Leading with Purpose

By Jenny Rackl, digital marketing coordinator

I didn’t know what to expect at Leadercast. For most of the Caliber team, it was our first time at the conference. But I really connected with this year’s conference theme, “powered by purpose.” Purpose is a pretty expansive topic – it’s what defines us, drives us and empowers us – but each of the speakers told engaging stories and personalized their journey to finding purpose. I’m sharing some of my favorite takeaways from this day that was full of inspiration for business and life.

• Molly Fletcher, was a powerhouse speaker who exuded energy and confidence. She talked about how you need to decide who and what deserves your energy, because managing your energy allows you to be more resilient. She also encouraged fearlessness in going after opportunities. We can’t be fearless, she said, without being curious about what’s possible in our lives.
• Daniel Pink talked about a study aimed at discovering what happens to the quality of food when the cooks see the customers. The answer is that quality improves, which goes to show that when you concentrate on serving others, you automatically take more pride in your work.
• As CEO of StoryBrand, Donald Miller knows a thing or two about storytelling, but his main message was about simplicity. Miller believes that we, as people and as brands, need to communicate simply in order to be successful. Miller said that every bit of information you give to a client or an audience is as heavy as if you were handing them an eight-pound bowling ball. They’ll be able to hold the first few bits of information, but it can quickly become too much hold. Miller also had a great lesson about leadership – that the purpose of a leader is to be a guide, not a hero.
• Suzy Welch had a few stories about facing adversity and how to be a good leader. She believes that decisions are better made when you’re using both your gut and your brain. Another quote I loved: There is no such thing as a happy, phony life.
• Jess Ekstrom, the founder and CEO of Headbands of Hope encouraged us to execute with purpose, not perfection. I like to think that means it’s ok to have a rough draft.
• Magician Jeff Kaylor encouraged us to believe in other people in a way that makes them believe in themselves. Another great snippet of wisdom: Work hard when no one is watching.

I’m already looking forward to next year’s event! You can learn more about Leadercast and these great speakers on their website.