The Reason I Went Purpose-Driven
A few years ago I was at a crossroads in my career. I’d reached a level of experience within my field where I could have very easily turned on auto-pilot and cruised through a boring work existence. Or, I could switch gears and challenge myself in a new role with a new company.
I very clearly knew it was time to move on from my current place of work so I began interviewing at other organizations. Like most of us do when we put ourselves back on the market, I ignored many of the obvious red-flags. I made excuses for some of the appalling behavior and interview tactics, chalking it up to inexperienced HR managers or the “startup mentality”. But it was one particular interview with a hiring manager that shook me to my core. And it wasn’t because I’d bombed the interview. I’d nailed it. But the thought of taking the job made me sick to my stomach.
I wish I could say it was at that moment that the lightbulb went off and my life changed, but I continued to apply for jobs while I waited to hear back from this company. I shushed the voice inside my head (and nausea in my stomach) and kept moving forward.
The good thing about feeling like you’ve got one in the bag is it releases that fear and desperation most of us bring with us into the application process. I soon found myself three calls deep with another hiring manager and this time, the blinders were off. This person basically asked me to solve their company’s biggest problem on the spot. I hit them back saying I could sit there and rattle off a handful of tactics that anyone could Google, or I could be the person on their team who probes inward to address some deeper branding issues the company needed to get clear on before creating an entire go-to-market plan.
What was their big picture vision for their company? What’s their ‘why’? How do they want to be perceived? How does that alter their voice and the way they promote themselves to their customers? How did they involve employees so this wasn’t just a directive coming from the top, but something everyone could embrace and promote?
The response I got was very cut and dry: Thinking about these questions is a waste of time. At the end of the day, they wanted to see a direct line between marketing activities and revenue. Anything immeasurable was off the table.
I did my best to explain to them that these things did, in fact, have a massive impact on the company, its brand, it’s leadership position, and how much money it made, but it was clear they’d never convert to my way of thinking.
It was at that moment, as I hung up the phone, that I finally realized what was missing from this job, the pending job, and even my current job. Purpose.
Purpose and profit do not need to be exclusive, but as a brand strategist and marketer, purpose is essential. It’s something to hang your hat on. When your job is to position your organization’s products or services as innovative and essential, shouldn’t you have innovative and essential things to say? If we’re not saying, we stand for something, then we’re just saying “buy me.
Purpose-driven branding is about putting your “why” front and center and talking about your impact. The beauty of leading with purpose is that you gain a stronger voice and greater traction by leveraging its power to connect and resonate with the right people. And yes, the people who are willing to pay you to be a part of your brand’s experience. And that’s the bottom line right there.
With my compass firmly pointing toward my North Star I was able to take a career path I never imagined for myself. Leaning on purpose has given me so much more to say and so many new promotional avenues to explore with my clients. It’s easier to find your target audience and you always know how to speak to them. Purpose creates an open dialogue with your audience so you know which products and services they want to see from you next and you have peace of mind knowing you’re truly delivering something of value. The transaction is much more equal.
But best of all, the clients I work with are awe-inspiring. They get it. They understand how leading with purpose makes them strong and more identifiable in a sea of competitors. They are solving big problems while, yes, still making money and paying their employees their fair share of the profits. No matter where my career takes me, I will always use purpose as my main metric.
And as for the job interview I so confidently conquered? My followup emails went unanswered for weeks, the hiring manager disappeared from the company website, and a friend at the company told me the entire department had been restructured or let go. Several months later I got an automated message stating “the position had been filled”.
My only thought as I read through that two-sentence rejection email was, thank goodness. When you’re only competing on price or features or on the thin assertion that “you’re the best” then you’re really only in it for the transaction. And I want something bigger.
Are you ready to go purpose-driven? Nexus members are invited to our next leadership intensive, “How to Stand Out with Purpose-Driven Marketing,” taking place March 31 and featuring Courtney Fanning as our facilitator. Learn more and register here!