Skip navigation

Why future leaders need drive

Drive fuels purpose for leaders and it infuses their work with meaning.

There are three women around a table smiling and looking at a laptop. They're in a meeting.There are three women around a table smiling and looking at a laptop. They're in a meeting.

Table of contents

Insights from Ellen Raim, Founder of People MatterWe focus more on solving than preventing People problems.

Why is drive so crucial for the leaders of tomorrow? 

Drive fuels purpose for leaders and it infuses their work with meaning. Drive shapes their mission and amplifies self-advocacy, ensuring they stay on course and inspire those around them.

The essence of purpose

Drive propels future leaders to leap beyond the boundaries of today's standards and forge paths toward uncharted territories.

Leaders with drive don't accept the status quo — they question it, challenge it and seek to improve it. By developing a deep understanding of their own intrinsic motives and desires, future leaders can align their actions with a purpose that transcends profit. This purpose acts as a compass, guiding decisions, fostering innovation and cultivating a sense of belonging and commitment within their teams.

Finding meaning in the mission

For a leader, drive isn’t just about having the energy to keep moving forward — it's about knowing why the journey matters.

Embedding meaning into their mission makes the vision tangible for everyone involved. Driven leaders are adept at connecting their values with their professional endeavors, making their missions resonate on a deeper level. This resonance motivates them and ignites a collective enthusiasm among their teams, leading to a workplace where every goal pursued is imbued with significance.

Crafting a mission that motivates

A clear, compelling mission is the heartbeat of any initiative, and a leader's drive propels this mission.

Future leaders must learn to harness their drive to craft missions that reflect their vision for achievement. This mission becomes a rallying cry that unites the team, provides clarity amidst uncertainty and serves as a benchmark for success. A leader's relentless pursuit of a mission, driven by an unwavering belief in its attainability, sets the tone for a culture of achievement and excellence.

The power of self-advocacy

Drive also empowers leaders to become their own advocates.

In a world of fierce competition and loud noise, future leaders will need more than a clear vision to succeed. Leaders must articulate their vision, advocate for their ideas and persuade others of their value.

Self-advocacy is about confidently stating one's case, navigating obstacles and seizing opportunities. To achieve this, future leaders will need to be visionary and vocal, ensuring their voices are heard, their contributions are recognized and their visions are shared.

Learn live. Adapt faster.

Latest resources

Learn more about creating a culture of learning throughout our resources below.

People developing people: Bullhorn’s playbook for learning culture in the age of AI
 
Nov 6, 2025

People developing people: Bullhorn’s playbook for learning culture in the age of AI

Kristina Bell, Senior Director of Talent Management at Bullhorn, shares how she’s building a sustainable learning culture, leading with trust and helping people grow in the age of AI.
People leader interviews
How Asmara Silverman at Philo built a culture of growth and connection with Electives Membership
Electives team
 
Nov 5, 2025

How Asmara Silverman at Philo built a culture of growth and connection with Electives Membership

Electives helped Philo make learning easy to scale and hard to ignore, with 95% of learners reporting behavior change.
Case studies
Fixing the feedback vacuum: Why most peer feedback fails and what actually works
Electives team
 
Nov 4, 2025

Fixing the feedback vacuum: Why most peer feedback fails and what actually works

Struggling to make peer feedback useful? Discover why most systems fail—and how expert-led, real-time practice builds a feedback culture that sticks.
Communication skills
Workplace holidays to celebrate in December
Electives team
 
Nov 1, 2025

Workplace holidays to celebrate in December

Month-long celebrations in December, workplace holidays in December and our holiday calendar download.
Culture + collaboration
Hyper-personalized learning is here. Are you ready?
Electives team
 
Oct 29, 2025

Hyper-personalized learning is here. Are you ready?

Today’s employees want growth on their terms. Here's how to deliver high-impact, personalized learning—without a big team or budget.
Learning best practices
Manager burnout is the new silent risk
Electives team
 
Oct 28, 2025

Manager burnout is the new silent risk

Managers are burning out—fast. Here's what HR needs to know to support and future-proof middle managers into 2026.
Leadership + management

View all posts

ENJOYABLE. EASY. EFFECTIVE.

Learning that works.

With live learning + AI simulations, Electives is a learning platform that makes it easy to design, execute and measure effectiveness.

Request a demo

Request a demo

Learn more

Learn more