Latest news with #purpose
Forbes
2 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Why Leaders Build Purpose-Driven Organizations That Invest In Community
Anyone who has worked under an uninspired or narrowly focused leader understands that true leadership transcends boardrooms, dashboards, and quarterly earnings. It is not confined to metrics or shareholder returns—it is a human endeavor that radiates outward, shaping the culture of organizations and the communities in which they operate. Holistic leaders recognize that the ultimate success of their enterprise is inextricably linked to the depth of purpose they help cultivate across every level of the organization. And this begins with a bold and often overlooked truth: people want to belong to something bigger than their job descriptions. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, eight out of ten small businesses actively find ways to give back to their communities. But the most transformative leaders do more than give—they design companies that integrate service, meaning, and community connection into the very architecture of their operations. In doing so, they unlock deeper employee engagement, trust, and long-term resilience—not as a bonus, but as a byproduct of building organizations that matter. Community investment is not charity—it is a declaration of values. It signals what a leader and an organization stand for. In an era increasingly defined by transparency and meaning, high-performing cultures are no longer sustained by incentives and KPIs alone. They are held together by a shared sense of identity and contribution. And when leaders prioritize community as a core element of strategy, they send a clear message: we're not just here to extract value—we're here to create it. 'Being involved in the community isn't just about building a brand,' explains Thomas J. Henry, founder of the forthcoming Thomas J. Henry Center for Philanthropy in Corpus Christi, Texas - a close-nit community my aunt lived in for many years. 'It's about being part of something greater than yourself and your business.' Indeed, trust—arguably the most valuable currency in leadership—is built not by rhetoric, but by visibility, humility, and consistent action. When leaders show up at local schools, mentor entrepreneurs, or help restore community spaces, their influence deepens. Over time, that influence becomes credibility—earned, not manufactured. People no longer just want jobs. They want meaning. They want to grow, to connect, and to see the impact of their effort beyond a task list. Holistic leaders understand this and intentionally create environments where employees can find purpose through multiple pathways—whether it's through mentorship programs, volunteering, innovation projects, or community partnerships that align with their personal values. 'When a leader models service-oriented behavior,' says Henry, 'it creates ripple effects. Employees start to see their own work as part of something bigger, more human, and more enduring than profit alone.' That sense of shared mission is a cultural force multiplier. It boosts morale, enhances retention, and fosters teams rooted in mutual respect and aspiration. Organizations that embed purpose into their fabric don't just keep talent—they elevate it. No business exists in a vacuum. The long-term sustainability of any organization is tightly woven into the health and resilience of its broader ecosystem. Better schools produce stronger talent. Safer neighborhoods enable more focused teams. Vibrant local economies create a stronger customer base. 'The reality is that powerful communities are not just alive and well—they're evolving,' note Jeffrey Bussgang and Jono Bacon in a recent HRB article. 'They may be organized differently, but they present profound opportunities for companies to engage, co-create, and lead.' Leaders who see the connection between community vitality and organizational health don't wait for crises to respond. They invest proactively, ensuring that their organizations grow in step with the world around them—not at its expense. Leadership is not about control—it's about coherence. The strongest leaders create alignment between what they say, what they do, and what they build. They don't just articulate values—they embody them. They don't just promote culture—they shape it, intentionally and consistently. 'Spending time in the community where your employees and customers live doesn't just drive goodwill,' writes BizJournals. 'It creates a feedback loop of trust, understanding, and loyalty—fueling both purpose and performance.' Moreover, when leaders engage deeply with their communities, they shift the very definition of success—from status to significance. They begin to lead not only with ambition but with compassion. Not only with a vision, but with stewardship. The greatest leaders of the modern era will not be remembered solely for their innovations or profits—but for how they elevated people. For how they built companies that were not just efficient but meaningful. For how they made the workplace a place of purpose, not just productivity. The question, then, is not whether to invest in your community—it's how to design your organization so that every employee, at every level, sees that investment as part of their own story. Because when individuals find purpose in their work, and that work connects meaningfully to the outside world, you don't just build a company. You build a legacy. And legacy, after all, is the most enduring form of leadership there is.
