Is Your Team Just Working—Or Working With Purpose?

Welcome to Love Mondays More, the weekly LinkedIn newsletter that delves deeper into the ideas and concepts driving my Love Mondays email newsletter series .

Why ‘Love Mondays’? Mondays are often the low part of the week, earning the title of “worst day of the week” by the Guinness World Records. So I aim to provide a 4-minute caffeine hit of content to fire up the other 10,076 minutes of your week and stave off the Monday malaise. Don’t just live Mondays, Love Mondays!

What drives someone to run four marathons a day for 10 days or cycle around Australia in just 30? Sounds extreme, right?

While I’m currently in North America, I’ve been tracking the stories of two Aussie legends: Nedd Brockmann , a tradie who’s swapped his work boots for running shoes and is running 1,610 km in just 10 days—yes, around an athletics track—and Lachlan Morton , a pro cyclist who cycled 14,201 km around Australia’s coastline, smashing the record by a week.

Their stories are incredible, but what really got me thinking wasn’t just the physical feat—it was the why behind it. Nedd and Lachlan aren’t out there grinding through endless kilometres just for the thrill of it. They’re on missions that are much bigger than themselves. Nedd is running to raise awareness and funds for homelessness , while Lachlan cycled for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation .?

It’s purpose (with a capital P!) that's fuelled them through every blister, every gruelling moment, and every uncertain step. Their missions are deeply personal, yet they connect to something bigger than themselves. And that’s precisely the key: they’ve found a way to align their individual purpose with a cause that resonates on a larger scale.

Connecting Individual Purpose with Organisational Goals

As leaders, it’s crucial to recognise that each team member has their own “why”—their unique motivators, dreams, and passions. The reality though is that their “why” is probably not directly tied to the organisation’s goals. The challenge for leaders isn’t to force alignment between the organisation’s purpose and every individual’s motivations—because let’s face it, that rarely works. Instead, the goal is to understand and respect each team member’s “why” and then find ways to connect it to the bigger picture.

“Great things in business are never done by one person. They’re done by a team of people.” - Steve Jobs

But how do we create the conditions for this synergy between individual purpose and team success?

Create ‘Lightning Strike’ Moments to Make Your Organisational or Team ‘Why’ Palpable

The best organisations do this by creating powerful, tangible moments that remind their teams why they do what they do. Here’s how they bring the purpose to life:

1. Regularly ‘ride the subway’: One of my favourite organisational values is all about getting out of the ‘ivory tower’ and stepping into the world of your customer—feeling their heat firsthand. Now it might be about stepping out of the home office, but the sentiment remains: bring your team to a part of the business where they can see the impact of their hard work. Whether it’s meeting customers or communities, or experiencing the problems they’re solving, it’s about making their contribution feel real and immediate.
2. Make a habit of impact storytelling: Invite customers to share their stories at company offsites—how your product or service changed their lives, or showcase team members’ ingenuity in solving real problems. Hearing, seeing, and feeling the direct impact of your work is an incredible motivator. To keep that fire burning, find small ways to weave these stories into your weekly routine, like reading out customer emails or feedback. It’s a simple, powerful way to bring the bigger picture to life regularly.
3. Encourage participation in the company’s social impact work:? The best workplaces offer a corporate social responsibility or pro bono program, allowing teams to contribute to meaningful causes or support clients who need it most. Encouraging your team to get involved not only fosters a sense of purpose but also builds pride in their work and the organisation. It’s a powerful way to connect personal values with the company’s mission.

The Power of Alignment: From Individual Purpose to Team Synergy

Nedd and Lachlan’s stories aren’t just about running and cycling; they’re about finding the fuel that keeps you going when the journey gets tough. The same principle applies in the workplace.

Purpose matters most when things get hard.

Leaders are often great at defining the ‘why’ behind goals at the start, but when challenges arise, we tend to default to focusing on the ‘what’ and ‘how.’ In those moments, re-articulating the purpose becomes crucial. When setbacks happen, the most powerful thing you can do as a leader is re-ignite that sense of purpose and remotivate your team. Try this: have two fewer ‘what’ or ‘how’ conversations this week, and two more ‘why’ ones. You’ll be amazed at the energy shift that happens when people are reminded of the purpose driving them forward.

P.S. If you’re enjoying Love Mondays More, you’ll love the quick and practical insights in my weekly Love Mondays email. While Love Mondays More helps you reflect on bigger leadership themes, Love Mondays offers bite-sized, actionable tips you can implement right away to set a positive tone for your entire week. Why settle for just one when you can have both? Sign up here .