Purpose-driven Leadership

Last few weeks have been busy and I hit a few milestones.  

✅ I’m now officially an ICF-certified coach - a rigorous journey of practice, reflection, and growth. (Curious what it takes? Read more here.)

✅ I led two powerful workshops on “Developing Your Leadership Identity & Elevating Your Influence” - one for a group of  INSEAD alumni, another one for a group of senior executives in Armenia. Despite different backgrounds, one theme echoed across both:
We rarely pause to define our leadership identity beyond our job titles - and yet, it’s crucial for long-term growth.

✅ I partnered with AIIR Consulting, a global leader in talent assessment and leadership development. This collaboration expands my capacity to deliver end-to-end solutions—no matter the size or complexity of the client need.

✅ I’ve completed a certification as a Leadership Transitions Coach, equipping me with not just advanced coaching skills, but also with frameworks and a proven methodology to guide leaders through executive transitions.

If you're navigating leadership transitions, building influence, or redefining your leadership identity  or you are curious about how I can support your team—let’s connect.

While I originally planned to talk about influence in this edition, the last few weeks of running leadership workshops changed my mind. I realised there’s something more fundamental we need to discuss first: purpose. 

Without purpose, even the most influential leader will eventually hit a wall. 

In my view, Purpose, Credibility, and Competence are the cornerstones of long-term, sustainable career success, influence and impact.

But what do I mean by “sustainable”?

It’s not just about achieving milestones or climbing ladders. It’s about maintaining long-term growth, fulfillment, and adaptability — without burning out or becoming irrelevant. It means building a career that aligns with your values and passions, where your personal interests often overlap with your professional life. It becomes fluid — a life lived in integrity, not in compartments. 

Think of it like a campfire.

→ Competence is the wood — the fuel.

→ Credibility is the spark — it gets the fire going.

→ Purpose? Purpose is the heat. Without heat, it’s just light — no warmth, no transformation. 

It is worth noting that he fire only keeps burning when you tend to all three. 

What Starbucks taught me about purpose. 

While designing my recent workshops, I revisited the story of Starbucks - and how Howard Schultz transformed it.

He didn’t start the company, but he gave it soul. Inspired by Italy’s espresso bars, he saw coffee not just as a product, but as a way to create connection. A “third place” between work and home.

When Starbucks didn’t share his vision, he left and started his own coffee shop chain to pursue that purpose. A year later, Starbucks asked him to return and buy the company. 

Under his leadership, Starbucks became a global brand not because of coffee alone, but because of purpose-led leadership. He gave employees stock options, health insurance, and dignity in a service role — things that were unheard of in the food industry at the time.

Howard Schultz once said, “When you're surrounded by people who share a passionate commitment around a common purpose, anything is possible.”

That sense of purpose changed his career, the company, and the culture of how we consume coffee. Without that clarity of purpose, it would have remained just another café chain. 

Purpose gave his career meaning, gave the company soul, and gave people a reason to belong. 

What’s the purpose behind your leadership?

Purpose is what turns a job into a mission - and a brand into a movement.

A 2020 McKinsey study found that 70% of employees said their sense of purpose is defined by their work, but only 18% said they get as much purpose from their job as they want. You can read the study here. 

Purpose is no longer a ‘nice-to-have’ — it’s a non-negotiable.

This matters even more when we talk about Millennials and Gen Zs—generations that are redefining the workplace from the inside out.

They’re not chasing titles. They’re not impressed by corner offices or traditional perks.

What they are seeking is:
→ Purpose-driven work
→ Work-life integration
→ Meaningful impact
→ Alignment with personal values
→ Sustainability and social responsibility

According to the 2024 Deloitte Millennial & Gen Z Survey, nearly all respondents from these generations say they want work that aligns with their values. Many are willing to turn down opportunities - even at the expense of career progression or higher pay - if the organization’s mission doesn’t resonate.

→They want to feel like their work matters.
→They want to lead change, not just be managed by it.

This shift isn’t a trend. It’s a transformation.

And it’s challenging every leader to rethink how we attract, engage, and retain top talent. If you’re still leading with hierarchy, hustle culture, and outdated definitions of success, you’re going to lose them. 

The leaders and organizations that will thrive in this new era are the ones who put purpose, authenticity, and impact at the heart of everything they do.

My invitation as the year is still ‘young’  - take some personal time to reflect on your purpose and take some time with your team and organisation to reflect on your overall purpose. As I wrote in my last newsletter what employees are looking for in leaders the most is Hope and leading with Purpose and clear Vision inspires Hope.