Culture begins and ends with leadership, and exceptional leadership is a journey.
One of the biggest obstacles to effective leadership, one that I have seen repeatedly throughout my experience identifying and developing executive talent, is the lack of buy-in, commitment to, or even the complete absence of a greater organizational vision.
Simon Sinek calls it the Why. It's the distinction between WHAT an organization does, HOW it does it, and WHY it does it.
Just as consumers don't necessarily develop loyalty to a product simply because they need it, employees don't develop lasting commitment to an organization solely because of the work they perform. That commitment is often rooted in something bigger: a shared sense of purpose and direction.
When an organization is clear on its vision, it becomes a place where it is much easier to lead.
When that vision is clearly established, communicated, and reinforced through decision-making, leaders have a common reference point. They understand not only where the organization is going, but why.
The opportunity begins with alignment between the leader's own vision and that of the organization.
Many executives have a compelling vision for their leadership. Their ambitions may be inspiring, but they may also be misaligned with the organization's broader direction.
I've seen people take jobs primarily for the title, compensation, or scope of responsibility. I've also seen the frustration, failure, and turnover that can follow when the fit isn't right.
I like to call it corporate carnage, though you certainly don't have to work for a corporation to experience it.
An organization's vision, when meaningfully communicated during recruitment and onboarding, can be transformational. It helps candidates make more informed decisions about whether to accept a role and gives leaders a foundation for making decisions once they're in it.
When there is misalignment, things can go sour quickly.
"I Made a Mistake."
The call came three days after a leader I'd placed in a role started her new job.
It was early in my career as an executive recruiter, and a pit immediately formed in my stomach. She had resigned from a great job to take what we believed would be an even better opportunity with a new organization.
She stayed about six months before returning to her former company.
Through several conversations and reflection, I came to understand that she hadn't given enough time and attention during the interview process to understanding her prospective boss, the leadership team, their vision, and their values.
She was highly motivated by the new title, the expanded scope, and what the opportunity could mean for her career.
Those motivations weren't inherently wrong. But they had overshadowed a necessary gut check: Was this organization, and the leadership environment she was entering, truly aligned with what mattered to her?
There's nothing wrong with pursuing a position for its title, compensation, or scope. But those benefits can lose their appeal quickly when the underlying fit isn't there.
And sometimes, particularly for leaders stepping into new levels of responsibility, the challenge is that they haven't yet established a clear vision for themselves.
This Is Where the Opportunity Lies
Get clear on your own vision, your career, and the WHY behind what you want to accomplish.
Before you have that clarity, how can you confidently assess whether you're aligned with a prospective employer, its products and services, its board, its leadership team, or the people to whom you'll report?
The same question applies to leaders already inside an organization. Do you understand the vision you're helping advance? Does it align with your own? And are your decisions and behaviors reinforcing it?
Leadership will always involve difficult decisions, competing priorities, and moments of uncertainty. But when leaders understand what they're working toward, why it matters, and how their own values align with the organization's direction, they have a stronger foundation from which to lead.
When leaders understand what matters to them, recognize how it aligns with the organization, and take responsibility for how they lead, they create the conditions for people to do their best work.