Leaders who lead purposeful organizations are those who put people first. No, it's not a cliché when they actually do it. It means they set clear expectations, provide adequate resources, coach for success, and evaluate for results.

No one can dictate purpose to another. We discover it for ourselves. Typically leaders know what makes them tick so they do have a purpose, be it to advance their career, achieve some wealth, and be recognized for their efforts. Where they need help is reminding themselves of why they chose their career and their company. They also need to decide periodically if they need to do something new and different. Purpose is an inner compass that points us in the right direction.

Heroism is not blind courage: it is selfless action. it is knowing the odds are stacked against you, but feeling that you must do what you do for the good of others.

The words a leader speaks are important, of course. But how they're delivered can make all the difference, especially in tough times.

Communication comes with practice. As a leader you must speak the truth; listen for understanding; and learn from what you hear and do not hear.

Leadership is the behavior each of us exerts when we take responsibility for our actions and their consequences.

There are some terrific resources on how to find individual purpose but relative resources on how to discover purpose and apply to an organization. My challenge was to show organizations how they could unlock the purpose of their organizations and put it to good use for employees to apply to their own jobs. The net effect is to help individuals, teams and organizations to optimize performance by understanding how to use purpose for good intention.