While it may be early days in understanding the immediacy of the crisis to focus on the bigger precisely how an individual’s purpose connects picture and what matters to them. to what he or she wants and needs from work—or how these tie to an organization’s purpose—now One effective way to do this is through periodic, is the time to start figuring it out. Start by simply guided conversations with your direct reports. discussing these matters with your team openly, Don’t think of these as project check-ins, or even honestly, and thoughtfully. By treating this as as purpose check-ins, but rather as empathetic the beginning of an ongoing conversation about check-ins—a chance to understand how employees purpose, meaning, and what your employees want are doing and learn how you can support what they from work, you can help people better identify and need. Have your company’s managers make these articulate their purpose, and even start finding ways meetings a recurring part of how they lead as well. to help them live it more fully at work—an outcome that will benefit everyone. Make personal reflection a business priority By creating a space for honest discussions about And as you get started, remember that your actions purpose—including your own—your team will and your capacity to lead with compassion play hopefully be more willing to explore the topic for an outsize role now. You will have access to only themselves. A “purpose audit” can help. Create what your people give you access to. Treat these the time that people need to consider how their conversations and resulting insights as the gifts that work is fitting into the bigger picture, using the they are, and you’ll increase the odds of seeing more nine types of purpose as a starting point to explore of both. what elements resonate and why. When people can articulate a purpose, do they feel they are living it? Start the conversation—yesterday What barriers prevent them from living it more fully? During times of crisis, effective leaders are How—if at all—have recent events changed the way important sources of trust, stability, meaning, and they think about purpose? One deceptively simple resilience. They also play a vital “sensemaking” role ice-breaking question that we’ve seen elicit rich for those around them. For many people in your conversations is: “When do you feel most alive?” organization, the urgency of this time is to blend exhilaration with extraordinary stress. Those who Sharing purpose with others can build accountability compartmentalize the pressure and trauma may and act as an accelerator that helps people consider face stress, anxiety, and burnout later—and purpose where and how to bring more of their purpose to will be a catalyst in these dynamics. work. With your help, the crisis may provide new opportunities for employees to take action in line Consider, for example, the teammate who with their purpose. It may even motivate you to feels tension between the imperative to meet further explore your own sense of purpose and see foundational needs by earning a paycheck, and the how you could benefit as well (see sidebar “One frustration (which may be unconscious) of not having CEO’s story”). the time, opportunity, or license to focus on their purpose. Or the colleague who thrives on face-to- Help people take action face interactions with customers and coworkers There are many things leaders can do to help ignite but finds days filled with video interactions draining purpose for their colleagues. For example, one large and deadening. People need empathetic and caring retailer dedicates time for a regular “purpose pause,” leadership to help be aware of, understand, and where teammates are encouraged to celebrate grapple with such tensions as they develop. their involvement in local community projects and to identify new ones to support. The company uses an Simply talking about the pressures can help app to spur connectivity and increase the odds that heighten your colleagues’ sense of purpose at work, good ideas are applauded and shared. as will encouraging your team to step back from Igniting individual purpose in times of crisis 141