M is for Meaning: The Fuel of Sustainable Performance.

“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.”

Antoine de Saint‑Exupéry.

In high-performing teams, meaning is not a luxury - it’s a necessity.

Research in organisational psychology shows that when leaders connect work to purpose, engagement rises, burnout drops, and innovation flourishes. Yet many senior teams get stuck in metrics, losing sight of the “why” behind the “what.”

We supported a founder-led business where growth had become exhausting. By reconnecting the team to their shared purpose - why they started, who they serve - they reignited energy and focus. Strategy became more than a plan; it became a mission.

Actionable Insight:

• Revisit your origin story: What problem were you solving? Why does it still matter? 

  
  

• Ask your team: “What gives your work meaning - and how can we protect that?” 

  
  

• Integrate purpose into performance reviews, not just KPIs.

  
  

Why it matters: Meaning fuels momentum. When leaders lead with purpose, they build teams that endure.

Pratt, M. G., & Ashforth, B. E. (2003). Fostering meaningfulness in working and at work. In Positive Organizational Scholarship (pp. 309–327).

Berrett-Koehler.  Steger, M. F., Dik, B. J., & Duffy, R. D. (2012). Measuring meaningful work: The Work and Meaning Inventory (WAMI). Journal of Career Assessment, 20(3), 322–337.