Living with purpose; the antidote to a disruptive world

The biggest word in our world today must be "disruption".

We are challenged every day. It is a chaotic world where disruptive business models are the norm.

The rate of change has never been so fast, and the time between changes is getting shorter and shorter. We live in a period of mass disruption, and don't we know it?

A recent example: a few years ago, catching a cab or taxi was a pretty traditional ritual. Then Uber came along and disrupted the business model and our user experience. In cities the world over, Uber became a noun for a taxi.

While in Singapore during the last few years, catching a cab was via Uber. No big deal, eh? Pretty normal. However, today when I was there, I didn't get an Uber. I get a Grab. Uber has already been replaced. Not just in Singapore but across South East Asia. With Grab, you can order your taxi, buy a pizza, rent a bike, pay for your goods, and so much more. And you gather rewards and incentives through cross-promotion; of course, it's customised by country. Grab is also opening an office in Seattle, the hub for technology as we know! The result is that the way we used to do things was disrupted, and now these disrupters have been disrupted!

The following 20 years are set to continue with ever-faster change. Automation is one of the forces for this accelerated change. PwC says that '20% of jobs are predicted to be destroyed by Artificial Intelligence by 2037, but just as many take their place.'

How do we thrive in a world of mass disruption?

We need a systemic shift in our approach to sustaining ourselves so we are fit for the future. It starts with our values, beliefs and attitudes as we define our purpose and then live that purpose every day.

Recently we (global partners with Unilever) were with Tim Munden: Chief Learning Officer at Unilever, where Tim spoke about their Standards of Leadership (SoL). 

The aim and approach of SoL are impressive, and I wanted to share them with you. Unilever aims to make sustainable living commonplace. At first, I understood the words but didn't really get it. Then Tim shared his philosophy - "Bees in the garden". Tim has a lavender bush in his garden and enjoys watching the bees. Tim also knows that bees cross pollenate by going to other gardens. This generosity is huge, as we are all bees, and we all have our own gardens (our organisation, our customers, etc.) to visit, with the call to action for us all to share the SoL to truly make sustainable living commonplace.

At the heart of SoL are the Inner Game and the Outer Game. Having both the Inner and Outer Game really working is the enabler for people to transform continuously, which is essential in such a disruptive world.

Let's explore the Inner Game. It has three elements:

1. Purpose and service: works from the purpose for the good of others
2. Personal mastery: always brings their best self
3. Agility: constantly curious and courageous

I found the Inner Game really interesting as it connects with my values and beliefs. As I looked at these three elements, I challenged myself with 'how strong is my Inner Game?' Then I thought about how strong it needs to be. Like you, I am sure there are
some areas we know are strong and other areas that are 'work in progress', and that is OK.

To have a stronger Inner Game and Outer Game, I genuinely believe we need that systemic shift and to disrupt our attitudes to how we live and learn. It starts with knowing our purpose. Easy to say, I know, not necessarily easy to define.

When I wrote my purpose in 2002, 'enjoy today, whilst supporting others to succeed in the future', it felt right. Over the years, my purpose has acted as my inner compass and made it easy for me to make work and personal life decisions. I can honestly say that living my purpose has liberated me. It has made my life very easy, especially during periods of mass disruption. It gives comfort, lessens anxiety and helps me choose what to do and what not to do.

As social beings, it may not surprise that the most common theme for people's purposes is to help others. Watch the video and read the article via the two links below to create your own purpose. They both extend upon what I have shared and give some great practical tips.

Unilever: The Power of Purpose

Harvard Business Review: From Purpose to Impact

I would love to hear from you, hear your purpose, and share your experience of living your purpose. So add a comment on this post.

Please also like and share this article. Inspire, enable and support your friends and network so they can enjoy the benefits of learning every day by being fit for the future in a world of mass disruption.