In this video, I'm going to explain what common purpose is. I'm going to describe to you what I mean by common purpose. why it's important that your team has one, and how to get crystal clear on your team's common purpose. common purpose sounds very grand, doesn't it? So I want to explain what I mean. common purpose answers these two fundamental questions.

What does your team exist to do? And why does it exist to do it? My business exists to help high achieving teams and leaders, probably people like you be more successful without working harder. Why do we do it? Because many managers many leaders, many entrepreneurs have lots of knowledge, lots of technical skills, but they're not so great at getting the best out of others. They're not quite sure how to build a team, how to motivate To team on how to grow a high performing team, or even where to start, so they're stuck.

And yet it's an absolutely crucial part of their role, not something that's an add on or a nice to have. So my business exists to help those leaders be as successful as leading others as they are in their own area of expertise, but without adding extra hours to their day. And our work has an important ripple effect. A good leader builds an effective team. Effective teams build successful, happier organizations, and successful happier organizations build a better world. So for me, that's a great reason for me to get up in the morning.

Here's another example. One of my clients works for a famous global fizzy drinks company which on the surface makes sugary flavored water but it's organizations able to provide education, clean water and health care for employees and their families. in the developing world, imagine how that completely changes lives for the better. This is why she works there. She knows that her role contributes to better lives now and in the future, across the globe. Her work to has a ripple effect.

And you may have heard the story about President JFK his visit to NASA back in 1961. It's a it's a well known story. But apparently while touring the facility, he introduced himself to a janitor cleaner, who was mopping the floor and asked him what he did it NASA. The janitor replied, I'm helping put a man on the moon. So you see common purpose focuses minds. If people can really see how their work has an impact.

How is it how it has an impact on the bigger picture, or the greater good, or the wider world, they're much more likely to be committed to it. So maybe Your common purpose come alive, make it real, rather than just a slogan or a poster on the office wall. And make sure your team's really committed to it and excited by it. How to use your common purpose how to keep it front of mind is to make reference to it all the time. So every time you hold a meeting, or you've got a decision to make, or you're thinking of taking a specific action, you can ask yourselves, you and the team. This question, will this decision conversation course of action or meeting really help us with our common purpose?

The answer is no. Don't do it. Or alternatively, revisit your common purpose, because your common purpose may well need to change over time. So I'm now going to give you a very short and simple exercise with three key questions to help you and your team get clarity on your common purpose. Here's why You need to do? ask each of your team members to answer these three questions individually at first or in pairs.

They can do it right in writing or verbally. Then get them to share their responses with the rest of the team. Here are the questions number one, what does this team exists to do? Number two, why do we exist to do it? And number three, what's the big difference our work contributes to our community to our customers, or to the wider world. Once everybody shared their response, you'll see how compelling or clear your common purposes or not, and that should help you decide what you need to do next.

This is a great exercise to do in your next team meeting and it's a really good place to start.