In Part I of this blog I proposed that having passion and a clear sense of purpose is what’s at the core of vital leaders; before that, in Who is a Vital Leader? I proposed that everyone, regardless of their career field or the positional power within that field (e.g. custodian to C.E.O), is a potentially vital leader.

We know that professionally vital leaders are energetic; they pursue their work with vigor and enthusiasm. We know that professionally vital leaders are facile, that is, they develop, access and blend their rational, technical and emotional intelligences in such thoughtful and masterful ways that it allows them to face any challenge with aplomb. We know that professionally vital leaders are satisfied and fulfilled by their work. But what’s most important for us to know, is that professionally vital leaders all have a source from within that powers their enthusiastic and masterful actions and feeds their feelings of fulfillment and satisfaction. This inner source is the place where  passion and purpose reside. I contend that now more than ever, future leaders within the public, non-profit and private sectors need to come to know and act upon this this ’stuff’ from deep within. I believe it is central to understanding the emerging paradigm in leadership, and ultimately, to the success of future organizations.

Ask any leader, ask yourself, What’s your (my) purpose? From my experience, when I have the opportunity to ask this question of others, most are not be able to respond with confidence and clarity. This does not mean that they (you) are passionless or purposeless, rather, I have come to the conclusion that it just means they (you) may not not have made a concerted effort, or have not been guided to discover a concise answer to this most difficult, and most important of all life questions.

IN THE NEXT ENTRY: I will offer my responses to the questions: How do I define passion and purpose? How do we come to know passion and purpose?

In latin, spiritus refers to ‘the vital essence or life spirit’. Vital leaders are filled with passion, that is, they possess a compelling inner desire to make a difference in the lives of others through their work and in their lives. Think of passion in the same way as when you hear the  word  ’calling’ used to describe a soulful response to a ‘voice from within’ that ‘calls’ a person to pursue a particular vocation. Most often we hear words like this used by people who are drawn to ‘helping’ professions like education, medicine, the clergy, counseling, social services etc., but from my experience, there are leaders in most every profession who admit to heeding some sort of deeper, soulful call.

A leader without passion and a sense of purpose that extends beyond selfish interest (e.g. greed, power and status), lacks the core requirement of what it means to be professionally vital. A word of caution is in order here. This contention should not be interpreted to mean that material gain should not be a motivational factor in one’s pursuit of a passionate interest. In truth, a vital leader successfully and authentically merges motivation to make a good living with the passion to make a lasting, positive difference in the lives of others.

A Vital Leader is a passionate leader, moved to action by an authentic sense of purpose that extends beyond selfish interests;  in a career/business sense, a truly vital leader is motivated not only to make money, but also to make a difference.

A Vital Leader draws upon a seemingly limitless supply of energy that arises during vigorous pursuit of career-life passions, purposes and goals; this boundless energy manifests itself though the leader mentally, physically, emotionally and soulfully.

A Vital Leader lives by a set of beliefs, values, interests, talents and styles that together form a unique ‘leader brand’; which is the one-of-a-kind collection of personal and professional characteristics that define how a person wishes to be perceived in work and life relationships.

A Vital Leader moves beyond competence and becomes highly facile; the leader develops a special capacity to masterfully blend intellectual, technical and human skills in such a way that no circumstance is too big to handle.

A Vital Leader is a successful leader –  a productive, influential and satisfied leader – who has learned how to use personal power and influence to make significant contributions to the betterment of organizations, communities and, ultimately, to his/her own life.

Who has the capacity to become a Vital Leader?  We all do!

Who can benefit from becoming a Vital Leader?  We all can!

The positional power or status one holds makes little difference – CEO, President, VP, Shift Manager, Entrepreneur, Teacher, Nurse, Web Designer, College Student, Parent, Board Member etc. Everyone stands to benefit from tackling the challenge – the discipline – of becoming a personally and professionally vital leader. The power of this new construct lies in the fact that as people strive to become vital leaders, and as organizations promote the development of leader vitality within their workforces, ’shift’ happens – positive shifts in culture, attitudes, relationships, productivity and fulfillment.

In the coming months the LEADER VITALITY BLOG will expand upon, and discuss the implications of the ideas surrounding this new twist on what it means to be a leader.