In times of volatility, uncertainty and overwhelming change, clarity is more than helpful — it’s essential. That’s one of the central messages from Carole’s conversation with Lisa Earle McLeod, author of Selling with Noble Purpose, keynote speaker, and consultant to some of the world’s leading companies.
Lisa is best known for helping leaders answer one deceptively simple question: How does your work make a difference to your customers or constituents? And more importantly — does everyone in your organisation know that answer?
In the interview, Lisa outlines how organisations that maintain this clarity of purpose during economic or social upheaval significantly outperform those who don’t. “During the 08–09 recession,” she says, “companies with a clearly articulated purpose came roaring out of the downturn and outperformed their competitors by over 350%.”
Why? Because they focus on what really matters. “Every decision isn’t made from panic or fear. It’s grounded in ‘How can we keep making a difference to the people we serve?’”
Lisa shares three actions leaders can take immediately:
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Define your purpose in one clear sentence — avoid marketing jargon. “It doesn’t have to … go on a t-shirt,” she laughs.
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Reinforce it regularly — “Start every meeting by asking, ‘How did we live this purpose this week?’”
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Use the game-changing question — “How will the customer be different as a result of doing business with us?”
The conversation also explores the tension between being a “nice” workplace and a high-performing one. “People don’t take pride in just being a member of a group,” Lisa says. “They take pride in accomplishing something together.”
For leaders in the not-for-profit sector, Carole notes that while purpose often runs deep, clarity and alignment at leadership level can be missing. Lisa agrees, adding that mission without systems or decision-making discipline is not sustainable.
This episode is a timely reminder that in chaotic times, leadership rooted in purpose, not panic, is what holds teams together — and moves them forward.
Listen to the full episode on Spotify and enjoy a conversation packed full of practical wisdom.