Why-telligent leadership.

"How am I supposed to go to work as usual when the world is literally on fire?"

Across the rugged wooden table, my friend blurted out this question/statement as we were catching up over our usual Thursday dinner. She’s not the first one I hear saying this. Currently, I’m picking up an increasing number of people who express a sense of inability to work, a lack of energy, drive, and motivation, as they question the rationality of chasing profits or launching new products amidst all of the ongoing crises and indescribable suffering around us globally.

My thoughts are, what if this is precisely when you should go to work. Ideally, you are or have a great manager who can address those feelings of hopelessness and lack of control, transforming them into actionable, progressive movements. Work, in this context, can become a sanctuary—a place where we for a moment escape the overwhelming challenges and engage in meaningful activities that contribute positively to the world. Intentionally making it into a space that energizes us and offers a sense of control, enabling us to better cope with the uncertainties and fears in the world outside of work that seem to be a general part of the human experience right now.

How? By explaining why. Let's term it "Why-telligent leadership." Having a clear purpose behind your actions and consistently answering the question of why you do what you do with a meaningful mission is how you change the world.

Understanding that when you show up to work every day, you have the power to enhance someone else's world, or in this case, work environment through your actions and behavior. It might seem trivial, but offering just five minutes of creative collaboration, constructive feedback, honest input, or a fresh perspective can significantly impact a person's day, making it more meaningful and empowering, fostering a sense of belonging.

As a leader(leader is not a position, it’s something you are or not regardless of title), you have such great influence over how your team engages. You can be a manager and assign tasks and projects, or you can be a leader and paint a picture of how seemingly small, mundane, or "unsexy" tasks have a broader impact on the world outside. I genuinely believe that everything we do have meaning. That everything we do has impact on others. That everything is connected, so the how and why behind what we do is inevitably meaningful. No matter how small the task may be.

For instance, in the earlier stages of my career, I sometimes questioned the purpose of writing newsletters aimed at boosting conversion rates. Why am I using my talents to chase profits? Am I selling out? What about changing the world? How did I become a corporate creative? Then, I reframed my perspective. I remembered the why. I was writing to inspire people to change behaviors—to shift from chemical-based cosmetics, tested on animals, to plant-based alternatives sourced through permaculture or regenerative farming, supporting local communities and enriching the soil we are all reliant on. Suddenly, those newsletters became a joy to write, and tracking their impact took on a deeper meaning.

In a world that feels increasingly chaotic, where people are fatigued, scared, and yearning for control, there is a question for all leaders to answer:

How we can create workplaces that serve as spaces where we leave the world in a better state than we found it?
How can we become the change we want to see and feel part of something meaningful beyond a paycheck?