Integrity-driven leadership means that leaders' values and ethics – and the values and ethics of their people – are aligned with that of the organisation. This alignment is the driver of performance. When it’s in place, we get high levels of engagement, resilience, motivation, creativity, and critical thinking.
These leaders have the foresight to look beyond profit and performance goals and know that long-term prosperity lies in creating a culture focused on purpose and wellbeing. Where everyone knows not just what they are doing, but why, and the impact that they are having on the organisation, the community and on the world.
Why do we need to be driven by purpose?
- The next generation demands it. People with very different goals, expectations and concerns to those of their parents’ and grandparents’ generations.
- Investors want to see it. They are moving their support into organisations that are seen to be doing ‘good work’ – and asking tough questions about the impact the organisation is having on the world. CEOs are being held to account for their decisions, ethics and behaviour, not just the financial performance of their organisation. Those questions will get harder.
- Employees expect it. Most organisations in the developed world are struggling to recruit and retain talented people. They face rising costs and falling profits, see falling levels of engagement from their employees, find it difficult to innovate and are faced with a range of wellbeing and mental health challenges that are significantly damaging their performance, in often hidden ways.
- The planet needs it. The whole environment is on a knife edge. Pollution in the air, our rivers and seas killing people and animals and destroying swathes of the land. The culture of working to satisfy the desires of shareholders above all, while chasing bonuses and measuring success by purely financial indicators is dangerous and pushing organisations into obsolescence.
Leaders are the ones who need to find better ways to collaborate, engage, inspire and align people in the service of a worthy purpose. For many leaders, especially those with the most experience, this may not be an easy or natural thing to do.
Join Kevin Hard on 6th July for our FREE lunchtime webinar on this very subject. More information can be found here.
Published on Jun 01, 2026 by Ella Thomas