Why the Best Leaders Manage the Why

Most people manage the “what” and the “how,” but the best leaders manage the “why.”


By helping their people understand and embrace the “why,” leaders are better able to inspire enthusiasm, trust and loyalty. Here’s how it works:

Virtually everyone can tell you “what” they do and “how” they do it. But only a small percentage of U.S. employees can clearly articulate WHY their job or contribution is meaningful and significant. For this reason, good leaders and managers take the time to clearly link the everyday tasks in each person’s in-basket to the greater Vision and Mission of the company.

The more your team understands WHY their specific roles and activities make a difference to the team, the company and the world, the more motivated and passionate they will be to do their jobs.

Remember, people don’t just go to work to acquire, they go to work to become. They don’t just go to work to make a living, they go to work to make a difference.

(WHY = Purpose and Meaning + Passion and Enthusiasm = Increased Performance).