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29
M
y inspiration for writing this article
comes from a book I read (twice):
Halftime
, by Bob Buford. The book re-
vealed to me a question I had never pondered
before: “As a professional am I striving to be
successful or am I striving to be significant?” I
never thought there was much of a difference.
I have grown to believe that being significant is
much more meaningful and rewarding.
Defining the Difference
Success is often defined as achieving a
predefined outcome or result, the degree or
measure of succeeding, and quantified by the
attainment of wealth or upward mobility.
Significance (and the adjective, significant)
is typically defined as having meaning and/
or influence. I have also heard it defined this
way: When you use your skills and abilities
to orchestrate your own personal gain, that is
success. When you employ those same skills
and abilities for someone else’s benefit, that is
called significance.
Finally, successful individuals tend to be
self-motivated, and highly goal-oriented,
driven by quantifiable metrics (market share,
sales growth, profit). Significance tends to
raise more existential questions, such as:
What is my purpose? Why am I here?
The Shift to Significance
The shift to significance starts from within
— a change of heart, a change in priorities
that creates a paradigm shift away from self-
interest. This paradigm shift is propelled by
a growing desire and willingness to use your
talents and skills for a broader, more mean-
ingful purpose. Those who like structure and
order will appreciate that the process can be
broken down into three steps:
1
Look Inward
– What is it that you are
passionate about? What are your gifts and
talents? How does your passion align with
your skills and talents?
2
LookOutward
– Who can provide valu-
able counsel or guidance? What groups or
organizations do you know of that can use
someone with your skills? Does your
company provide outreach opportunities?
3
Move Forward
–
Plan your work and
work your plan. You might want to start by
taking a pilot project approach, gaining some
hands-on experience in a few areas and test-
ing out where best to combine your gifts and
talents with the needs of others.
Seeking Significance
At Mid-career
When I was in the midst of a very
successful career as a senior finance
executive, I started looking for
something more, something that
would feel more fulfilling. I was
climbing the corporate lad-
der, ultimately becoming chief
financial officer of the nation’s
second-largest water services
group. That fulfilled a career
goal I had established for myself
when I completed my MBA, but
while I found myself enjoying
success, I often felt the need to
search for something more. As-
piring to find a more meaningful
purpose, I began to utilize my
leadership, management, and finance skills in
areas beyond business. As a business leader,
I began to realize that my responsibility went
beyond the success of my company or me as
a professional. My business skills were very
transferable and, I discovered, could be used
in a way that makes a lasting, positive impact
on society as a whole. My focus shifted from
success to significance.
Over time, I have found many opportunities
to integrate my professional skills and personal
values into the needs of organizations and
people. For example, I found that my leader-
ship, management, and financial skills aligned
well with the needs of institutions of higher
education. These institutions welcomed the
input of someone from the business sector
who understood the human capital require-
ments of an organization.
Using management and financial skills, I
helped shape the strategic planning and finan-
cial management systems of a local college.
These processes and systems aid the educa-
tional institution’s management in their work:
providing a high-quality, affordable education.
I also became active leading various youth
organizations. These programs are designed to
help influence the next generation. They pro-
vide much-needed guidance, structure, goals,
and direction for our youth. Contributing
leadership in these programs is a good fit for a
goal-oriented professional. Helping
a young adult establish goals and
objectives can have a lifelong effect.
I am hard-pressed to find a more
meaningful purpose to which to
apply my skills and abilities.
Most recently, I joined the
senior leadership team of a non-
profit organization, St. Domi-
nic’s Home, in New York.
This organization provides es-
sential services (educational,
foster care/adoption, social
services) to disadvantaged
children and adults. As their
chief financial officer, I intend
to use my business skills and
talents to help this organiza-
tion fulfill its mission of bring-
ing hope to those in need.
The Role of Business Leaders
Business leaders are equipped to do more than
build and lead successful organizations. Our
skills and abilities can easily be transferred to
meet the growing needs of a complex society.
There are innumerable ways that leaders can
volunteer and give of their talents.
Serving those less fortunate is a key
ingredient to being a successful, significant
business leader. The best companies embrace
this responsibility and cultivate it in their
leadership teams. Making our communities
a better place to live and work should be the
ultimate goal of every executive.
Being significant means making a lasting
difference: This is the essence of leadership.
So the question I leave you with is this: Are
you striving to be successful or significant?
C
Learn more about the author
www.CFOstudio.com/EdImparato
SERVING
THOSE LESS
FORTUNATE
IS A KEY
INGREDIENT
TO BEING
SIGNIFICANT.
+
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