The Hidden Reason High-Performance Teams Thrive In Uncertain Times

A big focus of my work over these past 15-plus years has been helping leaders understand how they can guide and empower their employees to do purpose-driven work. And there’s a very good reason for this.

Working in partnership with Philips North America a few years ago on a study that looked at workplace attitudes revealed an unexpected finding:

Over 65% of employees surveyed said they’d switch to another job that would allow them to do meaningful work – even if that meant taking a pay cut.

And when we asked how connecting their daily work to a greater cause would impact their performance, over 90% of employees said they’d work harder, they’d care more about the organization’s goals, it would reduce their stress levels, and it’d make them feel successful.

Furthermore, organizations that operate under a purpose-driven leadership develop an internal capacity to learn and adapt faster than those that operate with a more short-term, shareholder-focused approach.

The reason for this is simple – when your employees understand and invest in your collective “why”, they’re not only more willing to share their unique talents and creativity to make that why real, but they feel a stronger sense of ownership and accountability to make sure we stay the course.

Taken together, it’s not hard to understand why some organizations are able to get the best out of their employees. Of creating high-performance teams under the same challenging and uncertain conditions other organizations are struggling through.

Their ‘secret sauce’ is their ability to understand how to connect what their team does to a greater cause; to something that’s bigger than them and which promises a better future through their contributions.

Additional studies have reinforced this truth about today’s workplaces: when employees find meaning in their work, they’re more productive, creative, and demonstrate greater commitment to the organization’s long-term goals.

Now as I’ve shared in my workshops and keynotes on purpose and leadership, this purpose-led work doesn’t have to be glamourous or exciting.

Rather, all that’s required to reap the rewards described above is simply making sure we connect what our employees do with the why that defines our organization’s purpose. Of why we do what we do.

Of course, the impact of purpose-driven leadership extends far beyond your organization’s boundaries. Leaders who tap into this power of purpose not only end up inspiring and empowering their employees, but that energy and passion creates these cascading ripples of positive influence onto their partners, customers, and the communities they operate within.

I know from my own experience working with purpose-driven organizations that it’s hard not to get swept up in the enthusiasm and optimism they exude when talking about their shared purpose. And it also leaves me inspired to consider how I can create similar energy ripples through my work.

And in a period of perpetual change and uncertainty, there’s a lot of hope to be found in understanding this hidden dimension of purpose-driven leadership.

That while we may or may not be able to reach our targets for this year, the opportunity always remains for us embrace the power of purpose to help transform what we think we can achieve today into what we know we can become tomorrow.

Ultimately, this is the true measure of today’s leadership – it’s not just about how much work your team gets done, but why their accomplishments are meaningful and fuel the collective drive we all have to do something truly remarkable.