As I near completion of my PhD and reflect on my own professional experiences over the last three years I have a stronger belief that purpose led leadership is what differentiates our own personal resilience and the sustainability of the organisations we work with. However, it is more than the latest buzz word. We need to go back to reminding ourself what a purpose is . It is more than a statement that appears on a webpage or in a report.
A true purpose helps us articulate why we exist. For a company it needs to be enduring, relate to what stakeholders would expect your company to contribute to society and be prosocial in nature. It is not a mission statement rebranded. Personally it helps us frame the career choices we make, the discretionary effort we contribute and the passion and commitment we feel when involved with an activity or initiative. I know for myself, I judge whether I have lived my purpose when I evaluate a career decision in three ways: 1) Did I contribute value 2) Did I learn something new 3) Did I respect and enjoy those I worked with. As an example, my recent role as the Illawarra-Shoalhaven Commissioner at the NSW Greater Cities Commission ticked all three boxes and was congruent with my personal purpose. My PhD research of large listed companies in Australia highlights how firms can be differentiated not by what their purpose says but how real it feels for everyone who interacts with them. It shows up in the Board Charter on who the company says the Board owes a responsibility, who the company identifies as stakeholders, how stakeholders are engaged. A purpose raises expectations . Adam Smith, the 18th century philosopher and economist reminds us in his "Theory of Moral Sentiments" : Intent is not enough - action and impact is how you will be judged by those who connect with you. With the majority of value statements including the word "integrity" or its synonym , we must take a hard look at our actions and ask is our purpose symbolic or substantive. Are we doing what we say we will do.
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Given it is Fathers Day I decided to write my reflections on the value of good Dads in the lives of their daughters. Although I am not with my Dad today I was lucky enough to have a day with him when he visited Auckland two weeks ago. It was a day where we could explore our city and enjoy each others company. In addition Kirsten is not able to physically be with us to celebrate Fathers Day but we do have lots of quality family time. I know Michael sees his role as her Dad as one of the best factors in his life and enjoys sharing her life through connecting daily. In my view really good father-daughter relationships set girls up for success on so many fronts - at school, in their careers and in personal relationships. A healthy relationship makes a daughter confident with males and also helps them be strong and confident. The relationship a Dad has with their partner sets the bar for a daughter on what they should expect out of a relationship. My Dad set the bar high for all of his daughters, sharing his support and love with us all and as he has got older showing us the power of reflecting and growing through wisdom. He acknowledges he may have not got everything right as he perfects the role a Dad plays with unconditional love. However his expectations of us all has taught us the the role values play in our lives. We are all better people and powerful contributors to our own families and communities due to him. He also constantly pushed for us to challenge ourselves and not give up. Tenacity and perseverance when the going gets tough has made me stronger in every part of my life. Dad never tolerates quitting and this stops us all walking away when success and happiness might be round the corner. Happy Fathers Day to all those Dads out there making a difference in their daughters lives. Enjoy today however you are celebrating.
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