What drives your leadership journey?
Welcome back to Fit to Lead! Over the past three weeks in our What Now? 5 Weeks to Reclaim Your Professional Path series, we’ve explored:
Week 1: Standing Out in Today’s Job Market
Week 2: Preparing to Shine in Interviews
Week 3: Identifying Your Strengths & Superpowers
Each step has been about uncovering clarity, confidence, and momentum during transitions. This week, we pause to tackle one of the most overlooked yet powerful levers in leadership and career growth: reconnecting with your purpose.
Why This Matters
McKinsey’s research shows that employees who say they are “living their purpose” at work are 4 times more engaged and report 5 times higher well-being than those who aren’t. Another McKinsey survey found that while 82% of employees believe purpose is important, only 42% say their organization’s purpose drives impact.
The gap is clear: when leaders don’t own and share their purpose, they miss the chance to align people around a common direction.
As Howard Schultz, former CEO of Starbucks, once said:
The impact of Purpose in Leadership
Common Challenges (the two buckets)
Through my work with leaders, I often see three recurring mistakes when it comes to purpose:
No Purpose – Like a ship without a destination, energy scatters and effort lacks direction.
No Values – Even with a goal, without a compass of values, leaders struggle to stay consistent in how they lead.
No Communication – Purpose kept private never aligns teams, peers, or stakeholders. The silence creates disconnect and missed opportunities for trust.
Try This Instead
Consider these three simple actions—all in your control:
Define your Purpose – Ask: What do I want to accomplish as a leader? What impact do I want to leave behind?
Identify your Values – Clarify the principles and behaviors that guide how you lead, not just what you achieve.
Communicate it Clearly – Share your purpose openly with your team, leaders, and network. Clarity creates alignment and strengthens your brand as a leader.
Your purpose is not static—it evolves as you grow. The past three weeks of this series have been about self-discovery: standing out, preparing with confidence, and identifying your superpowers. Now it’s time to tie it all together with purpose.
👉 Take a moment this week to write down your purpose, align it with your values, and share it with at least one person you trust.
If you’d like guidance in uncovering and articulating your unique purpose as a leader, I’d be honored to help. Visit www.coachjessicabonilla.com/services to explore how we can work together.
And remember, your purpose is your north star—it’s not about having all the answers, but about having the clarity to guide your next step.
✨ Fit to Lead is about more than career moves—it’s about building the confidence, clarity, and courage to lead with purpose. Let’s reclaim your professional path together.