Purpose Before Profiling
Understanding why we act matters more than what we know
A few years ago, a colleague called me, voice tense and uncertain.
They’d been asked to build a data model profiling a specific segment of their community—people who were showing higher engagement with the organization.
The request came from their CEO, who wanted to “better understand” this group: demographics, giving capacity, even weather patterns for outreach timing.
At first glance, the assignment seemed strategic, even smart.
But as my colleague described it, something felt wrong.
“We’re already seeing success with several members of this group,” they said. “Why not find more like them?”
When I asked why, the conversation paused. The phone line went quiet.
The Question Beneath the Question
It wasn’t the data request itself that troubled me—it was the purpose behind it.
Profiling a community can sound harmless until we ask what it’s really for. Was this effort meant to understand the community or to exploit it?
That’s when my colleague admitted that this particular segment also happened to fit a distinct racial profile within their city. They weren’t comfortable, but they didn’t know how to explain why.
We talked about intention. About optics. About ethics.
And then I asked a question that’s become a kind of litmus test for me over the years:
“If this story were to appear on the front page of your local paper, how would it sound?”
That reframing changed everything.
Do We Seek Understanding or Advantage?
Technology has made it easy to categorize people by nearly any metric imaginable. We can track behavior, predict trends, even anticipate needs. But all too often, those capabilities become ends in themselves.
A few years ago, Target famously tried to predict which of its customers were pregnant—using buying habits like prenatal vitamins or cotton balls. Their algorithm worked a little too well. One father complained after his teenage daughter began receiving baby coupons in the mail. The company had correctly identified her pregnancy—before her family knew.
Target was seeking a strategic advantage. Instead, they created mistrust.
Data can reveal patterns. But only purpose can reveal people.
Relationship Over Data
When my colleague and I revisited the purpose of their CEO’s request, something powerful emerged.
The organization wasn’t wrong to notice that a segment of the community was newly engaged—they were right to celebrate it. But their next step—profiling and targeting—would have reduced genuine connection to a transactional formula.
So we shifted the strategy.
Instead of building a model, they built a network.
They identified community champions, held small events, and co-created programming that reflected shared values.
They didn’t extract data; they invited dialogue.
A year later, my colleague called again. Engagement was up. Donations had increased. The organization was being written about—not for its clever analytics—but for the strength of its community partnerships.
The data they eventually gathered was richer, more relevant, and—most importantly—earned.
Purpose Before Strategy
We often mistake access to information for understanding. But the real question isn’t how much we know—it’s why we want to know it.
Purpose gives data its meaning.
When we lead with empathy, strategy becomes an act of relationship, not extraction.
So before launching the next initiative or building the next model, ask:
What is this really for?
Who will it serve?
Does it honor the people it describes?
Purpose isn’t found in the data we collect or the algorithms we build.
It’s found in the relationships we build—and the respect we show.
When we begin with empathy, information becomes illumination, not instrumentation.
When have you had to choose understanding over advantage?
What guided your decision?
#PurposeDrivenLeadership #EthicalData #AuthenticEngagement #SocialImpact #LeadershipWithIntegrity #HumanCenteredDesign #LinesOfSight