“Purpose” has become one of the most overused words in corporate culture, often pinned to walls, baked into mission statements, and repeated in town halls. But when the spreadsheets close and KPIs take over, how much of that purpose really holds up?

We speak with Sheila Singam, Founder and Managing Partner of Human Equation, about the tension between personal meaning and business metrics. What happens when an employee’s sense of purpose doesn’t align with company goals? Can leaders authentically integrate purpose into performance, or is it just another feel-good management fad?

From hidden costs in morale and retention to stories of companies that got it right (and wrong), this conversation dives into the fine line between inspired work and performative purpose.