Provide Purpose Leader Tasks:

Task 1: Analyze individual purpose.

• Leaders can provide people with a sense of purpose at work by challenging them to grow both personally and professionally.
• Most people have an inherent tendency towards developmental growth. Some people may become apathetic if they are not being challenged.
• Leaders also provide purpose by helping people understand how their work supports the organization’s mission.
• People that feel a sense of purpose at work are better able to cope with adversity and stress.
• Motivation and commitment are the consequences of providing purpose. People that have a sense of purpose at work are more resilient.

Task 2: Encourage individual learning.

• Leaders should establish individual learning goals for themselves and their people. Learning increases self-efficacy and self-determination.  
• Learning is the key to gaining more responsibility in the workplace. Intellectual curiosity should be recognized and rewarded.
• Learning from mistakes is critical. Constructive feedback from leaders encourages more learning and better performance.
• Self-efficacy and self-determination provide persistence in the face of obstacles. People that are confident and optimistic cope better with stress.  

Task 3: Train the team.

• Team training develops the coordination, collaboration, and communication skills required to accomplish team goals.
• Training the team improves collective performance and makes teams more effective. Cross-training is especially effective at promoting trust and mutual respect between team members.
• Training the team builds shared mental models and collective efficacy. Teams that train together are more adaptive and better prepared to cope with adversity.   
• Most team training occurs informally on-the-job as team members interact and engage on collective tasks over time. Leaders need to make the most of these opportunities.

Task 4: Delegate responsibility.

• Delegating responsibility to team members provides opportunities for personal and professional growth.
• Delegating responsibility is an essential component of leader development.
• When leaders delegate responsibilities, they should be specific about their expectations and provide the requisite guidance and resources to get the job done.
• Letting go of responsibilities than can be delegated allows leaders to maximize their productivity.
• Trusting team members with additional responsibility is a show of respect.

Task 5: Empower decision-making.

• Leaders empower decision-making so that people will take the initiative to solve problems.
• Empowering decision-making increases autonomy and feelings of control.
• People will not always make the best decisions. Empowering decision-making is an opportunity for teaching and learning.
• Effective problem-solvers take proactive efforts to prepare for and prevent potential future problems.
• Leaders ensure that decisions are made consistent with the organization’s values.
• Confident problem-solvers cope better with adversity and stress.  

Task 6: Keep people focused on the mission.

• Keeping people focused on the mission can turn disruption into an opportunity for innovation.   
• The adversity created from significant challenges can be overwhelming.
• When people experience a loss of control, they become risk averse and creativity suffers.
• During times of disruption, leaders need to encourage aggressive problem-solving and action.
• Focusing on the mission helps people cope with anxiety and stress.

Task 7: Keep the team informed.

• Keeping people informed provides opportunities for constructive two-way communication. Keeping people informed helps overcome resistance to change.
• When the situation is uncertain, leaders need to acknowledge the concerns of their team. Open and honest communication about pertinent issues is key.
• People appreciate getting important news, good or bad, directly from their leaders. Being informed reduces anxiety and stress.  
• Leaders should often ask themselves…what do I know, who needs to know it, and have I told them?

Supporting Knowledge:

Know the relationship between personal growth and purpose.

Know the relationship between purpose and motivation.

Know the relationship between purpose and commitment.

Know why encouraging individual learning provides purpose and builds collective resilience.

Know how to encourage individual learning.

Know why training the team provides purpose and builds collective resilience.

Know how to train the team.

Know why delegating responsibility provides purpose and builds collective resilience.

Know how to delegate responsibility.

Know why empowering decision-making provides purpose and builds collective resilience.

Know how to empower decision-making.

Know why keeping people focused on the mission provides purpose and builds collective resilience.

Know how to keep people focused on the mission.

Know why keeping the team informed provides purpose and builds collective resilience.

Know how to keep the team informed.

Know why providing purpose builds resilience.

Know how to provide purpose.

Updated 8/14/2020