Fill a Function or Join a Purpose?
Last week I wrote about a story I heard Ed Bastian, the CEO of Delta Airlines, tell at an event I attended. We also had the opportunity to hear from Horst Schulze, one of the founding leaders of The Ritz-Carlton, one of the first truly premier hotel brands.
He shared how he left his role as Head of Food and Beverage for Hyatt in the Americas to join a startup hotel company. At first he was reluctant, but ultimately decided to make the leap because he had a vision to "create the finest hotel company in the world.”
There was purpose in that vision and Horst explained that purpose drove every decision they made as they built the company. From aesthetics and amenities to food and service, everything had to align with their intent and reason to exist.
When discussing hiring, he said something that immediately caught my attention: "We didn't hire, we selected. And when we selected, we invited people to join our purpose, our dream.” He was adamant that it was "immoral" to hire people simply to fill a function. Instead, we should invite people to join a purpose and fill a function in service of a higher intent.
Anthony with Ed Bastien, John Maxwell, and Horst Schulze
Purpose is one of the key ingredients in creating a great place to work, yet it's easy to lose sight of it. Over time, we get bogged down in deadlines, tasks, staffing challenges, and simply trying to get things done. We focus on filling positions instead of helping people understand why those positions matter.
As leaders, we have the opportunity to remind our teams every day that their work has meaning. And I believe anyone can find purpose in what they do. You don't have to be saving lives or launching rockets into space to find fulfillment in your work. Helping people, creating memorable experiences, solving problems, or supporting others so they can do incredible things can be just as meaningful.
At Footers, we talk with our service team about the fact that they aren't simply placing plates of food in front of guests. They are helping create an exceptional experience on what may be one of the most important days of someone's life. Our culinary team isn't just preparing food. They take pride in creating something delicious that brings people together and adds joy to an event.
The longer I lead, the more I've come to believe that one of a leader's most important responsibilities is to be a keeper of purpose. When people lose sight of why their work matters, engagement fades, energy declines, and work becomes transactional.
But when people understand how their contribution connects to something bigger than themselves, they bring more passion, pride, and commitment to what they do.
Purpose gives work meaning and when people find meaning in their work, extraordinary things become possible.
