Lead Bigger

Define a clear purpose that connects everyone.

During Anne Chow’s father’s time at AT&T’s Bell Labs in the 1970s, innovation focused on the joy of invention without much concern for or understanding of the ways new developments might reshape society. However, when Chow joined AT&T in 1990, a more explicit purpose had emerged: to serve as a critical communications lifeline for people and businesses, affecting everything from emergency services to business operations. Over the course of her career, that purpose evolved in tandem with new technologies that caused fundamental shifts in people’s lives, work, and interactions with others. 

The sense that you are participating in something that furthers a tangible social good — a clear, meaningful purpose — lends a sense of urgency to work and gives customers an emotional boost. Gallup polls have found that employees who feel tied to their organization’s mission are more productive and less likely to quit. Today’s consumers, likewise, prefer to buy goods and services from values-driven companies. Gen Z consumers and employees, in particular, look to work ...