The Purpose of Leadership

On Purpose, Motivation, and Leadership

This weekend, I found myself thinking about purpose.

Everyone is driven by something, whether intrinsically or extrinsically. Neither is right or wrong; they are simply different. Intrinsic motivation comes from doing something for the sake of doing it, without the promise of reward. Extrinsic motivation, on the other hand, is driven by outcomes such as recognition, compensation, or the avoidance of negative consequences. Reflecting on these differences led me to think more deeply about leaders and how they lead.

Some researchers suggest that leaders are born, not made. From a personality-trait perspective, there may be some truth to this. Yet that does not mean leadership is reserved for a select few. Everyone has the capacity to lead in some way. At its core, leadership is the ability to motivate a group of people toward a shared goal. It requires understanding what drives people, clarifying the common objective, and helping everyone move toward it together.

I might be what some would call a “born leader.” Truthfully, I do not know how not to lead. That does not mean I need a formal title. I am just as fulfilled being a contributor. What matters to me is helping the people around me achieve their goals, whether individual or organizational. I do this by understanding their values and motivations and finding ways to help us grow together.

This instinct showed up early in my life, kindergarten to be exact.

I was great on the monkey bars. I noticed that some of my classmates kept falling and getting hurt while trying to play. When I asked the teacher about it, her response was simple: they should not play on the monkey bars. That answer did not sit well with me. I did not like seeing people get hurt, and I knew they wanted to participate. So I went into solution mode.

I realized I had the skills to teach them how to use the monkey bars safely. With the help of another kindergartener, I created lessons while he diligently checked each child off on a safety checklist I designed. Before long, we were all playing together successfully. Everyone reached the same goal, safely and confidently.

That approach to leadership has stayed with me throughout my life: identify the common goal, remove barriers, and help everyone move forward together.

Leadership is not about titles. It is about influence, purpose, and action. My passion is helping individuals and organizations develop leaders who lead this way. Great leaders truly can change the world, creating environments where people want to show up, contribute, and do their best work. When people are aligned around a shared purpose, excellence follows naturally.

So I’ll leave you with this:

Are you a leader?

What is your purpose?

And how do you choose to show up each day to demonstrate what truly matters to you?

#Leadership #Motivation