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In Igniting Purpose-Driven Leadership, Jim Nevada, executive consultant, coach, and entrepreneur, suggests that the essential element that many leaders lack that sets successful leaders apart from the rest is a focus on purpose. In his book, he reveals how leaders can stay focused on their purpose and that of their organization and find the right people to make that purpose a reality.
Much more than just another business or personal development book, Igniting Purpose-Driven Leadership is packed with research on leadership, successful businesses, and the philosophies of the world’s leading companies and their CEOs. The extensive notes and table of contents show that Nevada has done its research, and the book’s tone and content reflect that it has not only done it well, but made it digestible by providing an entertaining and informative read for anyone who wants to become a a better leader.
Many successful companies are featured in Igniting Purpose-Driven Leadership, including Google, Amazon, and Southwest Airlines. Nevada shows that, from the very beginning, Google’s founders always operated their business with a purpose in mind. Others, like Southwest Airlines, understand that people should be the foundation of their business. Nevada states, “The future of a business lies in the creative minds and hands of its people.” Consequently, creativity is a critical skill and purpose for companies that want to succeed in what Nevada calls the “Age of Human Capital.”
One point of Nevada that I particularly appreciate is the need to focus on abundance and not have a scarcity mentality. Too many times we hear people talk about how difficult it is to find good help, but the truth is that there are many qualified and capable people and often the problem is that companies do not use the full potential of their employees. Nevada proposes: “If our goal is to elicit the highest level of energy and creativity from our people, then we must let go of our limiting beliefs and realize the limitless potential in everyone. From there, we can be more effective in making change.” “. from a scarcity to an abundance mentality.” Nevada encourages hiring people even when we are not sure what role they can play if they are right for the company and creative. Such purpose-driven hiring will result in purpose-driven employees of the company and that they will enjoy their work. It is a way to move away from short-term thinking that focuses on results first, and instead act from a long-term, people-first approach. At the same time, not Hire the Wrong People Nevada advises you, “Take your time and bear the cost to make sure your new hires are the right ones, even driving the business of high performers, just because they’re not aligned.”
And once you have those people in place, treat them very well. I commend Nevada for their comments on how some businesses don’t treat employees or even customers well. For example, Wal-Mart, which was applauded in the past for treating employees well, receives a black mark against it for having Black Friday sales that have resulted in chaos and even deaths and injuries. He points out that several companies are now closing their doors on Black Friday and also offering better prices to customers throughout the year. This discussion alone was worth the price of this book, and hopefully the options Nevada describes will become part of the retail future.
All of these examples reflect purpose-driven thinking, as described by Nevada, but can also be described as future-focused thinking. Nevada points out how successful leaders and companies not only solve existing problems, but also solve problems that don’t yet exist because they can anticipate them and then find creative solutions to them. One of my favorite quotes from the book illustrates this point. Henry Ford once said, “If he had asked the people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” Nevada advocates forward-looking, purposeful thinking that anticipates what people will want before they know it themselves.
Finally, and there is so much more I could say about this book, but I’d better let you read the rest on your own. I loved when Nevada discussed how purpose-driven leaders and companies are not afraid to redefine their purpose and themselves. For example, I think Henry Ford, if he were alive today, would be proud to know that the company he founded a century ago has recently made it public that it no longer considers itself an automobile company. Rather, it is a company focused on “improving mobility solutions around the world.” As Nevada says, “This is a big change for one of the world’s largest manufacturers. It requires Ford to not only reinvent how it presents itself to the external market, but also how it operates internally.”
It’s time for more companies to follow in the footsteps of Ford, Southwest Airlines, Google and other leading companies that have clearly defined purposes and recognize their employees. As an example, we often hear how Millennials don’t have the work ethic of previous generations, but Nevada says data suggests nearly 90 percent of Millennials want more career development opportunities and responsibilities, but only a third feel that their organizations are making full use of their skills and experiences. Something is wrong with that image. Fortunately, the tools and information provided in Ignite Purpose Driven Leadership can help change that.
This book is one to put on the shelf alongside other modern business classics like From Good to Great by Jim Collins. But before you put it on a shelf, read it! And then you’ll probably repeatedly pull it off the shelf. It is that purpose.