"How did you do this?" The surprising power of shared purpose.

Reader,

For a decade, my only priority was building community. It’s what I dedicated myself to learning and knowing—inside and out.

And yet, I couldn’t see how essential it was for building team until much later.

If you’ve ever longed for a more connected team, one that succeeds and celebrates together, this one’s for you.

In this email, I’ll unpack:

• The two ingredients you need to build a purposeful team.
• How to build it so it’s not dependent on you.
• What community offers that team alone cannot.

A team is a group of people who accomplish something together. But what happens when the “something” is done?

A community is a group who sees themselves as a unit because of shared purpose. That shared meaning transforms I into we.

Born out of crisis.

For 10 years, I led a business community born out of the 2008 financial crisis. Our purpose was palpable.

One summer, we gathered 350 leaders to connect and build relationships.

As I stood in the middle of the room, enjoying the hum of conversation and laughter, two young men approached me.

They told me what happened as they walked into the event. One person after another approached them:

Then came the question that shifted my thinking:

From experience to expertise.

I’m grateful for that question, because it made me think deeply.

Sometimes, we know something through experience. But it’s a different thing entirely to know why it works—and how to do it again.

Years later, when I joined a new team in a new role, the dots connected.

When community is missing.

When a team lacks the two ingredients that build community, certain signs start to appear:

• People mirror whoever is around them.
• Behavior shifts depending on who’s present.
• Trust and safety come and go.
• Some individuals dominate without realizing it.
• Others quietly leave without ever feeling connected.
• And over time, the purpose drifts and dissipates.

The two ingredients that build community.

These two ingredients have helped me build community across teams, groups, and various settings—and they’ll help you build a connected team, too.

Ingredient #1: A clear purpose, communicated to all.

When we gather, every person should know and understand why we're here.

The impact:

The result: People will experience the purpose with each interaction they have.

But how often do people work on teams with no real purpose—let alone one clear enough that everyone can articulate it?

Many organizations try to solve this with mission, vision, strategies, and goals. But they often become too complex—so they’re not remembered, not shared, and not lived.

When people don’t have a say in the purpose, it’s even harder to live it out.

STEP 1:​
Develop a simple, clear purpose with your team that’s easy to understand and repeat.

It should be:

• One meaning – We all understand the same thing.
• Recalled to memory – We can repeat it easily.
• Communicated continually – It stays top of mind.
• Lived out daily – We know what it looks like in action.

STEP 2:​
Agree on 3–5 simple ways the purpose shows up when you gather.

These become the shared characteristics people experience—in meetings, projects, and relationships.

For example, in my story, the two young men experienced engaged, humble, authentic people who were there to serve.

Ingredient #2: Simple structures that reinforce the purpose.

The purpose should shape how you gather, connect, and engage.

The impact:

The purpose should be reflected in simple structures that support how you:

• Meet
• Collaborate
• Make decisions
• Communicate
• Work together

Examples:

• Agendas – Our meetings are centered on purpose.
• Communication – Everyone talks about it, and knows how to.
• Reminders – We regularly reflect on what living it out looks like.

And in case you’re thinking, “Isn’t this the CEO’s job?” — it’s not.

Those two young men experienced our purpose so clearly because everyone reinforced it.

The impact is greater than you may think.

When you have a clear purpose and simple structures to support it, something powerful happens:

• People know how to show up and engage.
• New folks adopt the culture quickly.
• Every meeting, project, and interaction feels consistent and intentional.
• Your team doesn’t waste energy figuring out how to engage each time.
• Trust and relationships deepen over time.

Sure, we can all work alone. But there’s nothing like the thrill of succeeding together.

Alignment brings clarity. But community creates unity.

It's how you become a team, stay a team, and bring the vision to life.

Imagine if your team was that purposeful—so much so that new hires, clients, or partners walked in and said:

It works in teams, churches, small groups, and neighborhoods. Any group can be infused with greater intention and purpose.

Why not yours? Give it a try.

Enjoy!

Sara

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