This week, I had the privilege of meeting a senior leader in a local company responsible for global supply chain, purchasing, and logistics. Our conversation centered around all the critical questions he was pondering for his 2025 planning. He was fully on top of his game. One thing that stood out to me was his team’s Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG): “make the supply chain the competitive differentiator in the company”. While many teams set lofty goals because “Jim Collins said so,” this leader had turned his BHAG into a practical anchor, driving vision, strategy, and daily execution.
He had created a powerful framework for connecting purpose, strategy, and execution. By creating a clear line of sight from long-term vision to short-term actions, he enabled his team to work with clarity and purpose. Everyone—from the boardroom to the front lines—understood:
- What they were doing.
- Why it mattered.
- How their work contributed to success.
- That their work was meaningful.
One key takeaway from our discussion was the importance of separating strategic and tactical conversations. These two types of meetings serve distinct purposes and require different mental approaches:
- Strategic Meetings (Monthly or Quarterly): Focus on purpose, vision, and progress toward the BHAG. These conversations rely on divergent thinking—exploring big-picture ideas and ensuring the team’s efforts align with long-term goals. A structured agenda for these session might look like:
- Revisit the team’s purpose and BHAG – are they still right and are we still committed? What have we learned?
- Assess metrics to determine if progress aligns with these vision elements.
- Review the health of processes and the relevance of strategies.
- Reflect on whether current initiatives are driving meaningful change.
- Tactical Meetings (Bi-Weekly): Focus on immediate actions and problem-solving. These require convergent thinking—zooming in on metrics, solving roadblocks, and ensuring short-term commitments are met. A structured agenda for this session might look like:
- Review all key metrics
- Review short-term actions committed to for the next 90 days.
- Solve problems impeding progress toward key metrics.
- Hold team members accountable for delivering on promises.
This dual rhythm ensures the team doesn’t get lost in the weeds of day-to-day work while also avoiding the trap of vague, ungrounded strategies.
My lesson relearned was that it’s important for leaders to communicate their team’s purpose meaningfully. Purpose isn’t a slogan for a T-shirt or a plaque on the wall. It’s a rallying point—an element of planning that should actively drive decisions, problem-solving, and actions. Purpose-driven leader work isn’t about scripting lofty ideals—it’s about building a structure and rhythm that ensures alignment between what you aim to achieve and what you’re doing every day. When leaders connect purpose with strategy and tactics, they empower their teams to win—and to work on the right things.
So, here’s a challenge: Take time this month to reflect on your team’s purpose and rhythms of review. Are you driving meaningful progress toward your vision?