Power of Purpose

Session Submission Type: Panel Discussion

Short Description

Businesses that are able to articulate and live by their purpose, create demonstrable and commercial advantage for their staff, their customers, and the wider context or community within which they exist. The Power of Purpose symposium hosted earlier this year by the Møller Center and the ILA examined the business case for a compelling common organizational purpose and how the power of invisible leadership can propel an organization forward to ensure continued success. Participants worked at the nexus of theory and practice and included leadership scholars, CEOs from successful global organizations, and their HRDs. Panelists will recap the results from the symposium and continue the conversation as they look toward the 2018 symposium.

Detailed Abstract

There is increasingly strong evidence in research that businesses which are able to describe and live by their purpose create demonstrable and commercial advantage for their staff, their customers, and the wider context or community within which they exist. The Power of Purpose symposium by the Moller Center and the ILA examined the business cases for a compelling common organizational purpose and how the power of invisible leadership can propel an organization forward to ensure continued success.


The spring 2017 symposium addressed two questions: First, what is the relationship between purpose and leadership? Second, how does leadership of purpose balance stakeholder and shareholder value?
Participants were a combination of leadership scholars with CEOs and HRDs from successful global organizations, together exploring the practical applications of the notion of purpose and how leaders can harness purpose. This panel session will recap the results from the symposium and continuing the conversation on The Business Case for Purpose.

Sub Unit

• Business Leadership

Chairs

• Gillian Secrett, Churchill College, University of Cambridge

• Cynthia Cherrey, International Leadership Association

Presenters

• Georgia Sorenson, Moller Centre, Churchill College, University of Cambridge

• Steve Kempster, Lancaster University

• Gill R. Hickman, University of Richmond

• John Heiser, Magnetrol International, Inc.