What used to be ridiculed by managers with a head for numbers is now a factor for success in these times of crisis: developing and embodying your own mission. Managers who lack a clear inner compass either follow ingrained habits or allow themselves to be controlled by external forces. Those who have clarified their inner orientation, on the other hand, have a stabilizing, clarifying and inspiring effect on the company. When our inner compass is calibrated, we lead more successfully and credibly. Isn’t that a world of difference? Three key questions help us to calibrate our inner compass.
The order volume is plummeting, a hostile takeover is looming, a key investor is breaking their commitment, etc.; a variety of events are causing uncertainty within the company. When dealing with this, a leader is expected to convey clarity, confidence and direction. But who can convey these qualities when they themselves are irritated and unsettled? Managers operate in a field of tension between external expectations and internal possibilities. However, those who can rely on a strong inner compass in such a situation find it much easier to offer clarity, security and guidance to themselves and ultimately to others. If, on the other hand, an inner compass is lacking, one’s own confusion and uncertainty are passed on, which is of course counterproductive to leadership in the VUCA world. Jürgen Dormann, former CEO of ABB, made history in overcoming the crisis with his weekly letters to the workforce. Dormann is an outstanding example of a leader who provided far-reaching orientation with his own compass (core values: transparency and commitment).
Most executives lack a clear purpose.
The need for clear, strong guidance – especially in crisis situations – is undisputed. However, this is countered by the fact that very few leaders have an established internal guidance tool at their disposal. Nick Craig and Scott Snook write in their article in the Harvard Business Review (2014) that less than 20% of all executives (from executives to team leaders, from large corporations to small businesses) can draw on a clearly developed mission. And only a few of them can actively formulate it.
Given the many loud voices that surround us and try to tell us what the best path to success is, this problem becomes even more pronounced. What should we use as a guide in this sea of valuable advice and tips? Ultimately, we are thrown back on our own stabilizing mechanisms. Without a strong inner anchor, arbitrariness and self-doubt increase.
Using spiritual intelligence to determine your own destiny
Our orientation tool acts as a guide and a constant in times of change. It gives us support and gives our actions, deeds and existence a greater sense of meaning. In English, we call this “purpose”, which is closest to the German term “Bestimmung” (destiny). American physician and author Deepak Chopra (2010) explains that every person has a unique talent that expresses their true nature and that wants to be used for the benefit of others. Our destiny lies in discovering this talent and bringing it to fruition.
And now the crucial question arises: How do we discover our own destiny? Physicist Danah Zohar (2021) describes how we have an inherent ability to give meaning to our actions and existence and to distinguish between good (beneficial) and bad (harmful). In short, it is spiritual intelligence that we need in order to uncover our purpose. Spiritual intelligence should not be confused with religion or religiosity. In those moments when routine behavior dissolves and we experience a deep sense of fulfillment, when the insignificant recedes into the background and a strong inner power is unleashed, we know deep down that we are ‘on a mission’ and following our destiny. So we need to develop a way to tap into this inner power more and more.
Three key questions to strengthen inner orientation
Most leaders rarely take the time to work on their own purpose in their labour-intensive day-to-day management roles. It is often personal crises such as sudden redundancy, divorce, mid-life crises, etc. that lead us to ask the essential questions: ‘Why am I doing all this? What is really important to me?’ If, in such a crisis, we focus our energy not only on survival but also on asking ourselves these deeper questions, meaning emerges and the crisis becomes an opportunity for inner growth. Executive Coaching can then be of enormous benefit to you. When we accompany individual leaders or entire teams in discovering their purpose, we go through a multi-stage process with them that includes various reflections, visualisations and in-depth discussions. Essentially, however, it revolves around the following three core questions:
- When you look back on all the years you have lived, what were the three to five key lessons you learned? A lesson can be a sense of achievement, a turning point in life, a life-changing experience (pleasant or painful), a setback, a loss, an unforgettable adventure, a realization, etc. The experience itself is one thing, but what we did with it, the insights we gained from it and how it shaped our behavior is another. In short: what did this lesson teach us for life?
- When you look at your current life, when do you experience strong moments of flow? These are the moments when we are absorbed in what we are doing, when we have a clear focus, when we forget time and when activities come easily to us. When we have found such moments, we ask ourselves: What skills, qualities and values have enabled me to experience these moments of flow?
- When you look to the future, what is it that you would like to leave behind (leave a legacy)? In other words: what responsibilities have you taken on and how do others recognise your contribution to the greater good? Visualising your 80th birthday and the different responses you will receive from those around you can help you answer these questions. To transport yourself into the future and discover what a fulfilling life might look like, Dr John Izzo’s ‘Five secrets you must discover before you die’ may also provide helpful inspiration.
Once you have thoroughly contemplated these three core questions and laid out the answers in the form of a mind map, symbols, collage, etc., the intensive phase of condensation begins. And once you have developed your leadership purpose – over several loops – only your true core will be able to confirm: this is it, or this is not it yet. A manager who came out of burnout formulated his purpose as follows after intensive work: ‘Live a balanced life, empower others and promote quality of life.’ Today – many years after his burnout – he lives his mission with his head, heart and every fiber of his being, inspiring everyone he encounters. If you follow this path and have clarified your inner orientation, you will still experience moments of uncertainty. But you will face them with more confidence, create competent orientation and experience more fulfillment. This has a stabilizing, clarifying and attractive effect on the company. Therefore, if our inner compass is calibrated, we lead more successfully and credibly. Plan your time out or leadership coaching now to live and lead on mission.
References / Further links
Simon Sinek: How great leaders inspire action | TED Talk
Chopra, D. (2010). The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success. Ullstein Taschenbuch.
Craig, N.; Snook, A. S. (2014). From Purpose to Impact. From Purpose to Impact (hbr.org)
Zohar, D. (2021): What is SQ? What is SQ? | Danah Zohar
