Show Notes
In this episode of The LEADing Edge podcast, hosts Allyson Zimmermann and Sarah McGowan explore the importance of purpose. How can finding our purpose lead to personal fulfillment and collective progress? Societal shifts and the COVID-19 pandemic have amplified the value of meaningful work, emphasizing that purpose-driven work connects emotionally and motivates. Using the journey of Sam Latif, P&G's first company accessibility leader, to illustrate the transformative power of purpose, this episode features insights from leadership coach Lisa Murdoch and motivational theorist Daniel Pink. The discussions also provide strategies for individuals and leaders to foster purpose within their teams, ultimately enhancing performance and employee retention. Tune in to learn how purpose can drive both personal and organizational success!
If you enjoyed today's episode, don't forget to subscribe to this podcast and leave us as many stars as you like. You can follow us on LinkedIn or become a LEAD Network Member for free! Visit theleadnetwork.net to access the Member Platform.
Episode Guests: Sam Latif, Company Accessibility Leader, P&G. Lisa Murdoch, Women's Leadership Coach - CEO Unleash my Future
Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Introduction 00:33 The Awakening 01:35 Exploring Personal Purpose 03:09 Finding our Why 04:34 Daniel Pink on Motivation 07:04 Sam Latif's Inspiring Journey 09:03 Find Your Purpose 11:52 Leading with Purpose 14:33 Sam Latif's Interview 18:56 Sam Latif - Innovations Inspired by Disabilities 19:36 Sam Latif - Creating Inclusive Products 20:33 Sam Latif - The Disability Challenge 25:22 Conclusion: Running Our Own Race 26:40 Credits
Thanks to Lisa Murdoch, Sam Latif, Amy Williams, and Sam Tunney. We're grateful to the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation for letting us use an extract of their interview with Daniel Pink. Our podcast producer is Julien Manuguerra-Patten.
References + Additional Information:
Reducing employee turnover through purpose. (n.d.) Benevity Why purpose is key to attracting and retaining women employees. (2023). The Globe and Mail Kurshan, B. (2022). Why are women rising to the top in purpose-driven sectors? Forbes. Bishop, R. (2023). Does purpose play a role in mental health? Mayo Clinic Health System Castrillon, C. (2024). How to find a greater sense of purpose at work. Forbes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
More from The LEADing Edge
Recorded live in front of an audience at the 2026 LEAD Conference in Dublin, Allyson and Sarah throw out the traditional script for an open, unfiltered ‘Ask Me Anything’ session. This episode tackles the friction points that leaders and teams encounter daily across retail, FMCG, and consumer goods.
In this episode, Sarah McGowan and Allyson Zimmermann unpack LEAD Network's new report, Built for All: Rethinking Career Advancement in Retail and CPG, developed in partnership with Shape Talent. The report explores the key barriers to career advancement across the industry, highlighting findings such as women's greater concern about how they are perceived in meetings, the feelings of guilt and fear that can accompany requests for pay increases, and the ongoing tension between career progression and caregiving responsibilities.
Allyson Zimmermann brings you key insights from our 2025 conference in Milan, exploring what inclusive leadership really looks like in today’s environment.
Allyson Zimmermann and Sarah McGowan challenge the common idea that courage in leadership has to be bold and visible. Instead, they argue that real courage is often quiet, relational, and easy to overlook. But crucially, the episode doesn’t just redefine courage; it offers clear, actionable ways to practise it.
In this episode, Sarah McGowan and Allyson Zimmermann sit down for a real, open conversation about menopause at work; a topic that’s still too often left out of DEI discussions. Millions of women in mid to late career face the complex transition of perimenopause and menopause, often dealing with symptoms in silence due to stigma. Allyson and Sarah explore the real impacts of menopause on women's careers and businesses and share their own experiences.