Leading From Purpose Podcast

On this episode of Leading from Purpose Podcast, Nick is joined by best-selling author of Deep Purpose, Ranjay Gulati. A Harvard Business School professor whose pursuit was to strategize how to unlock growth for companies in good times and in bad until he discovered that the ultimate unlock of performance in a business on all dimensions is purpose. Ranjay has studied the likes of Facebook, Best Buy, Etsy, Buhler, The LEGO Group and more to understand the business value of having a purpose to create a moral community versus a purpose statement for profit.

Listen in for how Ranjay defines purpose in a way that resonates with individuals and organizations and unveils the true challenge most people have with purpose – focusing on the self AND the consequences for the world.

Leaders have choices to make every day – how much do I give shareholders? How much do I give customers in terms of pricing? How much do I give employees? The community? The planet? It’s one thing to create value. It another thing to capture it and then have to decide how to divvy it up. Having a Deep Purpose, gives you a guiding light or framework in which you can think about the inevitable tradeoffs that will ultimately determine the trajectory of your organization.

Find out the 4 business benefits of purpose and how to make it count.

Join Nick Craig as he sits down with Sandra Schoonhoven, Head of Sustainability at ING to discuss the power of Purpose and how “serving elephant for dinner” helps her adapt to the ever-changing world of sustainability.

During their conversation, Sandra shares how Purpose has impacted her as a leader and how it has provided new and deeper insights into her own life experiences, especially in her most challenging moments.

She also shares why she feels knowing and understanding your Purpose truly is a gift, and how she’s helped share that gift with her team so that they feel as empowered as she does.

Together, they drive ING’s sustainability efforts which include limiting the negative impacts of climate change, educating their customers on financial health, and using their influence to make the world a better place.

If you’re curious to know how having a sense of Purpose can help create a better world, you won’t want to miss this episode!

Every so often, you meet someone who really makes an impact on everyone around them, and causes you take a step back and consider what you’re doing to help others and make the world a better place. This episode of the “Leading From Purpose” podcast may cause you to do just that.

In this episode, Nick Craig sits down with Tswelo Kodisang, the Group Chief People Officer at Discovery Limited. Tswelo, whose Purpose is “To liberate the potential in people”, has dedicated his life to his Purpose, even before it was defined in a statement.

Born and raised in Soweto, a township of the city of Johannesburg, South Africa, Tswelo describes how his potential was liberated at an early age. During our conversation, he describes the impact of the life-changing opportunities he was given as a young child, and how they have motivated him to provide such opportunities for others throughout his life.

Even during the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Tswelo has never strayed from his Purpose. With his team, they ensured no one was laid off due to the pandemic, and that everything possible was done to keep their employees safe. Truly, his interest is always focused on the welfare of others.

If you’re in need of an inspiring moment, you won’t want to miss this conversation.

As we close out a year that has been filled with unexpected and unprecedented challenges, I am chatting with Geoff McDonald, thought leader on dealing with mental health in the business world.

Geoff, a ‘Mental Health Campaigner’, shares his personal experience with mental health and how it unveiled his Purpose. Geoff works with companies to incorporate mental health as a strategic priority. After all, when employees are mentally healthy, they perform better.

If your company is still working remotely or you’re thinking of ways to welcome everyone back to the office, check out this candid conversation for some insights on the importance of normalizing sharing stories about mental health at the organizational level, and creating the psychological safety to do so. After the year 2020 brought us, we could all benefit from prioritizing C.A.N.D.O. (listen to find out what this means!).

“At a point, [purpose] occasionally becomes – do I feel comfortable looking myself in the mirror?”

Nine months ago, Italy, particularly Milan, was labeled the new epicenter of the COVID-19 Pandemic. The world was watching the dramatic impact the spread was having on the society, people, business and economy at large. In the midst, Alessio Miranda, newly appointed Country Manger and CEO of ING Bank Italia, was tasked with prioritizing the health and safety of 1,000 bank employees, all while maintaining the business. Through conviction of his purpose he lead with clarity and courage, resulting in ING Italia not only supporting its’ workforce mentally and physically, but they were named the second best bank in Italy, and are ending the year ahead of financial targets.

If you’re looking for some inspiration on how to have the courage to take the hard right and speak to hearts and minds, check out this week’s episode with Alessio.