The roots of leadership — intention
The root of purpose is intention.
If I were to ask you, “what’s your purpose?”, would you have a ready answer? If you have a handy and high-minded answer that rolls off your tongue, that’s great. Here’s another question, would your answer have been the same 20 years ago? 10 years ago? 5 years ago? Last year?
I’m guessing it is not the same. Or at least not exactly the same. And I doubt it will be the same next year. Purpose is a living thing. It evolves as we learn more about ourselves and the world in which we live. It expands as we realize new gifts or recognize new opportunities. It transforms as we accomplish some important goal and are ready to move on to a new adventure or phase on our lives.
A lot of leaders talk about purpose which is a useful and meaningful topic. We discuss the purpose of our organization, the purpose of our teams, the purpose of our project, the purpose of our product, etc. The general theme appears to be that one can make work, (and life), more meaningful if we connect it to to some kind of purpose. Especially if that purpose sounds noble or helpful or inspiring.
Purpose is a good “True North” and handy for recognizing if you are heading in the direction you intended with your life, (or work or project). Just don’t get so attached to a purpose at some point in time that you forget the purpose of knowing your purpose. Let it grow and evolve.
Intention is a good way to bring your purpose into daily practice. Intention is a useful way to think about how you want to show up for life today. How you want to lead, today. How you want to relate, today. How you want to communicate, today. Setting your intention is living your purpose in the present.
Consider a regular practice of setting your intention before you start the day, the meeting, the difficult conversation. You might even write down your intentions for the day based on the situations you expect to face and then reflect at the end of the day to notice where it made a difference and where you may have failed to pay attention to your intention. What can you learn from those experiences?
A useful intention-question to ask yourself before any interaction or event where the outcome is important to you is, “what do I really want?” This question is helpful in a lot of situations. Based on your purpose and your intention, what is the outcome that will be most beneficial to everyone involved as well as to myself?
Intention is always in the present. Right now, in this moment, what is your intention. How will you use this time. How will you show up. What step will you take. If your intention is linked to your purpose, you will be presented with the opportunity to bring it into reality. Whether you do or not depends on your choice to act on your intention or react to the situation.
Intention is flexible. It is not a set of actions. It is a guide to helping you decide the action that most aligns to your purpose.
Leaders who operate with clear intention tied to a strong purpose are recognized and valued by those around them. They can be trusted because they are true to their values and aren’t subject to outbursts or unpredictable behavior that creates anxiety for the team. They are courageous and confident because they are clear about who they want to be and how they want to show up.
It’s not realistic to expect to always be aware of your intentions or to assume your actions will always work out if you try to follow their impressions but setting your intentions will help you stay closer to the center of the path toward your purpose.
If you’d like to learn more about my work or how I might be able to assist you in your leadership journey through a personal and practical coaching experience please contact me here.
