About 10 years ago I was completely burned out. And so was my team.
My team was good. Really good, in fact. They were hitting their numbers, finishing projects, and keeping our hiring managers happy (for the most part).
But they were running on fumes. And I could tell the spark was gone.
Our work had become routine. An endless cycle of reqs, screens, and offers. Even the satisfaction of filling a big job was gone.
As the head of the function, I saw the disengagement happening right before my eyes. But I wasn’t mature enough to understand how to fix it.
I tried recognition, team lunches, happy hours, career development…all the things.
But nothing worked.
Until I met a coach who shared a simple tip that would change my approach to leading and engaging recruiting teams forever.
The ROI of Purpose
Before I tell you EXACTLY what my coach said to me, I want to give you some background on the topic.
The topic has to do with the human journey we’re all on.
Each one of us has a purpose in life, but very few people know what it is. When we find it, it’s well known that it leads to more happiness, more success, better relationships, etc.
The same is true for companies. For example…
Mission-driven companies see 40% higher levels of retention.
Gallup found that business units who know their purpose are 23% more profitable.
The Edelman Trust Barometer shows that 81% of consumers trust companies that have a purpose beyond just making a profit.
So if it’s true at the human level and true at the organizational level, wouldn’t it be true at the departmental level?
Couldn’t finding the connection between an employee’s journey and a strong sense of purpose deliver positive results?
Well, that was my coach’s thesis. And he was right.
Let’s look at a simple framework you can use to find purpose for your team.
How to Find Your Team's "Purpose" in 4 Simple Steps
Many people think finding purpose or developing mission statements is corporate fluff.
But that’s short-sighted.
A real mission, one that lives and breathes within your department, has real business value. It’s not fluff.
It keeps a team focused on their why, improves engagement, lowers turnover, and leads to a happier employee.
That’s what the data says AND that’s what I’ve experienced over the course of my career.
And while creating a mission statement seems like it would be a daunting task, it doesn’t have to be.
It can be done in less than a week, at no cost, and only involves your ability to ask questions, listen to responses, and maybe use a little AI to help you write a mission statement.
“INWARD - OUTWARD - BACKWARD - FORWARD”
If you’re serious about truly engaging your team and driving the results mentioned in this article, here’s a simple framework I’ve found useful to uncover a team’s mission or purpose in four easy steps.
Here’s how it works…
1. INWARD: Interview members of your team—not about metrics, but about meaning. Ask questions like…
Why do you think we exist as a department?
What value do we deliver to managers, candidates, and each other?
"What's the best part of your job?" “Where do you get the most satisfaction?”
2. OUTWARD: Talk to your customers—your hiring managers and new hires. Ask them:
Mgr: Beyond filling your job, what does our department do for you and your department?
New Hire: Beyond helping you through the process, what value did my department bring to you or your family?
3. BACKWARD: Ask your team to reflect on the past to find anecdotes and proof points to bring your mission to life.
Tell me a story about something that made you happy in the last month at work.
What is something that warmed your heart recently at work?
What unexpected piece of positive feedback did you receive lately?
4. FORWARD: Ask your team to look forward into the future to define the impact that will fuel their engagement.
What would you like to feel in the future at work?
What impact would you like to have on this company? This department?
In the past, I would have taken notes on paper and brainstormed some mission statements organically. Today, I would suggest putting all your questions and notes on a single document and using AI to help you craft a bunch of different options for your mission statement. Then, refine it by hand with feedback from your team.
The Sheetz Talent Acquisition Team Mission
While I never got the chance to deploy these questions a decade ago with my burned out team, when I joined Sheetz 5 years ago, it was the first thing I did.
After going through the exercise to find the team’s mission, I heard 3 things over and over…
The people who work at Sheetz are different…they’re extraordinary.
We get value out of connecting real people to great jobs.
We’re a family here…a work family.
From those insights, I drafted the mission statement for our talent acquisition team:
“We help extraordinary people find their work family."
It wasn’t about being the #1 TA function. Filling jobs on time. Or sourcing top talent.
Those are surface-level and tactical.
Our mission was rooted in the feeling of seeing relief on a hiring manager's face. It was about changing a candidate's life. It was about learning that our high retention rate stemmed from coworkers feeling like they belonged here.
// Supporting Resources
Here is a list of high-value assets based on the article.
Books to Read…
Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek: This is the foundational book on the power of purpose. It’s the perfect starting point for any leader who wants to understand the "Golden Circle" framework and apply it to their team. Book Link Here
The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else In Business by Patrick Lencioni: A must-read for leaders. Lencioni argues that the single greatest advantage any company can achieve is organizational health, and the first step to achieving it is creating a cohesive leadership team built around a clear purpose. Book Link Here
Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel Pink: This book deconstructs the science of motivation, arguing that true motivation stems from autonomy, mastery, and purpose. It provides the scientific backing for why a mission is more powerful than a bonus. Book Link Here
RecOps: Recruiting Is Still Broken. Here's How to Fix It. by James Colino: This book shows how to create clarity through a defined Mission, Vision, and Strategy (MVSG) as the foundation for transforming a recruiting function. The Sheetz mission statement story is a key example of this principle in practice. Book Link Here
Articles to Skim…
"How to Create a Meaningful Mission Statement" (Gallup): A data-backed article that explains why most mission statements fail and provides actionable steps to create one that actually inspires employees, based on Gallup's extensive research. Read Here
"Creating a Purpose-Driven Organization" (Harvard Business Review): An insightful article that details how leaders can embed purpose into the core of their organization, linking it to both employee engagement and financial performance. Read Here
"The Business Case for Purpose" (Deloitte Insights): This report provides compelling data and case studies proving that purpose-driven companies experience higher growth, market share gains, and workforce satisfaction. Read Here
Visual Frameworks (Images/PDFs)…
The Golden Circle by Simon Sinek: A clear, simple visual of the "Why, How, What" framework. Perfect for explaining the concept to your team. Image Link
Developing Mission, Vision, and Values: The simple framework outlined in the article for looking inward, outward, and forward. Image Link
Lencioni's Four Disciplines of a Healthy Organization: A visual model from "The Advantage" that shows how creating clarity is the first step toward organizational health. Image Link
Social Media Posts…
LinkedIn Post by Adam Grant: This post explores how burnout is viewed in different work environments: toxic, hustle-driven, and healthy cultures. See Post Here
Twitter Thread by Wes Kao: An excellent thread on how "company religion" (mission and values) is a competitive advantage, especially for attracting and retaining the right talent. See Post Here
Instagram Post by @conscious.capitalism: A visually engaging image post that explains purpose-driven leadership is a commitment to aligning every decision with the company's mission and values. See Post Here
Videos to Watch…
"How Great Leaders Inspire Action" (TED Talk) by Simon Sinek: The viral TED talk that started a movement. In 18 minutes, Sinek explains his "Golden Circle" framework, making an unforgettable case for starting with "why." A must-watch for any leader. Watch Here
"The Puzzle of Motivation" (TED Talk) by Dan Pink: A brilliant and engaging talk that uses science and storytelling to dismantle outdated ideas about motivation. It's the perfect video to share with your team to start a conversation about purpose. Watch Here