Leading with Noble Purpose

Monster.com and “Noble Purpose”

During a Super Bowl broadcast, Monster.com, the job site, ran memorable “When I Grow Up” commercials featuring children saying, “When I grow up I want to be a yes-man or yes-woman.” Another said, “When I grow up, I want to claw my way into middle management.”

Monster’s ads delivered the message: “You deserve a better job, and we want to help you find it.” That was Monster’s “Noble Purpose.” Founder Jeff Taylor connected the two ideas of a more desirable job and an improved life. This Noble Purpose paid dividends for Monster: In 2006, its website was one of the top 20 most visited on the Internet.

In 2007, a new team, led by CEO Sal Iannuzzi, took over Monster. Iannuzzi didn’t emphasize better employment opportunities for job searchers. He cared about corporate earnings. Without a leader dedicating the company to finding more fulfilling jobs for applicants, Monster’s purpose lost its nobility. Iannuzzi told employees his sole priority was “increasing shareholder value.” This new direction disappointed Monster employees. Some wrote online comments suggesting that Monster had “lost its soul.” Such employee comments emerge when companies...