CNN
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNN
How Rotimi and Vanessa Mdee are redefining love and faith in the entertainment industry
In their first joint interview, Rotimi and Vanessa Mdee open up to CNN's Larry Madowo about their journey through love, fame, and purpose—and how they inspire a new generation.
Fast Company
3 days ago
- Business
- Fast Company
How to move forward when you don't know your next career step
Some days, the idea of going to work can feel like a heavy weight you have to carry. If you wake up yearning for something more, you're not alone. Many professionals reach a point where they question whether their career aligns with their values, passions, and goals. They ask themselves whether they're living the life they imagined, and if they're doing fulfilling work. It makes sense that we ask ourselves these questions at different stages of our lives. Your career goals at 40 shouldn't be the same as when you were 20. Something needs to change. As two executive coaches who help people discover their purpose and achieve success, we've noticed that this challenge is on the rise. The good news is, you can take steps to mitigate this feeling of purgatory when you're so comfortable doing what you are doing and craving a challenge. The problem: feeling stuck Take Susan, for example. Every morning, she had to peel herself out of bed to face a job she could do in her sleep. There was no challenge, no spark, and a growing sense of dissatisfaction. Susan had reached the top of what she could achieve in her organization. As a loyal employee who spent 18 years at the organization, she struggled to imagine leaving the company she had grown up with over the years. But deep down, she knew it was time to explore a new challenge. Susan's story isn't unique. A recent 2024 study revealed that nearly half of the workforce feels burned out or dissatisfied with their current job. The reasons vary, but the outcome is the same: a gnawing sense that there's something more for you out there. The solution: Ten steps to take action Moving forward when you don't know your next career step—but knowing that you want more and something needs to shift—can be a very uncomfortable crossroads. It can evoke feelings of overwhelm. That's why we've created a road map to help you navigate the uncertainty and move toward clarity and action. Step 1: Admit you're ready for change The first step is acknowledging that it's time to make a move. Susan's inflection point came when she admitted to herself that her current role no longer served her growth or happiness. Naming the problem is the first step toward solving it. Step 2: Find a guide Hire a career coach or find a mentor to help guide you through the process. They can provide clarity, accountability, and a structured path forward. A good coach can help you break down what feels overwhelming into actionable steps. Step 3: Tap into what energizes you Pay attention to the moments when time flies, and you're in a state of flow. What work energizes you? Keep a journal or use the notes app on your phone to track these moments. Over time, patterns will emerge, revealing what excites you most. Step 4: Do a passion audit Evaluate your passions and interests to identify what lights you up. Use tools like Ruth's Passion Audit framework to assess where you draw your motivation, excitement, and where you can best spend your energy. What kind of work makes you feel alive and fulfilled? The Passion Audit helps differentiate between work you're good at, enjoy, would give up, or would do for free. It offers clarity on what work you should keep and what responsibilities you should shed. Step 5: Create a target list using the 3 Ps Build a target list of potential companies or roles by focusing on the 3 Ps: Prospects, Pivots, and Passions, like Mary's MVP 360 Degree Pivot Program This 10-step program uses a proven approach to ensure alignment between your values, your passions, your purpose, and your needs at this stage in your life, including your future career goals. Step 6: Assess your skills and build a learning plan Evaluate your current skills and identify gaps that you need to address. Start developing those skills through courses, certifications, or hands-on experience. Platforms like LinkedIn Learning and Udemy are great resources for building new capabilities and even have AI tools to help craft your learning plan based on skills you want to learn. Step 7: Network before you're ready Begin exploratory conversations with your trusted network even before you're fully ready to make a move. Networking creates momentum and opens doors to opportunities you might not have considered. Step 8: Look within Sometimes, the best opportunities are closer than you think. Are there roles within your current company that could reignite your passion? By showing initiative and a desire for growth, you might be surprised at the doors leadership is willing to open for you. Mary's client, Adam, explored external opportunities but ultimately decided to stay at his company. His initiative paid off: he was promoted twice and now finds fulfillment in his work. Step 9: Update your résumé and LinkedIn profile Polish your résumé and LinkedIn profile to reflect your most relevant achievements and skills. Reconnect with your extended network and make it easy for others to find and engage with you. Your online presence should showcase the value you bring to the table. AI can help you here too. Step 10: Create clarity around your next steps As you refine your search, focus on roles that align with your values, passions, and skills. Having a clear vision for what's next will help you recognize the right opportunity when it comes your way. Navigating career uncertainty is challenging, but it's also an opportunity to reassess what truly matters to you. By following these steps, you'll not only gain clarity but also set yourself on a path toward work that excites and fulfills you.
