Everything needs a reason. Without a sense of a why, would you tackle a task? Human history is filled with stories of people creating amazing things out of need or necessity. When need is strong, human beings find a new level of resourcefulness, motivation and commitment. They find themselves working well with others as they strive to do what is needed.
Perhaps it involved gaining better access to water, or building shelters.
Whatever project you and your team are working, has a reason, perhaps a very good reason. The project was created to provide a benefit in some way. For example, it is easy to understand why a hospital is being built.
But do we assume too much? On your current project, are all of your people completely clear about who the beneficiaries of their work really are?
For example, you may be building a section of a freeway. When it is complete, who will benefit? Perhaps some commuters will get to cut 60 minutes per day from their commute. If this is the case, they will get to spend more time with their kids and perhaps participate in the community more. If that happens, a lot of kids will get a much better deal, will feel more loved and will grow up with a healthier sense of self.
Can I guarantee this? Of course not, but in general, it is a fairly reasonable prediction.
My point is this. Have you helped your team members to join those dots? And can you continue to join those dots as the project progresses and evolves? This is what helps all people to become more engaged and to experience a healthy sense of togetherness on the job. Better, more positive workplace atmosphere follows, leading to improved culture, stronger levels of care and a greater dedication to quality work.
Try it. If you are not sure how to go about it, drop me a line so we can chat about it for a few minutes. I am sure we can discover an inspiring vision.
You may like to read the article I wrote about a Melbourne Infrastructure project in 2016, where we connected everyone on the project with the true beneficiaries of their work. The impact on the outcome was profound. Read it here on Huffington Post Global edition.
