The Purpose Collective

Happy New Year Everyone! 🌈 Just returning from a lovely few weeks disconnected from the laptop, not rushing around wondering when my next call is, what's next on my to do list... brain always on 🪴 Swapped it for getting up in a leisurely fashion, staying in my PJ's til midday some days, flowy dresses and gym clothes and generally being very lazy, hanging out with my guys, getting more circles closed on my apple watch, reading, writing, thinking, pondering, tinkering, cooking, watching TV. Not sure what I achieved but thats also okay! 🚂 Realising I only have 2 settings, full on or not at all and it's taking some effort to reboot my operating system this week! ✍ But coming back into 2025 with big commitments to my big rocks and to focus more on what really matters in life. Life is short and precious and in the end there are only a few people who will miss you when you are gone. ❣️ Want to use my time, presence, energy and impact even more wisely this year and to spend more time in real social life than on social media life. 🪨 My big rocks for 2025 are really simple: my health and spirit, my boys, my partner, my meaningful client and creative work, my family, my deep and real friends - the order is flexible depending on the priorities of the moment. 🌊 Everything else that always needs to be done, will get done, it will just have to flex and flow around it all this year. If the big rocks don't go in the jar first, then the jar will just get full of sand and pebbles and meaningless stuff. 💡 There is space for it all if we focus on the big things first! What about you? Any new intentions or insights emerging for you from your year end break? What are your Big Rocks for 2025? ⁠ Carla x⁠ ⁠ #love #life #beautiful #friends #happy #smile #fun #family #lifestyle #inspiration #goals #quotes⁠ #happiness #innovation #balance #successful

🌟 May light always guide your way⁠ ⁠ Happy Diwali 🪔 or Deepavali.⁠ ⁠ Living in Singapore means we have a natural affinity with celebrating all the religious holidays and enjoying all the different customs of each.⁠ ⁠ 🪔Diwali, is a festival of new beginnings and the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness.⁠ ⁠ The main day of Diwali falls on a New Moon, as many Asian festivals do.⁠ ⁠ I love to celebrate Diwali in Singapore as it is a day that we will say prayers for all 🙏🏻 light up and decorate the house with candles and flowers, and welcome in love and blessings for everyone.⁠ ⁠ Do you celebrate Diwali? How will you be spending your day?⁠ ⁠ #Diwali #Purpose #FestivalofLight⁠ ⁠ ⁠

❓️What kind of leader are you?⁠ ⁠ How would you describe your leadership style?⁠ ⁠ 🕯️Overtime, I’ve realised that I am more of a quiet leader. ⁠ ⁠ I can flex my approach and be vocal when needed, but I've learnt that my power lies in my natural style which is a mix of quiet and reflective and putting my point across. ⁠ ⁠ I've also learned I need a lot of time to think and recharge, which is a common trait of more introverted leaders.⁠ ⁠ 💡 Leadership isn’t about fitting into a mould; it’s about expanding what it means to lead. ⁠ ⁠ The world needs all kinds of leaders—perhaps more than ever, it needs the thoughtful, compassionate voices of quiet ones.⁠ ⁠ ⭐ How do you use your strengths to lead authentically?⁠ ⁠

For anyone going through significant change and leading others through change—whether it’s personal or professional—here’s what I’ve learned that might help you:⁠ ⁠ 🧱 Build and nurture your network: You can’t do it alone. The connections you make, especially when starting in a new place or career, are invaluable. Make that network really diverse to cater to all versions of the support you need, be that practical, spiritual, emotional, or just those fun people you don’t have to be intense with.⁠ ⁠ 💫 Give yourself grace: Change is hard. Don’t be too hard on yourself when things feel overwhelming. It’s okay to step back and take time to heal when you need it, and if you don’t heal you will likely not be having the best impact you can in your organisation.⁠ ⁠ 🧘‍♀️ Stay connected to your purpose: Whether it’s through spirituality, community, or simply knowing what drives you, staying connected to something bigger than yourself can keep you grounded and lift you higher too.⁠ ⁠ 🌪️ Embrace the chaos: Life, especially during periods of transition, can feel chaotic and uncertain. Learn to sit with that discomfort—it’s where the growth happens, don’t try to rush yourself out the other side. Know you are building an immense set of skills of being able to navigate ambiguity which will hold you in strength in your organisational life too.⁠ ⁠ 📚️ Embrace the discomfort of sharing your story when you feel ready, because it can be a lifeline for others on their journey: By opening up and sharing your personal experiences, not just the professional ones, you create space for others to connect, learn, and grow. ⁠ ⁠ Life has a way of delivering the development we most need—even if it doesn’t come with a prestigious business school brand. ⁠ ⁠ The lessons may be tough, but they transform us in ways no formal education can.⁠

Today is World Mental Health Day, and we're feeling particularly inspired by Manage Your Energy, Not Your Time by Tony Schwartz⁠.⁠ ⁠ Many of us, when faced with increasing demands at work, often respond by putting in long hours, to the point of burnout and exhaustion.⁠ ⁠ But what if you were to be more mindful of your time, and the energy you use?⁠ ⁠ ⌛️Time is a finite resource. Energy, however, is a different story.⁠ ⁠ At The Purpose Collective, we believe that your purpose, values and sense of being connected to something bigger than yourself is really important for your mental wellbeing and spiritual health.⁠ And your energy is a huge part of that!⁠ ⁠ So we invite you to take a moment out of your day to think about your energy, and:⁠ ⁠ ❤️ Notice what aspects of your life and work aligns with your values and what parts feel incongruent .⁠ ⁠ 🧡 Pay attention to any gaps between what you say is most important to you in life and how you actually allocate your time and energy.⁠ ⁠ 💛 Notice how you make decisions at work; are they influenced by others demands or expectations? Or led by a strong, clear sense of your own purpose?⁠ ⁠ 💚 How can you invest time and energy in making a positive difference to others or to the world around you?⁠ ⁠ #WorldMentalHealthDay #WorldMentalHealth #Purpose #MentalHealth⁠ ⁠

❓️Why are some leaders less empathetic, the higher in seniority they become?⁠ ⁠ 💜One of the curious and surprising findings to me which has been emerging from my observations in recent years is that some leaders (who have made it to senior leadership positions themselves) seem to have forgotten how hard it is to make your way to senior leadership!⁠ ⁠ 💪🏼They don’t seem as supportive or empathetic to their people as I thought they might be. This includes women, as well as men.⁠ ⁠ 🔎 I decided to do a bit of digging around on this and came across a piece of research about empathy from HBR which, in my mind, at leasts connects to what I’ve been noticing.⁠ ⁠ ✨️ When you’ve struggled through difficult situations, empathy research suggests that you have less, not more, empathy for those in similar situations to you. ⁠ ⁠ This feels relevant at the moment, not just to women’s leadership, but also to how we are connecting with and empathising with employees in the post-COVID workplace.⁠ ⁠ 💭 It also made me stop and ask myself if I do this too. ⁠ ⁠ 💪🏼Maybe I am not as understanding as I could be because sometimes I have also forgotten how hard things were? ⁠ ⁠ When you are the other side of your struggle you think, if I can do this anyone can do it, and you perhaps underestimate how hard it was for you at the time you were going through it. ⁠ ⁠ 💡 When I connect to those times of struggle in my own life, new born babies, moving countries, early days of separation of divorce, bias in workplace, homeschooling and COVID(!!!) and I go back to the moments and really connect to the struggle, I find my empathy can return.⁠ ⁠ 💜 You can read more on this on my blog post here https://www.thepurposecollective.com/blog/empathy-leadership

💡 What’s Your Leadership Brand? As leaders, we're often think we need to fit a certain mold, to be polished and perfect, but is that really how you want to be perceived? ⭐Your team knows when you're being authentic. Employees don’t follow leaders who pretend to have it all together—they follow those who are real, honest, and human. Authentic leadership is about showing up as your true self, with all your strengths and imperfections. Here are some key tips to create an authentic leadership brand: 🌈Know Your Values: What do you stand for? Authentic leaders lead from their core values. Take time to reflect on what really matters to you and how you can integrate those values into your daily decisions. 🌈Be Vulnerable: You don’t have to have all the answers. Share your challenges and learnings with your team. Vulnerability builds trust and connection—it shows you're human. 🌈Consistency is Key: Authenticity isn't about putting on a show once in a while—it's about being consistent in how you show up, every day. Make sure your actions align with your words. 🌈Embrace Feedback: Ask your team how they perceive you and where there might be gaps between your intentions and your impact. Honest feedback is invaluable for aligning how you see yourself with how others see you. 🌈Lead with Purpose: When you lead from a place of purpose and meaning, it shines through. Share why you do what you do and inspire your team to connect with a shared vision. ☀️Remember, authenticity in leadership isn't about being perfect—it's about being real. When you're truly yourself, you create stronger, more meaningful connections with your team and build a leadership brand that others genuinely want to follow.

