Leading with purpose helps firms navigate uncertainty by reinforcing values, fostering trust, taking ownership, and turning challenges into opportunities.
There’s an old saying, paraphrased from the Greek philosopher Heraclitus, which goes, “The only constant in life is change.” Now more than ever, it can feel as though not only is more changing around us than we’re used to, but the pace of change seems to be accelerating as well. Our brains evolved over hundreds of thousands of years, and for 98 percent of that time day-to-day life really didn’t change all that much. If you could survive as a hunter-gatherer 50,000 years ago, the odds are good that you could survive as a hunter-gatherer 3,000 years ago. Now, pluck someone off the streets of New York City from 1925 and plop them in Times Square today and their brain might literally explode.
The power of purpose. It is in this world of relentless change and uncertainty that firm leaders find themselves today. In professional service firms, the challenges are multiplied as clients, teams, and entire industries grapple with rapid shifts in the marketplace. Amid this turbulence, a clear and unwavering sense of purpose serves as a beacon for decision-making and a powerful motivator that rallies teams and strengthens resilience. Knowing your organization’s purpose allows you to create a vision that inspires action and aligns teams, even in the face of uncertainty.
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Start with why. Purpose is the “why” behind every decision, strategy, and action. It transcends financial goals or operational metrics; it is the core belief that drives a leader’s vision and inspires others to follow. In Start With Why, Simon Sinek argues that people are drawn to leaders who can articulate a clear and compelling “why.” This is especially critical in professional service firms where the people are the product. This purpose also connects to your firm’s core values, which if properly articulated and aligned throughout the organization will give everyone the same lens through which problems can be viewed and solved.
During periods of uncertainty, reconnect with your firm’s purpose. Ask yourself: Why does this organization exist? In The Infinite Game, Sinek reminds us that leaders playing the infinite game focus on building lasting impact rather than short-term wins. Aligning decisions with the overarching purpose ensures every move strengthens the long-term viability of your firm. - Foster trust through vulnerability. Brené Brown’s Dare to Lead highlights the importance of vulnerability in leadership. During uncertain times, transparent communication builds trust. Share not only your vision but also your concerns and uncertainties. This openness fosters psychological safety, inviting your team to join you in solving the problems your organization faces. There’s an African proverb that states, “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.” Transparent communication about your purpose, values, and challenges can rally others to the cause.
- Take extreme ownership. Getting buy-in and engagement from the team to join you in the journey does not absolve leaders of their responsibility for the outcomes. In their book Extreme Ownership, Jocko Willink and Leif Babin relay lessons learned from their decorated military careers serving as Navy Seals. They assert that leaders must take full responsibility for their team’s success and failure. In uncertain times, this means stepping up, making tough decisions, and ensuring alignment across all levels of the organization. By owning the mission and removing obstacles, leaders empower their teams to execute with confidence.
Case study: Leading with purpose. What might this look like in practice? Let’s take the example of a professional service firm navigating a sudden change that upends a significant portion of its revenue. Maybe a key client has decided to put a major project on hold, or a public sector entity has had its budget slashed and can no longer roll out the full portfolio of project opportunities. The firm’s leaders could panic, reactively reducing headcount through layoffs or furloughs (as often seen in large, publicly traded companies). Alternatively, a purpose-driven approach might look like this:
- Reenforcing purpose. Remind everyone why you exist, and the values by which you operate. Most companies don’t exist to “maximize profit in the current quarter,” but rather to serve their customers in a way that uniquely meets their needs and leans into personal connection and relationships to drive value. Mass layoffs remove those value drivers from the company, likely leaving both you and your client worse off than before.
- Proactive communication. Host an “all hands” meeting to outline the challenge and invite input, demonstrating vulnerability and fostering trust. When bad things happen, the team is likely already aware, so discussing it openly and with candor lets everyone know that you’re aware of the problem and committed to solving it. Engage a broader audience in finding other clients and projects to pursue to help back-fill the lost revenue; they’ll be more willing to be part of the solution if you’re clear about the problem.
- Taking ownership. Even with an engaged team eager to solve the issues, it’s very likely that some pain will be felt. In a purpose driven organization, leaders need to own the consequence first. Before removing good people from the organization or asking them to take pay cuts, leaders of the firm must be willing to step up and go first, sacrificing in the short-term for the long-term health of the company. To quote Sinek yet again, from his book Leaders Eat Last: “Great leaders truly care about those they are privileged to lead and understand that the true cost of the leadership privilege comes at the expense of self-interest.”
This approach not only mitigates fear but also channels energy into purposeful action.
Turning turbulence into opportunity. Leading with purpose doesn’t mean having all the answers – it means having clarity on what truly matters. By staying grounded in core values, fostering trust, and empowering others, leaders can transform uncertainty into an opportunity for growth. Success is not about winning today but building a legacy that lasts. In the end, professional service firms that lead with purpose aren’t just weathering the storm – they’re charting a new course, one guided by vision, trust, and the steadfast belief that uncertainty is a chance to innovate, connect, and excel.
Morgan Stinson is chief operating officer at EEA Consulting Engineers. Contact him at morganstinson@eeace.com.