KCE: Foundation of Purposeful Engagement - Part one: Knowledge
Global Institute For Tomorrow (GIFT)
Your Purposeful Leadership Learning Partner. Unlearn Conventional Wisdom, Unleash Potential, Redesign Society.
At GIFT we believe in purpose at work. On an individual level, a strong sense of purpose improves personal effectiveness, satisfaction and overall well-being. On a professional level, it enhances productivity, resilience, and employee retention. It promotes a sense of ownership of one’s role and responsibilities. Among leaders, it is essential to ensure commitment, hard work and results.
Today, a sense of purpose is becoming more important than ever to the business world. According to a PwC poll, over half of millennials would avoid working in a particular sector if they believed it had a negative social impact. Dr Andrew Chamberlin, the chief economist of employer-review website Glassdoor, writes “one of the most striking results we’ve found is that, across all income levels, the top predictor of workplace satisfaction is not pay: It is the culture and values of the organization”. In light of the recent "Great Resignation", Gartner has pointed out that a "Great Reflection" is happening among employees who are seeking more personal value and purpose at work. People want acknowledgement, growth opportunities and to feel valued, trusted and empowered.
That is why at GIFT we use the term Purposeful Engagement. Purposeful Engagement sits at the core of our experiential learning methodology - a key element in developing successful outcomes for projects and delivering powerful personal realisations. At the heart of purposeful engagement is KCE: Knowledge, Communication, and Empathy. KCE is a three-pillared framework we developed over the course of more than seventy leadership programmes, run with thousands of executives, for nearly twenty years. At GIFT we believe that the three pillars of KCE are essential to strengthening the core values and attributes of purposeful engagement. We even created our own in-house assessment, the Purposeful Engagement Quotient (PEQ), to measure the extent to which executives draw on the pillars of Knowledge, Communication, and Empathy.
So why not take a moment to learn about GIFT's globally acclaimed leadership methodology and how it can help make your work more purposeful. This week, we shall be looking at the first pillar of the KCE: Knowledge.
Knowledge
The first pillar of the KCE is Knowledge, it provides the foundation for understanding and helps us to appreciate why something is done. Each of us has our own knowledge background and it is our work as leaders to explore our knowledge deficits and attempt to rectify them. Within the pillar of Knowledge there are three further subcategories, these are:
The persistent desire to know and learn more is the fuel which expands knowledge. No one can force us to learn, and thus our knowledge will remain limited unless the process is made enjoyable and self-perpetuating. Curiosity propels us to grow our repertoire of skills and positive attributes to ultimately reach our goals.
2. Strategic Global Awareness
There are countless subjects that we can study. Some are relevant and useful for professional success, while others may be enjoyable as personal hobbies. Yet, those who aspire to lead in business, public service or civil society need to have an understanding of the wider world. An active interest in other cultures, people and places, and the interconnections between them, is essential for purposeful work. It raises our awareness and allows us to understand changing global dynamics and anticipate future opportunities.
3. Critical Thinking
The ability to question information, think independently and forge your own conclusions are fundamental skills for effective leadership. Reason, logic and intellectual dexterity support a range of leadership soft skills. Critical thinking breeds self-confidence and inspires trust among peers. It is a foundation for sound decision-making, problem-solving and innovation.
The Case for Curiosity
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In September 2018, the Harvard Business Review decided to put curiosity centre stage.
They argued that maintaining curiosity is central to business performance. Among other things their article states that fostering curiosity in the workplace can:
These are exactly the same kinds of findings we have come across in our own observational research at GIFT. Over the years we have seen how commitment to curiosity in the workplace can:
At GIFT we believe that curiosity is an essential component of effective leadership and can provide real-world benefits to companies and executives that take it seriously. That is why we encourage executives to pursue learning in unfamiliar fields, read widely, and "embrace boredom" as an opportunity to develop new ideas. We are therefore glad, but not surprised, to see our ideas mirrored in other publications and forums. Our hope is that as the world grapples with greater complexity in its problems, the case for knowledge-based approaches will become stronger than ever.
Final thoughts
Many executives we work with admit to reading only their own industry publications, attending only their industry events, and mingling with only their industry peers. Such habits lead to a hindered view, not just of the business environment, but of the world at large. That is why we at GIFT argue that fostering knowledge, learning, and curiosity is essential to the business landscape. This is why we put learning and the KCE at the centre of our leadership programmes.
If you are interested in learning more about the three pillars of Knowledge, Communication, and Empathy, as well as exploring our other critically acclaimed leadership offerings, take a look at some of our upcoming programmes this year!
For more information on our leadership programmes and purposeful engagement: