How clear is your purpose? Lessons from Malala

We all know the story of Malala Yousafzai, the young girl in Pakistan who, on October 9, 2012, was shot in by the Taliban for taking a stand for girls’ education. I recently had the honour of meeting her. We chatted about cricket. She’s an avid cricket fan and knows all the West Indies stars. She added her voice to the charge to have Pakistan reinstated in international cricket. She didn’t tell me that: I discovered it on Google. What she did tell me was how thrilled she was to have met Brian Lara and receive an autographed bat from him. She blushed. A girl meeting her sports idol.

She’s tiny (yes, shorter than me), sweet and gentle. But when she speaks, she channels the force of millions of warrior women past and present. Over and over as she addressed the intimate gathering, and then the larger room filled with over 150 girls from schools in Toronto, she said this (not her exact words – I am paraphrasing):

“There are 130 million girls in the world who are out of school. My mission is to make sure that every girl in the world has access to 12 years of free, safe, quality education.”

Malala is a voice for each of those 130 million girls, but her approach is to give space and a platform for each of those girls to have their own voice in their communities and the world. Her simple message has spawned a global movement that works on the ground in Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Nigeria, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey to provide secondary education for girls, partners with the “big names” in philanthropy such as Bill and Melinda Gates, and advocates for policy and cultural changes. Her voice is having a multiplier effect, putting girls education on the forefront of global agendas and action.

“If one girl with an education can change the world, what can 130 million do?”

As I basked in the glow of this light, it occurred to me that if a teenager can have such a powerful impact, what can we do in the organizations we lead? A clear purpose and compelling message is the beginning. Here are 3 lessons from Malala in creating such a message:

1. Identify the BIG problem you are aiming to solve. In Malala’s case, it’s that 130 million girls are out of school. That’s big, so big that you gasp when you hear it, until you see her eyes, unmoving, staring into the future, and you know it is not too big for her.
2. State why this is important – educating girls is the most powerful thing a country can do to transform a society. There is well-researched evidence that shows that the ROI (Return On Investment) is unlimited – girls’ education is good for the economy, conflict resolution, health and the environment. And its impact spans generations.
3. Be unambiguous in defining your solution, and simple in articulating it – Malala is clear that “quality” education means that it is free, safe and for 12 years.

One of my favourite quotes is by Daniel Burnham, an American Architect in the 19th century:

“Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men’s blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will never die, but long after we are gone be a living thing, asserting itself with ever-growing insistency. Remember that our sons and our grandsons are going to do things that would stagger us. Let your watchword be order and your beacon beauty.”

Malala is one of those daughters and granddaughters doing things that stagger us, unleashing the potential of 130 million girls who will also do things that stagger us. She starts with a simple, clear message, delivered over and over, with gentle clarity and focus.

My challenge to you is to create a simple, compelling message of purpose for your organization, your family, your life. And then go forth and do it.

For more on Malala click here