Forbes
4 days ago
- General
- Forbes
From Gods To Code: A Brief History Of Human Meaning
How to find purpose in an age where even our thinking and creativity can be outsourced to AI. Fantasy Moon over ocean and mountain ridge, Far-side of the moon,Darkside of the Moon Human beings are wired to seek meaning — a subjective sense that life is coherent, purposeful, and significant (even though, in objective terms, it is none of that). From early cognitive psychologists like Jerome Bruner, who argued that we create meaning through narrative, to modern neuroscientists studying the brain's default mode network, the consensus is clear: Meaning isn't a luxury, but a psychological necessity. Indeed, meaning helps us tolerate uncertainty, make sense of chaos, and stay motivated through suffering. It also helps us make sense of ourselves and develop a sense of identity. Viktor Frankl compellingly illustrated that people can endure almost anything if they believe it has meaning. Referencing his own experiences in a Nazi concentration camp he noted 'Those who have a 'why' to live, can bear with almost any 'how'. Neurologically, meaning activates areas tied to reward, self-reflection, and emotion, integrating experiences into coherent stories. It's not given to us — we construct it, and often defend it, especially during crises. Cognitive and emotional systems work together to build and sustain these frameworks — through memory, identity, and perceived agency. Empirical studies show people find meaning most often in relationships, purposeful work, personal growth, and even suffering — particularly when it's reframed. While past societies imported meaning from religion, tradition, or social roles, modern individuals must manufacture their own. This makes meaning deeply personal, but also vulnerable to fragmentation and disillusionment. In the age of AI, where work, creativity, and cognition can be outsourced, we risk losing traditional sources of meaning without obvious replacements. With its impressive repertoire of synthetic knowledge, creativity, and intelligence, AI is forcing us to rethink what truly makes us human (in the sense of our unique capabilities and skills), and what it means to be human in an age in which we outsource even our thinking to machines. If machines can perform the tasks that once made us feel useful, valuable, and unique, what's left for us to build a life around? Furthermore, what does it mean to be human if we can be without thinking? In every era, humans have asked some version of the same question: Why am I here, and what is this all for? It's the same existential riddle posed by philosophers and pop culture alike — from Nietzsche to Tony Montana, who, after climbing the capitalist mountain in Scarface, asks what's left beyond the pile of cocaine and paranoia. Or Citizen Kane's dying whisper of 'Rosebud,' a child's sled standing in for a lost, possibly meaningless life. While the human quest of meaning is perennial, the answers have changed as dramatically as our technology, politics, and hairstyles — from gods and rituals to careers and personal brands. As AI begins to take over not just our labor, but our thinking, our creativity, and our productivity, we're left asking whether meaning itself can be outsourced, and found just one click or prompt away. To understand the scale of this moment, it helps to zoom out — way out — and trace the evolution of meaning across time. Below is a brief intellectual history of what humans have lived for, and how those sources of purpose have shifted with each transformation in how we live and work. 1. Mythic & Tribal Meaning (Prehistory – 600 BCE) Slogan: We are one with the gods. In humanity's earliest chapters, meaning was not something you found — it was something you were born into. Life was interpreted through the lens of nature, spirits, and ancestors. The world was enchanted, alive with gods, totems, and unseen forces. Purpose was communal and ritualistic. You belonged to a tribe, you played your part, and the question of individual meaning rarely emerged. The collective mattered more than the self. You knew who you were by knowing where you belonged. Think of it as the original operating system for meaning — closed-source, pre-installed, and immune to customization. Opting out wasn't a philosophical stance; it was a death sentence or, worse, exile. Today, we call it "community." Back then, it was life. 2. Religious & Divine Order (600 BCE – 1500 CE) Slogan: My purpose is God's plan. With the rise of the Axial Age came organized religions that framed human life as a moral journey, guided by divine command. Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism all offered grand narratives in which human beings had cosmic significance. Meaning was found in obedience, sacrifice, and spiritual striving. The purpose of life wasn't invented by the individual — it was discovered in scripture. To live meaningfully was to live rightly, according to sacred law. Fulfillment came in service to a higher power. This was the theological equivalent of a franchise model: the rules came from headquarters, your job was to follow the manual, and if things went wrong, it was your fault for not having enough faith — not a flaw in the system. Think less personal startup, more divine bureaucracy: your life had a mission, but the job description was carved in stone. 3. Rationalism & Humanism (1500 – 1800) Slogan: I think, therefore I Enlightenment changed everything. Reason replaced revelation, and individuals became the new arbiters of truth. Thinkers like Descartes, Locke, and Kant argued that humans could construct meaning through intellect, ethics, and personal autonomy. The Renaissance celebrated the dignity of man; science opened new frontiers. Meaning began to shift from divine will to human capability. Life became a quest not to obey, but to understand — and to act morally out of reason, not just faith. Meaning was no longer handed down from the heavens; it was drafted, debated, and footnoted by men in powdered wigs. Humanity became its own mythmaker — the sole author, editor, and sometimes unreliable narrator of significance. It was as if the universe outsourced meaning to us, trusting we'd be rational (or at least confident) enough not to mess it up. 4. Scientific & Industrial Progress (1800 – 1945) Slogan: To work is to live. As revolutions roared and factories rose, human worth became increasingly tied to productivity. The industrial age recast people as workers — gears in the great machine of economic progress. Purpose was found in contribution: building, inventing, conquering, producing. Even philosophies of meaning (Marxism, nationalism, utilitarianism) took on a mechanistic bent. Labor was no longer just a necessity; it became an identity. Your job wasn't just what you did — it was who you were. It was the age when the soul clocked in. Humans became their CVs, and meaning punched a timecard. Fulfillment was measured not in prayers or principles, but in output per hour — a kind of existential capitalism where your worth was your work ethic, and vacation was moral suspicion. In a way, this was the analogue version of the digital revolution or data-driven capitalism. Meaning through the ages 5. Existentialism & Absurdism (1945 – 1980s) Slogan: Life is meaningless — now make it count. The aftermath of two world wars shattered many of the old certainties. God seemed silent, progress suspect. Philosophers like Camus and Sartre embraced the absurd: life has no inherent meaning, so we must create our own. This was the era of freedom and anxiety, where responsibility became the burden of the individual. Meaning was no longer handed down from on high — it was something you assembled from scratch. You were condemned to be free, and what you made of your life was entirely on you. It was as if the universe had ghosted you — no guidance, no purpose, just infinite autonomy and a vague sense that whatever you did next better be meaningful... or at least look good in a memoir. 6. Consumer Identity (1980s – 2000s) Slogan: I shop, therefore I am. As neoliberalism took hold, the market moved into the space once occupied by the sacred and the social. Identity became a product, and meaning was increasingly expressed through what you bought, wore, posted, and owned. Careers replaced work. Brands filled in for belief systems. You didn't just work a job — you crafted a meaningful lifestyle and aspired to becoming a brand. The rise of advertising, credit, and Facebook made meaning feel personal but hollow. Influencers emerged as human brands and sources of meaning. Consumption became performance, and success was measured in likes, logos, and LinkedIn endorsements. Our digital selves begun to subsume our real selves. 7. Wellbeing & Inner Growth (2000s – 2020s) Slogan: Find your truth. As burnout and disillusionment with materialism set in, a new quest began: inward. Meaning shifted from status to self-awareness, from hustle to healing. Mindfulness apps replaced religious rituals. Therapy-speak became a second language. Self-actualization became the new salvation. You were expected not only to work and consume, but to grow, evolve, and become your "authentic self." This era promised meaning through alignment — between who you are, what you do, and how you feel. This era of existential freedom—where meaning must be handcrafted from the raw materials of one's own psyche—was not without cost. As the contemporary philosopher Byung-Chul Han observes, we have transitioned from a society of repression to one of depression. No longer oppressed by external authority, we are instead crushed by the weight of limitless possibility. 