Q&A on Sharing the Mission

Q: I have employees who have not bought in to the mission here. I care a lot about what we do and I'm excited to come to work each day. A lot of them just punch the clock and do the minimum that's required. How do I get them to buy into a bigger mission than just collecting a paycheck?

A: Fortunately, most people want to work for something more than a paycheck. Your challenge is to tap into that desire.

First, you have to have some sort of mission at work that's worth caring about. It needs to be something noble, something people can be proud of working on and identifying with.

Second, as a leader you need to connect daily activities to that noble goal. When you give praise or make a point of noticing something, say more than "that was good work" - mention also that it was good because it supports that noble goal. (You have to be honest - empty or insincere praise stinks, and is obvious.) It could be "That was a great job - you were very patient with that complaining customer, and kept cool, and were very professional. You set a wonderful example for the newer sales clerks. That's the kind of service that will make us the best shoe store in the world."

Third, you need to have a genuine interest in your people - that creates the relationship between you and them that allows them to care about what you care about. Just as a carpenter needs to deeply understand her tools and materials, you as a leader need to deeply understand the specific individual human beings that make up your organization. And you should find in each one something to like and respect. This is a precondition for getting them to buy in to your vision.