The Work Behind the Work
Most teams focus on what they're doing. The best ones know why.
One of the first questions I ask when joining a new team is: “What are you working on, and why?”
I'm not trying to test anybody individually, but their answers tell me a lot about how the team functions.
Too often, I’ll hear something like:
💬 “It’s just always been done.”
💬 “Someone told me to.”
💬 “I’m not really sure.”
When a team doesn’t know why they’re doing what they’re doing, it’s usually a signal that something’s missing upstream - most often, clarity from leadership.
I’ve seen it firsthand: When goals are intentional, measurable, and actually tied back to what the company was trying to achieve - when a team can clearly trace what they do on, say, a Monday to a broader company goal - it changes everything.
There’s more direction. Less confusion. Better performance conversations. Fewer surprises. Stronger outcomes.
Even more than that, people feel connected and know their work matters. That’s what builds a great team.
Goal-setting isn’t exciting. It’s not a shiny product launch or a headline announcement. But when goal-setting is done well, it unlocks the trust, autonomy, and purpose that most companies are chasing.