The Power of Purpose

The History of Purpose

For as long as people have worked together on complex problems, purpose has been the quiet engine behind motivation and innovation. In technical fields, it has often been present but rarely discussed — engineers, designers, and project managers have traditionally focused on precision, safety, and deliverables rather than meaning. Yet the stories we remember most in our careers are not about the hours logged or drawings issued; they’re about moments when our work visibly made a difference — when a system we designed worked exactly as intended, when a community responded to a safer street, when a client said, “You’ve changed how we think.” Over the years, research from behavioral science and organizational psychology has caught up with what most of us have felt intuitively: people do their best work when they feel connected to a larger purpose.

Purpose in Consulting

Purpose plays a vital role in consulting because so much of the work happens one step removed from the end result. Engineers and designers often work months or years before anyone experiences the benefit of what they’ve built. Without a visible connection between effort and impact, even strong teams can lose energy. Leaders in technical services are now realizing that purpose isn’t a “soft” concept — it’s a practical one. It fuels retention, collaboration, and quality. Firms that help their people see the meaning in their work — through clearer client stories, project visibility, and human-centered communication — consistently deliver stronger outcomes. The Power of Purpose reconnects project teams to the “why” behind the drawings, schedules, and reports, turning routine assignments into shared missions.

The Future of Purpose

The next generation of consulting will depend on how well we can keep purpose visible amid automation, remote work, and digital tools that risk making human contributions invisible. The future of purpose in technical services will be measured not only by the structures and systems we design, but by how effectively we design meaning into our daily work — how we celebrate progress, share impact, and invite people to see themselves in the results. As firms embrace integrated delivery and AI-assisted design, maintaining that human sense of ownership and connection will become a differentiator. Purpose-driven teams will build faster, collaborate better, and find more joy in their work — proving that meaningful work is not a luxury, but a competitive advantage.

suggested KPIs for this topic

These KPIs help leaders and teams tap into purpose as a daily source of meaning, engagement, and energy — not a poster on the wall. They focus on visibility, contribution, ownership, and the stories behind the work.

making meaning visible (the lego effect)

Ensure every project team sees the visible outcome of their work (photos, stories, site visits, public interactions).
Share post-project visuals — completed sites, users benefiting, before/after comparisons — after every major project.
Run the Lego-style “visible vs. invisible work” experiment at least once to spark awareness of meaning.
Identify work that feels “dismantled” or invisible and redesign processes to preserve or showcase the contribution.
Measure increases in engagement, enthusiasm, and pride after visibility practices are introduced.

ownership, contribution & the ikea effect

Invite teams to shape their own work environment: naming initiatives, designing processes, suggesting improvements.
Use the word “contribution” — not “accomplishment” — in performance discussions to reinforce shared purpose.
Involve staff in co-creating aspects of strategy, BD efforts, templates, and cultural practices.
Track participation in co-creation activities and measure perceived ownership afterward.
Review quarterly how much of the working environment is team-shaped vs. leader-imposed.

purpose through end users (stories & real-world impact)

Collect testimonials, stories, or brief interviews from the people who use or benefit from your work.
Incorporate these stories into BD materials, team meetings, and onboarding to reinforce meaning.
Visit completed project sites annually to reconnect teams with real-world outcomes.
Create video project profiles highlighting lived experience — not just technical milestones.
Track how exposure to end-user stories affects morale, client empathy, and team pride.

purpose as daily practice (not a poster)

Ask teams regularly what part of their work feels meaningful — and what feels invisible or disconnected.
Discuss purpose explicitly in project kickoffs: who benefits, why it matters, what the final experience will be.
Share quick weekly stories of impact, either internally or through Twennie prompt sets.
Ensure leaders articulate and model purpose through storytelling, clarity, and gratitude.
Assess purpose annually: do employees feel their work means something? Do they see the impact? If not, fix the gap.