It is time to lead with our humanity, as leading with structure is no longer sufficient in a world that is shifting towards the value of experiences over things.
Every great business idea is born from a need or opportunity. It happens when someone wakes up to their purpose and wants to bring it to the world. That dreamer who finds purpose in wanting to start a new restaurant to delight others with their delicacies, for example, goes out into the world, finds the investment needed, builds a community of customers, hires a team of people, and finds a location where people can come and enjoy.
Isn’t it time for us to recognize the power business has to shift humanity in a new direction for future generations, and to create a new path forward with shared purpose?
We no longer need to crush the competition at all costs
We need to have more faith in our ability to build and co-create, as we have witnessed what happens when the drive for survival transforms into blind destruction and hatred. There is another way for us as business people to change the mindset of leadership, to co-create a new path to bring back the simplicity and beauty of business. Business can be a force powered by the purpose of providing exchanges between people that create purposeful experiences.
You may have been led to believe that this era is all about “things,” “big data,” and even “robots,” but in all this hype we have forgotten the most important part?—?our humanity! We have moved from the industrial age, where we had laborers, to the knowledge era, where we had experts, to today, where we are in the human-to-human purpose and experience driven era. Leading with structure is no longer sufficient. We need to lead with our individual and collective purpose.
Business is fairly new in human history?
It is like a child that is still finding its way in the world and has great potential to be a catalyst for profound change. You, too, can make the shift to a human centered perspective, where technological innovation serves humanity instead of trying to replace us. A large percentage of today’s youth are also seeking experiences over things, where things are simply enablers or facilitators of the desired experiences. Don’t be left behind as the shift continues to grow.
Exploring emerging trends
More leaders need to explore emerging trends related to the human-to-human purpose and experience driven era, which few people are discussing, despite becoming increasingly critical to business. The path we are on in creating thriving 21st century organizations include:
- (Re)discovering and defining the foundational higher purpose of your organization
- Designing relevant new strategies to implement your higher purpose with efficiency and practicality
- Focusing people on your organizational purpose, and attracting and retaining employees, customers, and partners
- Meeting the growing demand from customers for businesses to be accountable and do good in the world
- Beginning with people, instead of solely with organizational structure and technology, to bring to life your deeper shared purpose and ignite the untapped potential in your employees and customers
- Ask yourself and get clear on your path to being part of the human-to-human purpose and experience driven era, where people matter deeply:
And then, realize there is no one else apart from each of us that comes together to express our collective humanity.
