Purpose – i.e. the deeper meaning – behind an undertaking is increasingly gaining focus when it comes to “leadership”.

People are always looking for a deeper meaning to their lives. Work plays a major role here: its meaning cannot be found in the growth of the company or shareholder value, nor in achieving any KPIs!

Leadership with KPIs, OKR or annually set goals is therefore rapidly losing effectiveness today.

Nico Rosberg and Frank Thelen also say this in the podcast Handelsblatt Disrupt from 24.04.2020. There, they talk about the topic of failure and about the strategies companies can use to overcome difficult times.

Both emphasize that the ultimate goal of an undertaking is not that important. Rather, it is the journey that is important. As an entrepreneur and investor, Thelen believes that everyday cooperation, processes and the well-being of employees provide the deeper meaning. For Rosberg, it was always the next race – not the end of the Formula 1 season.

So, managers need to create space for their employees to discover the meaning and significance of their work for themselves.

Above all, this means letting go and empowerment. Conversely, it means finding a new purpose in the role as a leader!