Purpose Over Politics

That was a major theme for a recent presentation I gave as the motivational speaker for Circle K International. Circle K is an awesome organization of college students interested in volunteerism and service. They brought me in to do some college leadership training and to keynote their annual convention. It came to my attention that for several years Circle K has been plagued by internal politics. The timing of the presentation was good for me as I currently find myself frustrated with politics here in the U.S. at the national level. Whether it’s the debate over national health care reform or the confirmation of a Supreme Court Justice nominee, politics prevent our leadership from getting much done.  (It’s silly to refer to the Senate Confirmation ”hearing” when the Senators ask very few questions and spend most of time pontificating in front of the cameras.)

The more organizations and the individuals within them can focus on their mission and less on policies and personalities, the more productive they will be. The focus must be on where they want to go. Not on who wins or loses. Not on who gets the credit (or the blame).

To help Circle K members overcome their politics, I offered the following advice:

1. Pick and choose your battles. Not every debate matters. Argue too much and it becomes more about winning than about serving.
2. Focus on issues, not on people. Don’t let it get personal. Those you’re supposed to serve won’t care who’s right or wrong, as long as their needs are being met.
3. Act as if everything you’re doing is being watch by the world. If you’d be embarrassed if your behavior, tactics and motives were made public, it’s a sign you’re doing something wrong.
4. Never communicate feeling electronically. Angry emails, snotty texts and rude postings fuel the fire and solve nothing. While you don’t want things to get personal, you do want to maintain a sense of humanity. Direct human contact forces you to be polite and productive.

I was pleased to learn that the following morning Circle K cut hours out of their House of Delegates session by eliminating a lengthy political process. The two things they all agreed on was the purpose of their organization – service- and that they didn’t want a long meeting. The reduction of politics helped on both fronts.

When others depend on us, it’s critical that we focus on what matters most. Having a strong sense of purpose will unite organizations and minimize internal divisions.

Related posts:

1. Finding Strength in Purpose When Faced With Challenges
2. We Need More Than Leaders; We Need Role Models
3. Getting Outside of Your Comfort Zone
4. Choosing Your Reaction With Faced With Adversity

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