We Can Learn a Lot about Purpose Driven Leadership…

From the Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints.

Now this may seem like a strange way for me to discuss leadership as those who know me know I am a lifelong Colts fan. However, I did spend half my military career in Louisiana and Mississippi only hours from New Orleans and the French Quarter. It is during these times we came to appreciate the food, music and culture of the city. I do know what it feels like to have to evacuate in front of an oncoming hurricane and if nothing else, Sean Payton, the Saints coach is from our hometown of Naperville, IL. So it is with some attachment I use their recent Super Bowl victory as a backdrop for Purpose Driven Leadership.

Purpose Driven Leadership supposes, in spite of all the talk of the recession, jobs, expenses and profits, people want more. This translates through the organization’s Vision and Values. Organizations (public, private and non-profit alike) who have a clear Vision of what they want to become have a distinct and clear advantage over their competitors over the long haul, especially when dealing with change. These same organizations have and live a set of Values embraced by all in the organization and reinforced daily by their leadership. The Saints had a purpose that transcended what happened on the football field earlier this month. They played to not only win the Super Bowl but to provide a sense of higher belief in a home city still rebuilding both physically and culturally. What makes the ideal even more important in my mind is by staying true to their purpose, leaders must take risks to achieve the desired results. The Saints certainly made that point clear with several risky plays including the now famous on-side kick to begin the second half of the game.

Earlier this week I had the opportunity to hear from another member of a Super Bowl team, Jim Covert from the 1985 Chicago Bears. In his speech on leadership he highlighted the idea of Values. As the President and CEO of The Institute for Transfusion Medicine he sees his purpose as creating fundamental and sustainable change through leadership. In doing so, he identified three Values he uses to achieve his Purpose:

➢ Honesty and Integrity – Lead By Example
➢ Set Expectations – Use Effective Goal Setting
➢ Accountability – For You and Those Around You

A story he relayed was of Mike Ditka, the Bears coach at the time, setting a goal to win the Super Bowl at the beginning of the 1983 training camp. What stood out is he also said half of the assembled players would likely not be there, which turned out to be true two years later when they did win the Super Bowl.

So what is the Purpose of your team and is everyone on board to help you win your Super Bowl?

Lead Well.