Purpose in Practice for Leaders
What happens when leaders can answer the question: “What do I uniquely contribute to the parts of the world I touch?”
A leader who can answer that has a home base for hard calls, complex situations, heavy seasons, relentless change, and unexpected transitions. Their title may change, their responsibilities may evolve, but their core gift keeps them grounded, focused and ready.
The Purpose in Practice Program starts from the foundation that purpose is not a role, a title, or a mission statement. It is the core gift a person brings to every role they hold.
Leaders find their core gift by working through five layers, then putting it to practice in their work and lives:
Meaningful moments. Mapping experiences that have shaped them.
Strengths. Naming what they’re good at and enjoy doing in their own terms.
Passions. Connecting with what lights them up, their core curiosities.
Values. Getting clear on what matters most and guides their choices.
The hard stuff. Learning from difficulty and questioning expectations and fears they carry.
From there, we pull together the layers of our work so leaders can name their core gift.
The process then turns outward: finding their people, designing their work from a place of purpose, and building practices that keep it alive when life is busy and things move fast. The method is built on Purpose in Practice (Free Period Press), rooted in research from positive psychology and organization development.
What Leaders Experience:
No two leadership groups are the same, so the program is designed with you. Some organizations start with a single day. Others build it into a program that runs across several months. Every version follows the same arc.
Discover. Leaders reflect on their moments of meaning, strengths, passions, and values, alone and in small groups.
Name. Each leader puts words to their core gift and tests it with peers who know their work.
Practice. Leaders bring their core gift into their role, their team, and the decisions in front of them.
What's included:
Live facilitation by Jen Margolis, in person or virtual
A copy of the Purpose in Practice workbook for every participant
A mix of individual reflection, small group conversation, and whole group learning
Formats that fit your calendar: a workshop, a retreat, or a multi-session program
One-on-one coaching
What your organization gains:
Purpose in Practice is for organizations who believe work can be a source of meaning and impact in the world, and who want their leaders to stay connected to why their work matters, and what they uniquely bring to their teams and organization.
In Purpose in Practice, leaders will find:
Clarity. Every leader can name what they uniquely contribute, in their own words.
A shared language. Leaders across departments gain common terms for talking about meaning and contribution.
Connection. Leaders get to know each other beyond titles and org charts.
Powerful learning that lasts. Leaders keep the workbook and the practices long after the final session
A model for their teams. Leaders who know their own purpose are ready to help the people they lead connect to theirs.
Purpose in Practice for Leaders works well for:
Healthcare systems supporting physicians, residents, nurse leaders, and administrators
Colleges and universities developing deans, department chairs, and student affairs leaders
Nonprofits whose leaders carry a mission every day
Businesses who believe their value and impact goes beyond profit, developing leaders at all levels
Government agencies investing in new and experienced supervisors
It fits leadership programs, high potential cohorts, new manager programs, and leadership retreats.
FAQ:
How is this different from other leadership development? Most leadership training builds skills: how to communicate, delegate, and lead change. Purpose in Practice focuses on why. It gives leaders a clear sense of their own contribution, which roots every other skill they have as tools in their larger sense of purpose.
How long is the program? It can be a single workshop, a retreat, or a series that runs across several months. We design the length around your goals and your leaders' calendars.
Is it in person or virtual? Either. Jen facilitates both, and each format includes time for individual reflection, small group conversation, and whole group learning.
How many leaders can take part? The program works with small teams and larger cohorts. For bigger groups, small group work keeps the experience personal.
Can it connect to our mission and values? Yes. Sessions can help leaders see where their core gift meets the purpose of your organization.
Is this spiritual or religious? No. The approach draws on positive psychology and organization development, and it welcomes leaders of every background and belief.
What does it cost? Investment depends on the format and the size of your group. Let’s talk and we will put together options that fit.