Does Knowing My Purpose Help Me Become A Better Leader?

You’ve probably heard about or wondered about purpose. Maybe you’ve heard Richard Leider speak or read one of his many books on the power of purpose. Richard has been an international guru on purpose for four decades and he lives right here in Minnesota.

What is purpose?
Let’s start by defining what purpose is. Richard has a practical definition:  Purpose is what makes you want to get out of bed in the morning.  Knowing your purpose helps with longevity, productivity and better health.

Purpose creates inner foundation. When you understand your purpose it’s easier to align everything in your life. Alignment lowers stress and helps you make decisions that contribute to your happiness. When you’re aligned with your purpose you naturally help others contribute, too.

What Matters
Purpose helps us sort out what matters to us. Purpose helps us get clear as to why we are here and shows us the way for making the best use of our natural abilities and talents.

So many options
We live in a world with many options, choices and possibilities, both personally and professionally. It can be overwhelming. Clarity of purpose connects us to our inner compass and our inner knowingness; which if we’re not careful, can be drowned out by the noise and busyness of the world we live in.

Purpose is something to work with and refine over time. Awareness and a sense of determination to become clear on ones’ purpose are helpful perspectives to hold.

Dawn Zernecke & Rebecca Lindberg working with Tiffany at the Executive Women’s Change Leadership Roundtable  

Tiffany Mattick, Sr. Director, Organization Effectiveness at Thomson Reuters was a guest presenter recently at the Executive Women’s Change Leadership Roundtable. She shared some of her discoveries and steps she took to connect with her purpose.

It started with discontent
At first, Tiffany tried to ignore the discontent she felt. She was doing well at work so things looked good on the surface. But she soon discovered that our bodies have a limit to the amount of discontent they will tolerate.
Then things happened
This is a common next step when we let our minds talk us out of the discontent we feel. Things that we don’t like, start to happen around us.
 
She got sick.
 
Then came the day she forgot to turn off the laundry room faucet when she got a call to pick up her kids.  That ended with a flood in the newly remodeled basement. The brand new custom cabinetry and newly installed carpet were ruined.

Tiffany Mattick, Sr. Director, Org Effectiveness, Thomson Reuters

Can’t do this anymore
She’d had enough. She made a decision to learn as much as she could about her natural talents and to stop ignoring her inner discontent.

It’s been a journey that brought clarity and happiness
Today, Tiffany knows that her purpose is to help people be at their best.  She has moved out of a role that formerly left her drained and exhausted; into a leadership role on the values and culture team, that inspires her and fills her up. 

After listening to her presentation at the Roundtable, I can wholeheartedly say that she inspires others, too.

Tiffany now helps others connect with their purpose by showing them that:

When people engage with this formula published by Leider, they bring out their own personal best. They are happier both at home and at work. And they make contributions that matter to them. That’s a win for themselves and for everyone around them!

Take the time
If you are in a leadership role, take the time to become clear on your purpose. It will make a big difference in your confidence level, your decision making and your ability to know where you stand, and why. We need more leaders who can do this.

Thank you, Tiffany for sharing your journey with us. We appreciate your candor and your courage.

If you’d like to discover or refine your purpose, you may find these resources helpful.
•    https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffanymattick/
•    The Power of Purpose by Richard Leider
•    TED talk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6uMqoIRwSg
•    Strengths Finder 2.0
•    Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Dr. Carol S. Dweck 
•    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiiEeMN7vbQ
•    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-71zdXCMU6A

Let me know what you discover!

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