A Culture of Purpose by Christoph Lueneburger

Author:Christoph Lueneburger
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2014-03-13T06:46:31+00:00

Lueneburger c07.tex V2 - 02/21/2014 8:57 A.M. Page 133

Reaching Farther with Determination

a captain of industry at the queen’s reception. Critically, deter-

mination means not getting stuck. When Peter switched from

child hunger to climate change, he demonstrated this nimble-

ness, which is not adverse but reinforcing to determination.

Understanding the Person: Markers for the Trait

of Determination

Determined people are easy to spot but not easy to manage.

Make no mistake about it: people with determination can be

a handful. But if you want to be certain that, throughout your

organization, people are getting stuff done, determined people

are your strongest allies. Because they can break quite a few

eggs (but make a great omelet), the challenge is less in identi-

fying them than in ensuring that what they have locked in on is

aligned with your strategy. And this is where a culture of pur-

pose shines: the people you bring on board will increasingly

be there because of your purpose. And if they are determined,

they will add a ton of firepower.

The important guideline for a leader is to seek true

determination—and not its brute cousin, stubbornness. You

are not looking for people who pick a path and then mulishly

dig in their heels. Determination is not about shrugging off

all advice or orders. Determination is an inner force that

keeps an individual moving forward against all obstacles and

challenges. The following questions will help those in your

organization who are tasked with hiring people ascertain the

trait of determination.

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Lueneburger c07.tex V2 - 02/21/2014 8:57 A.M. Page 134

A C U L TU R E O F P U R P O S E

What to Look For

How to Look for It

These individuals refuse to accept

What do you do when unexpected issues

generally acknowledged

arise? Have you found new ways of doing

constraints.

things?

What conventional wisdom is most idiotic

in our industry?

They are conscious of and believe

What are you most proud to have

in the power of determination.

achieved? What role, specifically, did

determination play in this achievement?

Whom do you admire for their

achievements? Why?

They systematically create

Tell me about a cause you have been

moments of opportunity and are

invested in for a while. What have you

ready to seize them.

done about it?

When have you achieved substantial goals

despite challenges? What was the tipping

point, and how did it come about?

They are unafraid both to publically

When have you gone out on a limb with a

state their goals and to take action

goal you alone thought was possible?

without asking.

Have you ever gotten in trouble for

charging ahead? What was the situation

and your task; what did you do?

They are dissatisfied with what’s in

You shared a major achievement—thank

the bag and crave a new goal as

you. How did it feel to have done it at that

soon as their last one has been

moment and in the days and weeks that

achieved.

followed?

What’s next?

They are capable of “trading up” in

Have you changed your mind on a

favor of bigger goals.

long-term objective? What precipitated that

moment, and what did you do about it?

Red Flags: People with low determination are easily swayed or discouraged from novel approaches and as a result tend to vacillate between ideas. They have a preference of deferring to common wisdom and tend to shy away from taking calculated risks.

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