the organization will automatically generate the highest wealth possible which can then be used proportionately for the organization and the society. The leader plays a crucial role in creating such a culture right from the top, a culture which brings out the best in people (the divine in them) by empowering them and helping them achieve their best potential.
Deependra Moitra , Former GM, Lucent Technologies says, “Living with a purpose is something that is very important to me-it is an issue of passion and emotion. My fundamental goal is to help others succeed, so I am willing to sacrifice a lot to do that. I help a lot of people without feeling any selfish motive. But I still have struggles from time to time between my own self-interest and a larger purpose that I should focus on.” When we operate through our conscience, we face the regular battle of the good and the bad. Suppressing our conscience can make our job easier in the short term, but what about the long term? We live in a society which focuses on quick bucks and the short term, hence following the spiritual route is very challenging and difficult. But then all the good things in life come at a high cost.
We all have a mission or purpose in life. The day we discover our deepest passion and relate it to a social cause, it becomes our life’s mission giving us inexhaustible energy. Dr Ananth Raman, Chairman, Graphtex Inc, USA puts it beautifully, “I believe that everyone’s life has a purpose and that that purpose must add some value. Even if it is a simple matter like soothing a fevered brow or wiping a tear from a child’s eye. For this you must first set a personal example. As a business leader I must set an example which others can follow.”
The power of purpose and mission to transform human society is tremendous. Dr Daisaku Ikeda, Buddhist teacher says, “When people fundamentally transform their inner attitude awaken to their life’s mission and bring forth their highest potential, they can change everything.”
Spiritual Guru, Nithya Shanti rightly says, “God does not call the qualified. God qualifies those who follow their calling.” But the process of discovering our purpose and calling is difficult and time consuming. But once we discover our purpose in life and align it with the purpose of the organization, life becomes really worth living, each day you look forward to and the whole experience is beautiful and joyful. Dr Daisaku Ikeda says, “A life lived without purpose or value the kind in which one does not know the reason why one was born is joyless and lackluster. To just live, eat and die without any real sense of purpose surely represents a life pervaded by animals.”
So if you are a leader and you want to lead with purpose, find your own purpose and align it with the organization’s purpose. And you would be heading for a breathtaking journey.
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