I believe that the main characteristic of a great leader is the core essence. A leader must understand that there is a power greater than himself and that his life purpose is more about others than himself: his MAIN ESSENCE – the fundamental reason for being here. Their MAIN ESSENCE it is the key element that drives you to do what you do best. Many have taken personal journeys to find out why they are here? We have all heard of people who are “trying to find themselves”, they are actually searching for their purpose for being here on earth. It is a journey we should all take.
Why are you here? What are you here to achieve? What legacies is it designed to leave “ahead” for the next generation? What is your personal purpose statement?
For most, a personal purpose statement is very difficult to complete. First of all, many have not taken the time to write a statement of purpose. We are too busy with everything else. It is not an easy exercise to do and can take months to complete. Here are a series of questions, if you answer them they will help you identify your purpose statement, your reason for being here on earth.
Start by asking your Creator what he had planned for you and your business when he thought of you. Sit down with your journal and write down the top 10 items that really bring you joy. Then, write down the top ten items that you are most proud of. However, don’t include your spouse or children…that’s a fact. If you could do anything in the world without having to worry about time or finances, what would you do? Continue to allow your mind to wander asking yourself and your Creator, what were you created for? After completing these exercises, complete the following statement: I was created to: _____. That statement is the first draft of your personal mission statement—your purpose statement.
Now, match your purpose statement with your value system. Are they aligned? Since every decision and every action you take is based on your code of values, should they be closely aligned? In other words, if you have to go against your value system to achieve your life purpose, then you are creating internal conflict and you will not find fulfillment in your life’s journey. Your values will determine how you will achieve your life purpose. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, values are defined as:
1. Social. The ideas, customs, institutions of a society towards which the people of the group have an affective consideration. These values can be positive, such as cleanliness, freedom, or education, or negative, such as cruelty, crime, or blasphemy.
2. Ethics. Any object or quality desirable as a means or as an end in itself.
As extraordinary leaders we understand that our core values are based on our belief system. Belief systems defined by our family, our religion, our upbringing, our culture, and even our communities. So what makes us different? I think we understand that we must also answer to a higher authority: your Creator. With that fundamental belief we are more inclined to order our steps and actions in ways that please your Creator. For example, loving your neighbor (co-worker) as you love yourself prevents you from bad-mouthing or gossiping about your co-worker.
Many of the values that we hold true to in the United States are based on the belief system of a group of men and their religion. Have you ever read the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution of the United States? What do you see as the fundamental element in the value system of the United States? If you are from another country, what is the fundamental element of the value system of your country? Now what about you? What is the basis of your value system? Where do your personal and/or family values come from? I challenge you to dig deeper by identifying the top ten values you live by day to day.
As extraordinary business leaders, we must understand that values are how we do business. Ken Blanchard, co-author of “Managing by Values,” believes that values are an extraordinarily powerful force in shaping organizations. Richard Osborne calls it the soul of a corporation. Graydon Wood, Vice President of Ethics and Business Conduct at NYNEX states that “ethics and core values are the building blocks of an organization’s reputation in the marketplace.” He goes on to imply that a company’s reputation, the trust that people have in its business, translates directly into market share and therefore corporate success.”
The values that are most admired in leaders include: honesty, integrity, vision of the future, ability to inspire and competence. When you think of honesty and integrity, you think of ethics. Today, many business leaders use the term business ethics. Should there be such a term? What does this term imply for you and your organization? Does it mean that within business you are allowed to “stretch the truth”, yet in your own ethical system you would call this a falsehood? Looking to the future means being able to be more strategic or to be a visionary. Setting a vision for your company and your team is critical to driving them to a higher level of excellence. Your ability to motivate and inspire your team members will also make them more creative in achieving the company vision. Ultimately, competition is simply knowing what you do and sharing what you know.
What about your company values? What is the basis of your organization’s value system? How do they value people? What values do they place around performance? What are the “published” values and the “unpublished” values? How do your personal values align with the value of your organization? How do they conflict with each other? Once again, the closer you are in alignment, the closer you are to being able to fulfill your life’s mission.
Now that you are beginning to understand your purpose for being here on earth: your core essence. You understand your values and how they compare to your company’s values. These are the tough questions you need to answer:
- Are you able to fulfill your life purpose in your current organization?
- Is your current position a “springboard” to fulfill your life purpose?
- Will your current position prevent you from fulfilling your life purpose?
- What plan should you put in place to achieve your life’s mission?
- What actions can you take over the next 90 days to get closer to fulfilling this plan?
This plan… this purpose… this mission brings the search to its core essence. The search brings satisfaction.
