There must be purpose in our lives. We are here to accomplish something, to bless society with our talents and our learning. There can be fun, yes. But there must be recognition of the fact that life is serious, that the risks are great, but that we can overcome them if we will discipline ourselves.
-Gordon B. Hinckley
Several years ago when I first became a leader, I didn’t understand the importance of my role. I initially felt like I was more important and “better” than everyone else. I kind of let my leadership position go to my head. It didn’t take long, however, for me to realize that as the leader I had a great responsibility. This responsibility humbled me very quickly. I realized that there was now a lot riding on me and I could feel the weight of the pressure.
After I realized that I had a lot of responsibility, I felt like I had to get to work. I had to figure out what I was going to do and how I was going to do it. There were specific goals, objectives, and purposes that we had within our organization. In addition to the organizational purposes, I had to define my purpose as the leader. What was I going to do to help my group be successful? What was I going to do to leave my mark?
I decided that I was going to have a threefold purpose. My threefold purpose was:
- Train my people so they could be successful
- Be available to answer questions and provide direct assist to my people
- Teach and encourage my people to be obedient to company policies and procedures, and outside regulations to ensure compliance
Once I defined my leadership purpose, I knew what I was going to do to be a successful leader. The purpose defined what I should do and how I should act on a regular basis. As I was faced with challenges or problems, I knew how to respond based on my purpose. It helped me know how I was going to leave my mark as a leader. My purpose completely changed how I led and what I did.
Have you defined your leadership purpose? What is your leadership purpose? How has your leadership purpose helped you be more successful? Please share your thoughts and feelings in the comments section below!
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