The 4 Levels of Purpose: Making the Work Matter to the Person
Jamie Street from Unsplash
I’ve lost count of how many leaders have said to me, “We’ve got a clear purpose statement… but I’m not sure it actually means anything day to day.”
On paper, their organisation’s purpose is beautifully articulated. It sits proudly on the website, in induction packs, and on office walls. And yet, in meetings and performance conversations, people still feel disconnected, disengaged, or unclear about why their work really matters.
In my experience, the issue isn’t that leaders don’t care about purpose. It’s that purpose is often talked about at the wrong level, or only at one level. Purpose isn’t a single idea to be communicated once. It exists in layers, and leaders need to know how to connect people across all of them.
Here’s a practical way to think about it: purpose shows up at four distinct but connected levels. When leaders understand these levels, they can turn purpose from a vague concept into something people genuinely feel and act on.
Level 1: Personal Values – Why This Work Matters to Me
Macrovector from Freepik
This is the most individual level of purpose. It’s about how someone connects their work to their own values, motivations, and sense of meaning.
For some, it’s about learning and growth. For others, it’s stability for their family, contributing to something bigger, or doing work that aligns with their personal beliefs.
Why it matters
People don’t bring their whole selves to work because they’re told to. They do it when they feel seen. When leaders understand what matters to someone personally, engagement stops being transactional and starts being human.
What leaders often get wrong
Many leaders assume personal purpose is irrelevant at work. Or they try to motivate everyone with the same message, forgetting that what drives one person may do the opposite for another.
One practical way leaders can connect people to this level
Ask better questions. In regular check-ins, move beyond tasks and deadlines. Simple prompts like:
- What part of your work feels most meaningful right now?
- What do you want to be learning more of this year?
- What gives you energy at work?
These are personal inquiries into what makes someone actually show up and give their best.
Reflection for leaders
- Do I genuinely know what motivates each person in my team?
- When was the last time I asked, rather than assumed?
Related: The Ikigai Way: Purpose-Driven Leadership at Every Level
Level 2: Role Purpose – Why This Work Matters Here
Role purpose is about clarity. It answers the questions: Why does this role exist? What difference does it make?
This goes far beyond a position description. It’s about how someone understands their contribution to the team and the outcomes they influence.
Why it matters
When work is meaningful and their role purpose is clear, people can prioritise better, make decisions with confidence, and feel proud of their contribution. When it’s unclear, people either overwork, underperform, or disengage.
What leaders often get wrong
Leaders often confuse activity with impact. They describe what needs to be done, but not why it matters. Or they assume people can automatically see how their role fits into the bigger picture.
One practical way leaders can connect people to this level
Help people articulate their role in one or two clear sentences, in their own words. For example:
- The purpose of my role is to…
- If I do my job well, the difference it makes is…
Revisit this regularly, especially when roles evolve.
Reflection for leaders
- Can everyone in my team clearly explain why their role exists?
- Have I connected role expectations to outcomes, not just tasks?
Level 3: Team Purpose – Why This Work Matters Together
Jcomp from Freepik
Team purpose is the shared “why” that binds people beyond individual roles. It’s about why the team exists collectively and how they want to work together.
Why it matters
Teams without a shared purpose often look busy but feel fragmented. When team purpose is clear, collaboration improves, trust strengthens, and accountability feels collective rather than personal.
What leaders often get wrong
Leaders sometimes assume team purpose is obvious because the team has goals or KPIs. But goals explain what success looks like, not why the team exists or how it creates value together.
One practical way leaders can connect people to this level
Create space for the team to answer:
- Why does our team exist?
- What do we want to be known for as a team?
This is an ongoing conversation, so that you actively bring it to life every day.
Reflection for leaders
- Does our team have a shared purpose, or just shared tasks?
- How often do we talk about why we exist, not just what we do?
Related: Unlock the Power of Purpose in Your Work and Leadership
Level 4: Organisations Purpose – Why This Work Matters Beyond Us
This is the broadest level of purpose. It connects daily work to the organisation’s impact on customers, communities, and society more broadly.
Why it matters
People want to know they’re contributing to something worthwhile. Especially in uncertain times, this level of purpose provides context and direction when decisions are hard.
What leaders often get wrong
Organisational purpose is often communicated in lofty language that feels disconnected from reality. Leaders talk about it, but don’t consistently link it to everyday decisions or trade-offs.
One practical way leaders can connect people to this level
Translate the big picture into real examples. Share stories that show how the organisation’s work has made a difference. Explicitly link strategy, priorities, and even difficult decisions back to purpose.
Reflection for leaders
- Do I regularly connect everyday work to our broader impact?
- When trade-offs are made, do I explain how purpose guided the decision?
Bringing the Four Levels Together
Purpose becomes powerful when leaders stop treating it as a statement and start treating it as a conversation. The most effective leaders I work with move fluidly between all four levels. They understand what matters to individuals, ensure the work is meaningful, build strong team identity, and consistently anchor decisions to the organisations purpose.
This shows up in everyday leadership behaviour: how you run meetings, how you give feedback, how you make decisions under pressure, and how you explain the “why” behind change.
When leaders do this well, purpose stops being something people roll their eyes at. It becomes something they can feel, see, and act on. And that’s when purpose stops being aspirational and starts being lived.
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Leadership
Claire is a leadership and team expert who helps leaders and organisations thrive. As the founder of Thriving Culture, Claire partners with CEOs and leadership teams to embed purpose, deepen accountability and build connected, high-performing teams. Known for cutting through the noise, she helps leaders turn insight into meaningful, lasting change.
