by Nick Roud | Executive Coach
In 2016 I established Roud Career Coaching. It was the right time for me and in doing so I was laser focused on creating a lasting business, a business that would serve and a business that would ensure I was living my purpose. We have only just begun and today’s leadership blog focuses on a topic close to my heart and very much part of the coaching work I do with CEOs, Senior Executives and Future Leaders. Leading With Purpose.
During the early stages of Roud Career Coaching I spoke to a couple of trusted advisors (2 are now on my Board of Directors (BODs). about my plans.
Over several coffees I shared my intent, my dreams, my thoughts and how my business might just make a difference in the world. Sure I was stepping into the unknown, forgoing a pay check and all the so called perks that go with that! But if I was honest with myself this was my ‘calling’ (just for the record I don’t like that word calling……)
My mission all though at the time I had not really framed it as my mission was (and still is) To help others achieve……..
The response from one of my BODs was – well Nick everyone wants to do that Nick what makes you different – why you?
It got me really thinking – thinking specifically about Why me and that led pretty quickly to the more important question how I’d enable others! We have just celebrated our 5th year and 800th client. We have only just begun.
Leading with purpose can and should sit with us all no matter what level you are within an organisation. Whilst my coaching work is with the pointy end of business the CEO, the executive team and the future leaders we all should be able to look in the mirror and really appreciate the work we do. What is yours? Do you have one and is it naturally authentic?
The people I coach spend time creating their own Core Purpose Statement which leads into Leading With Purpose. To some this is really hard work, really deep and meaningful work and work that nearly all wish they had done a few years ago! Many like me also describe the process as really the ‘aha’ moment of leadership the moment in time that everything comes together.
When I observe leaders that are naturally leading with purpose their is a state of calm that surrounds them, no matter the challenge, the situation, the enormous scale of things your Core Purpose will shine the light forwards for you. If you look at a sailing boat without an anchor trying to stay still in the stormy weather its flapping around, spinning around and extremely wobbly. If you observe that same sailing boat with its anchor out sure it will still be a bit wobbly but you will be facing into the storm and confident that you will not lose your position. To me that is how a great Core Purpose Statement enables great leaders to be even better.
CEO’s are juggling the balance between the today and the tomorrow conversation. There are no text books to support them, no rules to follow and I’d say nobody has ever lived through such a time, but the truly exceptional leaders are doing one thing every single day, that being leading with purpose and that purpose is very much what is driving positive outcomes.
Never in my career have I experienced or seen the un-known become the norm. Board room conversations have changed dramatically, quickly and people are recreating a new norm which over time may well really stand the test of time. You don’t need to be foolish at these times but brave yes.
Leading with purpose that is anchored around your Core Purpose is a real enabler for CEOs and brings clarity to decision making.
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“Truly great CEOs lead organisations for more than just creating money”
It’s never too late for you to spend time and reflect on how you want your legacy to be. I coached a wonderful seasoned Chair person. He had been around the block ‘as they say’ seen many things good and bad. Worked with some truly world class CEOs and seen his fair share of turbulence times. He spent some time on his Purpose with me, he reflected a great deal on all the things he had chosen to do over his life and now heading into his well deserved ‘retirement’ he really was keen to leave a legacy. He called me recently last week it was to let me know how retirement was treating him, he mentioned his purpose statement was on his wall in his home office and he observed it nearly every day, he was and is a very proud man and he couldn’t be prouder of what he is now working towards all set around his purpose. This as a coach makes me hugely happy!
Getting clear on your purpose does and will take time, energy and thought. This can’t be achieved in one sitting. I know and appreciate that it can take many months to get or feel very comfortable with your purpose. Over eight months I spent quality time working on mine and it now sits pride of place in our global headquarters. For me it opened a lot of old scares, scares that I had hidden away, it enabled me to acknowledge and thank people who had shaped me, it holds me to account and it anchors any decisions big or small I need to make in my coaching business and in life.
a short video on creating your core purpose (this was recorded a few years ago prior to beard))
Leading with purpose is playing a large part in all our lives, if you are interested in understanding more about this then reach out
Check out our other blogs that Ive been writing since 2016, enjoy