Making Your Team’s Shared Purpose a Living Reality

Practical Ways to Align and Communicate Shared Purpose

Jack (not his real name), a client of mine, was asked by his director to take on a new role. His job was to figure out how to implement an initiative the director had in mind. The problem was that Jack could not understand how that initiative could contribute to the organisation’s purpose. The initiative seemed valuable and had potential at first glance. As Jack discussed the specifics with his colleagues and supervisor, they quickly realised it would be problematic while not contributing meaningfully to the organisation’s purpose. However, because the director wanted it done, they had to figure out how to make it work.

Jack also mentioned another project he was managing. His team felt the project had already outlived its usefulness, and it was time to stop. When he suggested halting the project, his director responded by saying that if he was unwilling to work on it, the director could find someone else to do it because it was something they had always been doing and should not stop.

What was surprising in Jack’s situation was that the organisation had a compelling purpose. Yet, as I understood from him, some of the things they had to do were either not contributing significantly to furthering the purpose or had no apparent relationship with it!

Having a shared purpose is only the beginning. The team’s shared purpose is not a checklist item that can be set aside and forgotten once you have completed it.

A highly effective, high-performance team must be purpose-driven. An authentic leader must constantly motivate the team around the shared purpose and align everything the team does with it.

Communicating the Purpose

A team needs to keep its shared purpose front and centre so that it informs everything the team does. Otherwise, it will be out of sight, out of mind.

Here are some practical ways you and your team can communicate your shared purpose.

Storytelling

Craft a story (or multiple stories or variations of stories) to communicate different aspects of your shared purpose and make it memorable. For example:

• Describe someone whose life changed because your team is fulfilling its purpose.
• Describe the ‘suffering’ or ‘neediness’ that existed (and its impact) before your team came along or your team is hoping to prevent.
• Describe the experiences of those benefitting from your team’s work (whether they are internal or external stakeholders).

The stories could be real (which is best) or metaphorical, but they must resonate or connect emotionally with the listener.

Once you have the stories, make them available to everyone on the team. Repeat the stories frequently and make sure team members know those stories. Create opportunities for team members to tell those stories to your team’s stakeholders on various occasions. Doing so will help them own the stories.

Tip: The team leader need not be the one to craft these stories. You should enlist the help of your team, especially those on the team whose strengths relate to communications and storytelling.

Visual Representation

Create visual representations of your shared purpose. These could be digital (e.g., desktop or Zoom background, videos of stories) or physical (e.g., vision boards, infographics, stickers, physical items). Not all of the visuals need to be professionally made. You can enlist your team to make some of them (especially those team members with artistic talents) to instil a sense of ownership and pride.

Display these visuals prominently and in multiple places to remind your team of its shared purpose.

Use Repetition

Whether it is the purpose statement, stories, or visuals, you must consistently repeat them across multiple channels and contexts. You could do so during your team’s meetings or huddle time, organisation-wide events, or any occasion you can leverage.

The team leader should not be the only person articulating the purpose and stories or using those visuals. Instead, you can create opportunities for your team members to do so and encourage them to talk about the shared purpose in their own words or using their own stories. The team can also talk about how their work relates to the shared purpose. Doing so will empower the team and help them build conviction towards the shared purpose.

Align with the Purpose

The shared purpose is the team’s ultimate north star. It should shape every aspect of the team, including its goals, decisions, tasks, roles, and responsibilities.

Here are some ways to engage with team members to align the team with the shared purpose.

“The shared purpose is the team’s ultimate north star. It should shape every aspect of the team, including its goals, decisions, tasks, roles, and responsibilities.”

Setting Goals

To maximise the impact of the team’s efforts, the team’s goals — both its overall goals and those of individual team members — must be aligned with the shared purpose.

The critical question is, “What do we need to accomplish to contribute to the shared purpose?”

Other questions that can help you set aligned goals are:

• What capabilities (individually or collectively) do we need to acquire to fulfil the shared purpose more effectively?
• What must we stop doing to focus on fulfilling the shared purpose?
• Who do we need to work with to help fulfil the shared purpose?
• What support or resources do we need to fulfil the shared purpose effectively?
• What do we need to prioritise to fulfil the shared purpose?

Shaping Roles and Responsibilities

The team needs to tie its roles and responsibilities to its shared purpose. It might have to redesign its roles and responsibilities to better fit the purpose.

The team leader must work with the team collectively and one-on-one to identify ways to align their roles and responsibilities with the purpose. Every team member must be able to articulate how their roles or responsibilities contribute to the shared purpose — their engagement level increases when they feel that their work contributes to something meaningful.

Additionally, the team leader must empower your team members to take the initiative, explore possibilities and solutions, and make decisions aligned with the shared purpose. Doing so will also help team members own the shared purpose.

Leverage Talents and Strengths

A foundational trait of a high-performing team is being strengths-based in its work. A team that can leverage its individual and collective strengths will more effectively fulfil its purpose.

Every team member needs to know their unique talents and strengths, while the team leader needs to be aware of each member’s strengths. The team leader can work with the team to facilitate the discovery of their strengths and then figure out how they can collaborate effectively. This knowledge will also inform how the team sets goals and shapes roles and responsibilities.

When team members feel their work aligns with their talents and strengths, their engagement level increases.

Review Regularly

Your team’s purpose is not necessarily static. It might evolve over time as your team and organisation grow and your operating environment and the world change. Even if your purpose remains the same, your team’s goals, roles, responsibilities, systems, processes, and composition may need to change because of shifts in your stakeholders, operating environment, and the world.

The team needs to review your purpose, goals, roles, responsibilities, and various aspects of the team to ensure continued alignment. You can do so through regular meetings and one-on-one conversations.

Celebrate Progress and Successes

The journey towards your team’s purpose will not be easy; it will be full of challenges. The team leader must inspire and motivate your team to keep it moving forward. One excellent way to do so is to celebrate progress and successes.

The team must regularly recognise and celebrate its efforts (including individual contributions), progress, and accomplishments, no matter how small. The team leader could do this personally or enlist the team to do it collectively. When team members feel their contributions are valued, they will continue to give their best efforts towards the team’s purpose.

Towards a Purpose-Driven Team

Having a shared purpose is only half the battle. The other half — the more challenging — is fulfilling the purpose.

If the above seems like a lot to do, it is. However, you can start with something simple, do them consistently, and then build up slowly. You can also enlist your team’s help!

Saint Francis of Assissi allegedly said, “Start by doing what’s necessary, then do what’s possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” If your team starts now, takes incremental steps, and keeps going, you will eventually find yourselves doing what you initially thought impossible!

By aligning your team’s work with its shared purpose, you are taking another step towards becoming an effective, high-performing team!

What about you and your team?

What are you doing to keep your team’s shared purpose front and centre for the team?

What initial steps can you take to align your team with its shared purpose?