The need to have the team reconnect to Purpose is never higher than when the team is failing in its mission. Research that I have been conducting for more than ten years is suggesting that the Purpose of both Organizations and Individuals tends to be revealed in earnest during periods of adversity. World War II movies show Russian soldiers urged by the Commissars to advance towards Berlin to build socialism. However, only a few months earlier, when in desperate conditions, the same soldiers were freely stating in their defensive positions that their Purpose was to protect the Motherland. Patriotism- not Socialism- was the true Purpose of these Soldiers and Patriotism eventually prevailed.

Unfortunately,Purpose is a word more used than undestood in our times. Among those who invoke it, some put a lot of emphasis on communications. This is an oxymoron, for when Purpose exists it does communicate. Some others conflate organizational and personnal Purpose. They both exist, but they are distinct. Finally some others trivialize Purpose by defining it in terms appealing to their emotions. Purpose, however, as I explain in my eponemous book, is a concept of Moral Philosophy. It cannot be defined subjectively. It is not trivial to discover it, but it is worth doing so. As Clausevitz, the founder of what we call Strategy, pointed out, Purpose is the best anchor of Alignment. Alignment of Strategy, Organizationa Design, Values, People and Financials is what most of the daily struggle of Firms and Agencies is all about.