A shift in working attitudes is galvanising leaders to take an increasingly holistic look at the employer-employee relationship. Now, the focus falls to Purpose.. why is it important, and how can you define yours?
What is Purpose in the workplace?
PwC's 26th CEO survey found that UK business leaders are facing a world of challenge: cultural, macroeconomic, and technological. In 2022's survey, CEOs expressed reaching a purpose 'tipping point', and many vowed to invest in more purposeful business practices .
2023's survey finds 43% of UK CEOs are planning to invest in decarbonising their business this year.
"43% are investing in technology to support their ESG efforts and 55% are investing in upskilling their people to make better use of technology to support ESG."
A defined business purpose not only gives you a competitive edge, but it attracts purposeful employees who align with your EVP. Discover why your EVP is business critical this year.
Why is it important to understand my Purpose?
Making sure that work - where you spend so much of your time - is in alignment with your purpose is key to satisfaction in the short and long term.
And for employers, understanding your workforce's individual relationships with purpose can spark new ways of thinking, an informed approach to nurturing culture, and a more effective management structure.
What is Purpose?
There's the dictionary definition, and then there's James Bolle's. James - who goes by the nom de guerre "The Culture Builder" - has dedicated his career to helping business leaders build sustainable cultures and benefit from happier teams.
According to James, purpose is an,
“Authentically-lived Aspiration that provides a call to Action for an organisation and its stakeholders, that Advances something or someone external to the organisation.”
Notice the 4 A's? They are the core tenets of purpose.
-
Aspiration - the hope of achieving something important - and maybe unattainable - over the long-term
-
Action - the inspiration to behave in a certain way
-
Advancement - something that advances and provides a benefit to people or things outside of the organisation itself as it is pursued
-
Authenticity - not something that’s written on a wall or only referred to when selling, something that lives and breathes throughout everything the organisation does
The 4 A's offer a tangible, reflective exercise - whether to uncover your own purpose or understand your team's.
Defining your Purpose statement
What is the elevator pitch that explains who you are and what you do? Jag Sohal feels that creating a 'Purpose Statement' is the best way to define this.
As a people leader, Jag found she was great at connecting with people and also technology. "Making a Connection" was her initial purpose statement. Over time, she broadened this to become 'Connecting the Dots'.
Jag suggests an activity to define your purpose in a short statement. In her role as a people leader, she asked her team to come up with a short 'superhero strapline'.
Self-reflection is not easy - here are some questions to use if you'd like to undertake this exercise:
-
Understanding what motivates or provides a sense of achievement
-
Where does this come from, what does the person value most?
-
How can we leverage purpose to help support personal and wider team or company objectives?
For Jag, this activity was key to finding out how her team wanted to be seen, heard, and authentically understood. From a leadership perspective, isolating an employee's purpose is a great way to individualise training, support, and manager intervention.
|
I want to be known for... |
My Purpose Statement |
|
Developing Apps with Ethics - showcases a unique angle, allows you to quickly align or misalign yourself with a company
The Expert on Database Design – communicates to manager the employee would benefit from training and support to become an expert
IT Finance with a Friendly Face - disrupting the status quo, I want to be people facing.
Fighting Cyber Crime, Quick Time |
Want to try for yourself? Think about what it is you want to be known for. From a recruitment perspective, having this nailed down is ideal. You can share it with recruiters, and it will help narrow down the right role for you. Once you're there, the case for a purpose statement remains strong: use it to help your managers weave your personal objectives into development plans.
What is a Purpose Shield?
The Purpose Shield is an activity based on the concept of Ikigai - the Japanese word for "reason for being". It looks holistically at areas that matter to an individual, and encourages self-reflection in defining your purpose.
See Jag's Purpose shield below as an example.
Tip: Swap just 20 minute on social media for having a go at the exercises above. Create your superhero statement and purpose shield to share with your manager, recruiter, or team.
Where can I learn more like this?
As part of our focus on encouraging Early Entry into tech and demystifying alternative routes into the industry, we've partnered with Jag Sohal. Jag is on a mission to help those in their early careers make a positive start in the IT profession. She's a myth buster keen to let people know that there’s many entry paths into IT and the profession offers a whole host of opportunity, impacting all sectors.
Watch: Your Purpose Shield | BCS Birmingham Branch
Connect: Find Jag on LinkedIn