'If you can be anything,' Han warns, 'then you must be everything'— a pressure that turns potential into paralysis. In the absence of fixed roles or inherited purpose, freedom becomes a tyrannical demand for self-creation. The individual is now CEO, brand, therapist, and motivational speaker all in one — like a one-person startup permanently pitching to an invisible investor called 'self-worth,' with exhaustion as the only guaranteed return on investment. 8. AI & Automation (2020s – → ) Slogan: I prompt, therefore I am. And now, we arrive at the present moment — a time in which AI, which had been in the making since the 1960s, finally woke up, going mainstream and beginning to absorb not just our labor, but our cognitive and creative functions. AI can now write, draw, analyze, strategize, and even empathize (or at least simulate it well enough to fool us). The very domains where humans once found purpose — problem-solving, innovation, self-expression — are increasingly shared with, or surrendered to, machines. We are no longer just workers or thinkers; we are prompters — directing generative systems that do the work for us. Meaning becomes mediated through interface. If AI can perform our jobs, generate our ideas, write our stories, even express our feelings — where does that leave us? Are we curators of meaning, or passive consumers of it? Can we still find fulfillment in being the prompt engineers of our own existence? Expertise is no longer about knowing the answer to many questions, but asking the right questions; and creativity, well, it is the human leftover to what AI can't do (or doesn't want to). The optimistic account is that our lives will be more fulfilling because all the boring and predictable tasks can be outsourced to AI; the pessimistic account sees us as the digital version of assembly line workers, training large language models on how to automate us, in the huge virtual factory called AI. 'Ctrl + Alt + Purpose: Rebooting Meaning in the Age of AI' Throughout history, every era has rewritten the script of human meaning — from divine decree to industrial purpose, from moral codes to personal brands. We once searched the skies, then the self; now, we consult the algorithm. Each answer reflected the technologies, fears, and fantasies of its time. But today, meaning has become strangely urgent. When machines can paint, write, and diagnose — even simulate empathy — what's left for us to be? If productivity no longer depends on us, why should purpose? Maybe this is the moment meaning finally stops being about output. Maybe our value isn't in what we produce, but in what we notice, nurture, or choose to care about — in the deliberate, non-automatable act of consciousness. Or maybe we'll just scroll past it, distracted by another synthetic dopamine hit. Either way, in a world where everything can be faked — intelligence, emotion, even purpose — the real danger isn't that AI will outthink us. It's that we'll forget the value of meaning altogether.
New York Times
4 days ago
- Health
- New York Times
The Democrats' 20-Million-Dollar-Man Problem
It's not every day that a stranger cries right in front of you. But that's what happened to me in 2018. I had been invited to speak at Grove City College, a small Christian college outside Pittsburgh, and a young man picked me up at the airport for the 90-minute drive to the school. During our conversation, he asked me, 'Do you know who Jordan Peterson is?' I said yes. Peterson's self-help book, '12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos,' which had been released earlier that year, was an enormous best seller. It has sold 10 million copies worldwide. I'd read the book and liked it. It's not a political tome. It's written to provide meaning and purpose for a generation of young men who too often don't know what to believe or whom to trust. The book's 'rules' — such as 'make friends with people who want the best for you' and 'compare yourself to who you were yesterday, not who someone else is today' — provide a kind of common-sense road map to living a life of greater meaning and purpose. At its core, it's a self-help book. Think of something like Stephen Covey's 'The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,' but with far more biblical references. Peterson 'saved my life,' the man said. He choked up. After he'd finished his enlistment with the Marines, he left the Corps with no job, very few friends and no plan. He descended into depression. But Peterson taught him to find meaning in small accomplishments, in making the next day better than the last, and now he was on his way — he had a job, he was finishing a degree and he was making something of his life. That young man is not alone. If you dive into the Jordan Peterson universe, especially in the days before the pandemic — before his politics (and manner) became more bizarre and conspiratorial — you'll hear countless stories like that. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
