Practical tips for leaders to reconnect teams to purpose

Reconnecting your people to purpose in times of change

Change is part of modern organisational life. New systems, restructures, growth, shifting expectations. While these shifts are often necessary, they can quietly weaken something far more important than process or performance: connection to purpose.

At our recent event, Secrets to Success – Reconnecting People to Purpose in Times of Change, Sophie Owen, Head of Community Services, brought together leaders who are navigating this reality every day. Joining her were Alana Nicholls (Founder and CEO, Pro Purpose), Sam Kolasa (CEO, Glen Education), Melissa Macmaster (General Manager, Operations), and Murray Chapman (Principal, Board Benchmarking).

Sophie opened with research showing that only around half of employees feel genuinely inspired by their organisation’s vision.

That statistic set the tone. If people aren’t inspired by the vision, alignment during change becomes even harder. The conversation quickly shifted from theory to action: what can leaders practically do to reconnect people to purpose?

Below are the strongest insights from the discussion.

Start by making purpose clear and meaningful

Purpose cannot live in a strategy document. It needs to be understood, felt and spoken about in simple terms.

Alana described purpose as an organisation’s “why” and spoke about the importance of connecting that why to real impact. When leaders are clear about their own purpose and live it consistently, it shapes culture in tangible ways.

Melissa shared how Glen Education refined its purpose down to “growing people.” What emerged was something clearer, more focused and easier for their team to live and breathe. It became an anchor in difficult moments and a guide for decision-making.

If people can’t easily explain your purpose, they’re unlikely to feel connected to it.

Key takeaway:

Refine your purpose until it is clear, human and specific. Your team should be able to articulate it without reading from a slide.

Ensure alignment at the top

Alignment doesn’t cascade automatically. It starts with the senior team.

Murray emphasised that strong leadership alignment is closely linked to organisational engagement. When leaders send mixed signals, even unintentionally, uncertainty spreads quickly.

He shared the example of a CEO who personally calls every new employee during induction to speak about vision and purpose. That deliberate connection reinforces what matters from day one and demonstrates that purpose is not just rhetoric.

Before focusing on engagement programs or internal campaigns, leadership alignment needs to be examined honestly.

Key takeaway:

If alignment feels fragile, start with your senior leadership team. Consistency in message and behaviour builds confidence across the organisation.

Help people connect their work to the bigger picture

Purpose strengthens when individuals can see how their daily work contributes to something larger.

Several panellists spoke about the power of better questions. Not performance questions, but questions about meaning. For example:

• Why are you here?
• Do your values align with our purpose?
• What have you done this week that has driven our purpose forward?

These conversations encourage reflection. They help people understand that everyone has a role in shaping the organisation.

If people struggle to answer those questions, it’s not a failure. It’s an opportunity for leaders to provide clarity.

Key takeaway:

Build purpose into everyday conversations. Don’t assume people can see the link between tasks and impact. Help them make that connection.

Communicate the “why” more than you think you need to

During change, leaders often become focused on solving immediate issues. Operational pressure is real. But purpose can easily get lost in that urgency.

Alana noted that senior leaders frequently underestimate how clearly they are communicating the “why,” particularly to frontline teams. Some messages need to be repeated consistently and linked directly to decisions.

Melissa reinforced that purpose must also be demonstrated. Recognising and celebrating behaviours that reflect organisational values shows people what purpose looks like in practice.

Consistency builds trust, and visibility builds belief.

Key takeaway:

Overcommunicate the why. Link decisions back to purpose and recognise the behaviours that bring it to life.

Create space for honest, constructive dialogue

Disconnection often begins when people feel distant from decision-making or unsure of their place in the organisation.

Sam spoke about the importance of helping individuals reflect on their own alignment. Questions such as:

• Am I in the right place?
• Does this organisation fit who I am?
• Do I fit where this organisation is heading?

At Glen Education, fortnightly “anchor meetings” are used to surface frustrations, address distractions and refocus on impact. These structured conversations bring teams back to purpose rather than allowing uncertainty to linger.

From a board perspective, Murray reinforced that high-performing boards are driven by strong relationships and the ability to have proper, challenging conversations. Avoiding difficult discussions rarely strengthens alignment.

Key takeaway:

If your meetings are purely operational, introduce time for purposeful dialogue. Alignment grows through honest conversation.

Never underestimate the power of knowing your people

Reconnecting people to purpose ultimately comes down to leadership behaviour.

Melissa highlighted the importance of leaders truly knowing their people. That starts with something simple, but often overlooked: listening properly. Taking the time to say hello and being present in conversations, avoid responding to emails while someone is speaking to you. When leaders multitask, even unintentionally, it signals that the person in front of them is not the priority.

Purpose is reinforced through moments like these. When people feel seen, heard and understood, they are far more likely to engage with the organisation’s direction and values.

Key takeaway:

Purpose is reinforced daily through consistent, human leadership. It does not live on posters or in strategy decks.

Reconnecting people to purpose is not a one-off initiative or a communications exercise. It requires clarity, alignment and ongoing dialogue. It requires leaders who are willing to listen, ask meaningful questions and remain disciplined in returning to the bigger picture.

When people flourish, organisations flourish. Purpose is not separate from performance. It is what sustains it, particularly in times of change.