Starting with Why: Anchoring Leadership in Purpose
- Sarah Moore
- Sep 4
- 6 min read
Updated: Sep 10
Leadership in early childhood often arrives without warning. Many directors, educational leaders, and supervisors stepped into the role not because they sought it out, but because the service needed someone to hold responsibility. This transition can feel overwhelming. The expectations are high, training is often minimal, and the weight of managing compliance, culture, and teams is heavy.
Research and lived experience both tell us that without clarity of purpose, leadership quickly becomes reactive. Leaders find themselves caught in cycles of problem-solving and compliance, with little time to reflect or to lead with intention. The result is often exhaustion, self-doubt, and a sense of disconnection.
Yet there is another way forward. Anchoring leadership in purpose provides a steady foundation. Purpose offers clarity for decision making, supports trust and communication, and strengthens resilience under pressure. It not only helps leaders carry the responsibility of their role, it transforms the experience of leadership itself.
At one of my recent workshops one leader shared, “I feel like I was thrown into this role.” Another wrote, “I often look for clarification before I act.” These reflections capture the reality for so many leaders in the sector. And they point us toward why reconnecting with purpose matters: it is what steadies you in uncertainty and reminds you that leadership is not about having all the answers, it is about knowing why you are here and what you stand for.
When Leadership Feels Reactive
Without a clear sense of purpose, leadership in early childhood can easily become reactive. Instead of leading with intention, leaders find themselves responding to whatever issue demands attention in the moment. This might look like constantly rearranging rosters to fill staffing gaps, jumping in to cover a room at short notice, or focusing solely on compliance tasks because they feel urgent. While these actions are necessary, if they dominate day after day, leaders are left exhausted and disconnected from the bigger picture.
In contrast, purposeful leadership is anchored in clarity about why you are in the role. Purpose means knowing what matters most in your leadership whether that is creating a safe and supportive environment for children, building a culture of trust within your team, or ensuring families feel confident in your service. This anchor allows you to make decisions that are not only responsive to the situation in front of you, but aligned with the deeper reason you lead. A staffing gap, for example, becomes not only about covering the shift but about maintaining consistency for children and modelling support for your team.
The difference is clear in the words of leaders themselves. One reflected, “I feel like I was thrown into this role,” capturing the sense of being pulled into responsibility without preparation. Another admitted, “I often look for clarification before I act,” showing the hesitation that comes with uncertainty. These reflections point to the cost of reactive leadership, but they also highlight the first step toward change. The very act of pausing to seek clarification or to reflect on how the role feels is evidence of a leader beginning to connect with purpose, moving from reaction to conscious choice.
The Power of Purpose
Purpose provides more than motivation, it has a measurable effect on how the brain and body respond to stress. Neuroscience shows us that when leaders act from a sense of meaning, the limbic system, which governs trust and belonging, is activated. This reduces the dominance of the stress hormone cortisol and opens pathways for oxytocin, which supports connection, empathy, and collaboration. In other words, when you are connected to purpose, your brain is more able to regulate under pressure, think clearly, and make decisions that strengthen relationships.
In the previous example of filling staffing gaps, a reactive response might focus only on plugging the hole in the roster. Anchored in purpose, the leader takes the same challenge and approaches it differently. If their purpose is to create consistency for children and stability for staff, they might keep the same educators with a group of children where possible, explain the reasons for any changes to their team, and follow up afterwards with those most impacted. The task is still completed, but the way it is done builds trust and reinforces the values that guide the service.
This is the difference purpose makes. It is not about doing more, but about shifting the quality of decisions and the impact those decisions have on the people around you. Anchored leadership steadies you in moments of pressure and creates a ripple effect of trust and stability that is felt by your team, families, and the children in your care.
Moving From Reactivity to Conscious Leadership
Conscious leadership builds on the foundation of purposeful leadership. Where purpose provides the anchor, conscious leadership brings awareness to how that purpose is lived out in practice. It is the ongoing discipline of noticing what is happening within yourself and around you, and choosing to respond with intention.
The leaders I work with often describe moments where this distinction becomes clear. One said, “I sometimes avoid situations instead of addressing them,” highlighting the challenge of staying present when conversations are difficult. Another reflected, “I need to stop rushing and listen more,” showing the recognition that leadership is as much about how you show up as it is about what you do. These examples remind us that conscious leadership is not about perfection. It is about awareness, intentionality, and presence. When those qualities are guided by purpose, leadership becomes steadier, no matter the external pressures.
Purpose and consciousness work together. Purpose steadies leaders in uncertainty, and conscious leadership translates that steadiness into daily choices that build trust, strengthen teams, and create cultures where children and families feel safe and supported.
Anchoring Leadership in WHY
Purpose and consciousness are not separate ideas, they are two parts of the same foundation. Purpose provides the anchor, and conscious leadership brings that anchor to life in practice. Together they steady leaders who might otherwise feel thrown into responsibility without preparation, and they transform the experience of leadership from reactive to intentional.
The evidence is clear in both research and lived experience. Neuroscience shows us that connecting to meaning supports regulation and trust. Leaders themselves describe the difference it makes when they pause to reflect instead of rushing, or when they seek alignment instead of avoiding a difficult situation. These are not grand gestures but daily choices that flow from being anchored in WHY.
Anchored leadership is sustainable leadership. It steadies decision making, nurtures confidence, and creates the conditions for teams, families, and children to thrive. This is the power of starting with WHY, it is what allows leaders to carry responsibility without losing themselves in the weight of it.
If you are ready to explore this more deeply, there are several ways to begin. The Online Conscious Leadership Program is where we take a full journey into clarifying and activating your leadership compass. The Conscious Leaders Mastermind offers an ongoing community of practice where leaders can reflect and grow together. And for those who want to start gently, the free webinar series is designed to give you practical insights and tools you can apply straight away. Each of these pathways is an opportunity to begin or continue your conscious leadership journey with support, clarity, and connection.
A Reflection for You
When leadership feels heavy, purpose is the place to return to. Not as another thing to achieve, but as the anchor that steadies you when everything else feels uncertain.
So here is a reflection for you:
What part of your WHY can you return to this week, to steady yourself in the weight of leadership?
Join me for an upcoming free webinar, or join the Online Conscious Leadership Program to begin your journey today.
Online Conscious Leadership Program
Lead with intention, inspire with purpose
This program emphasises the importance of self-leadership and responsibility. By understanding your strengths, values, and motivations, you can lead with increased levels of authenticity and integrity. Recognising that all effective change begins with your own actions and attitudes, this program encourages you to take responsibility for your leadership journey, setting a positive tone for your team.
This program includes:
Six online professional learning modules and pre-recorded training sessions
Six live group coaching sessions
An online community of practice
An online forum to connect with others completing the program
Downloadable worksheets
A leadership program completion certificate
At the end of the six weeks, you'll feel:
Revitalised and confident about your skill set
Confident to have powerful and purposeful conversations
Excited about the future and re-energised about your work
Focused and clear on the changes you want to make at work
Energised and inspired to be an active member of a community of Early Childhood Leaders who make a real difference.