Why are we here?

To keep your energy up, you need to stay connected to the difference you’re making in the world.

Mission. Purpose. Crusade… Whatever label you slap on it, the why behind your work matters. It’s what gets us out of bed (or at least partly dressed for our next Teams call…)

The Experiment

Grab a piece of paper and scribble down the answers to these questions. Be brutally honest!

• What problem in the world does our team exist to solve?
• If our team vanished tomorrow, who would notice and why?
• What’s the change we’re trying to create, and how do we measure it?
• How would we want our work to be described five years from now?

Now for the acid test:

• If you had to explain your team’s purpose in one sentence, what would you say?

If you’re feeling brave, forward the above questions to the rest of your team – then check in with each other’s answers. Are you singing from the same hymn sheet, or wailing wildly different tunes?!

Why Try This?

If everyone gives a different answer to “Why does this team exist?”, you’re trying to drive to different destinations whilst sat in the same car. Expect to hit detours, arguments – and the odd prang – along the way.

It’s OK for your team to be motivated by different things (creativity, doing good, or simply crushing the competition!). You’re not after uniformity here. You just want to agree on the impact you’re after.

Big companies know their purpose – it’s the glue that holds their sprawling operations together. But here’s the deal: every team inside those giants needs its own clear purpose too.  Purpose drives productivity:

• Boosts Motivation: Teams with purpose are 72% more engaged, and experience up to 26% less burnout (Gallup and the APA)
• Builds Connection: Purpose drives collaboration and creativity—teams with a shared sense of purpose outperform others by 30% (HBR)
• Simplifies Decisions: Aligned teams make decisions 50% faster and complete projects 32% quicker (McKinsey).

Make It Stick

• Bake It In: Start team meetings with a quick reminder of your purpose (or ask, “How does this line-up with our why?”).
• Celebrate Stuff: When projects nail your purpose, shout about it. Publicly. LOUDLY!
• Revisit it regularly: Missions evolve. Keep it fresh.

Even stormtroopers need a purpose!