It is important to define what purpose is before trying to explain how to achieve it.
According to the dictionary, “Purpose is the reason for which something is done or created, or for which something exists. It is also describes a person’s sense of resolve or determination.” So in short you don’t need it, but having a purpose is good for your health and also helps the bottom line in business.
Elite managers understand the value of purpose and how to leverage it in their people, the ‘rock star” manager knows how harness it, draw it out and capitalise on it.
Employees that have purpose and are wholly engaged in their work:
- Are healthier and take less sick days.
- More likely to look after themselves and have more creative and productive lives.
- Are likely to be happier, have greater self-esteem and are more resilient.
- They are more likely to be optimistic and happy embrace new challenges.
The upshot is, the more engaged and purposeful an employee feels, the more likely they are to make a positive contribution, push themselves forward and progress with the company. They are also more likely to produce work that positively impacts on the bottom line.
Employees lacking purpose can negatively affect profit margins too. We have all worked with energy vampires, they are usually mean-spirited, unhappy with their own life and unlikely to be productive in their roles. They also tend to have a negative impact on those around them. A single person lacking purpose, or engagement can negatively impact on an entire teams performance and its success.
How can I help my team achieve purpose?
- It starts with making a great hiring choice, not one made out of a sense of panic and the need to fill a vacancy. Encouraging teams to take ownership of the hiring process, and to put “talent” at the centre of everything they do. Give them the skills to become social media “orators’ through writing authoritative content to help build fan bases. (Members of your fan base are tomorrow’s rock stars!)
- Every great employer will outline realistic expectations and goals from day one. Rock star employers will align this with the personal goals of the individual.
What do they want to achieve?
What is their long-term goal?
What can we do to help facilitate their success?
Then they work together to ensure that at least part of the long-term goal is achieved. They get them to aim high and tap into that precious discretionary energy that will increase their overall productivity. - The rock star manager will help their employees see the bigger picture and help them understand the “why.” The why we do what we do and why we need you, and how you can help us achieve our strategic business objectives, and at the same time achieve your own personal goals.
- Ensure that you recognise the individual’s contribution and reward publicly. Never underestimate the power of public recognition. Recognition of a significant and meaningful contribution helps to increase self-esteem, proactivity and productivity.
- Reward line managers for successfully coaching and mentoring team members. The rock star managers’ bonus is not wholly based on company profit and personal success, but also on their ability to unlock and unleash the potential of their team, creating a whole company of international rock stars!
- Challenge your team to step out of their comfort zone, face into the fear and charge through it. The more challenged they are, the more fulfilled and engaged they will feel and it will help to build confidence and increase creativity.
Helping people create a greater sense of purpose in what they do, will create a happier workforce, a more productive and profitable one, and will stop them from talking with their feet. Not only this, but as a rock star manager, it also makes your job a whole lot more interesting too!
About the Author: Abigail Klapp is a Talent Acquisition Expert that works across industry sectors, arming employers with the language and tools of attraction to future proof their talent attraction model.