We surveyed 100+ women from diverse industries, life stages, geographies and cultures to gain a better understanding of how they really feel about their life and career.⁠ ⁠ We asked them what support they need and what they are wanting from a coaching programme to make the biggest difference to their leadership, life and career. ⁠ ⁠ ✨️ We asked women to tell us about their location, age, stage of life and stage of career ⁠ ✨️ We asked them about their overall wellbeing and career satisfaction ⁠ ✨️ We asked them what type of support and at what stages in their lives they most required support ⁠ ✨️ We also asked women about what they'd most want from a development programme in terms of content, format and outcomes.⁠ ⁠ There were some very interesting results from our key findings, so we used those results to create Women On Purpose, our group coaching programme for Singaporean women who want more from work and life.⁠ ⁠ It's a 12 week programme designed to support, inspire, and help women to understand their own unique power so that they can use it in a way that works for them, their families and their teams.⁠ ⁠ Find out more about it in the link in our bio.⁠

⚡️ You’ve got the power!⁠ ⁠ One of our favourite sessions that we lead for our group coaching programme, Women On Purpose, is about power dynamics and how to play the power and status game ON YOUR TERMS.⁠ ⁠ 💡Do you give away your power quickly in interactions with others? ⁠ ⁠ Or do you power over others?⁠ ⁠ After joining in on this session, you will come away with a clearer understanding of power dynamics and know how to reclaim your natural authentic power, one interaction at a time.⁠ ⁠ This is just one of the six modules that we host on Women On Purpose.⁠ ⁠ 🫶🏻Find out more about our affordable group coaching programme, and sign up to the waitlist for our next programme, at the link in our bio.⁠ ⁠ ⁠

Everything is connected to everything. ⁠ ⁠ You don’t have to quit your job to live your purpose. ⁠ ⁠ You can find more meaning in what you do and you can make money AND make a difference.⁠ ⁠ We help leaders like you to discover your purpose, and live it.⁠ ⁠ Find out how at the link in our bio.

You've been offered a new role, and you're trying to decide whether to take it, or choose another option. ⁠ ⁠ ❓️But how do you decide if it's really right for you?⁠ ⁠ It can be hard to weigh up your options and make the decision on your own.⁠ ⁠ We recently read an article in HBR from Rebecca Knight who had a really great list of questions to help guide your decision making.⁠ ⁠ She mentioned that while factors like salary and benefits are significant, it's really important to take time now to reflect on how the role can challenge you, the work-life balance it offers, and whether the company aligns with your values and vibe. ⁠ ⁠ 💡 She says: "the tables turn in your favour once the offer is in your hands, granting you a rare moment of leverage."⁠ ⁠ ✨️ Reflect on how the offer fits into your career and lifestyle goals, seeking insights from trusted sources to unearth any hidden concerns and ensure alignment with your priorities.⁠ ⁠ To guide you through this pivotal stage, Knight's seven vital questions to reflect on were:⁠ ⁠ 1️⃣ What might I be overlooking in my eagerness to land this job?⁠ ⁠ 2️⃣ Is the company culture a true fit for me?⁠ ⁠ 3️⃣ Will my prospective boss be a good match both personally and professionally?⁠ ⁠ 4️⃣ What growth opportunities does this role offer?⁠ ⁠ 5️⃣ How can I build meaningful relationships in this new environment?⁠ ⁠ 6️⃣ What non-salary benefits can I negotiate for?⁠ ⁠ 7️⃣ Have I considered an exit strategy, just in case?⁠ ⁠ While uncertainties may linger, engaging with these questions will provide invaluable insights to help you forge a well-informed decision and potentially evade future regrets. ⁠ ⁠ Remember, life is too short to find yourself wishing you had known more beforehand!⁠ ⁠ Do you think there are any other questions we should consider? Let us know in the comments.⁠

We've compiled a set of self-reflection prompts that have personally guided us on our journey of self reflection over the years. ⁠ ⁠ We invite you to take some time with these questions and ponder them at your own pace. ⁠ ⁠ Do you make time for self reflection in your day-to-day schedule?⁠ ⁠ Let us know in the comments.⁠ ⁠ #Purpose #SelfReflection #Values