Transform Hopeless Passivity into Passion Through the Power of Purpose

Okay, I’ll just come out and say it. With today’s non-stop pace of change, divisiveness, and feeling a lack of control, people have slipped into a place of hopeless passivity where just getting by has become good enough. They are stuck in a state of constant “meh” that’s not doing them, or any of us really, any favors.

Because when you have that kind of apathy mindset, it stifles innovation. You don’t practice forward thinking. You’re not connected with your purpose and you’re not making good decisions, whether that’s at work or at home. That in turn leads to disengagement at work and disconnection from your full potential. Whether that’s how you show up as an employee, a leader at work, or how you are in the rest of your life. It’s no wonder that Gallup’s 2024 State of the Workforce Report found that 62% of employees are not engaged, and that wellbeing has declined worldwide.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. You can change this right now. How? By instilling moments of optimism into our work culture and lives overall.

Curious about how to do that? Here’s a specific tip – focus on purpose. Your purpose is your why, your reason for being. When you’re at work, you need to connect people to something deeper and more meaningful than just your mission or your revenue goals. Even more than your commitment to customers and shareholders. For most individuals, those goals are not particularly motivational.

That’s what Dragon Army did.

Yes, the name sounds like something out of Games of Thrones, or Harry Potter. However, Dragon Army is a purpose-driven technology and marketing agency, and they have built a thriving culture that’s rooted in optimism. Even if you haven’t heard of them, I know you’ve seen their work. Their customers range from HBO Max, Krystal, Home Depot, and Great Clips to the American Cancer Society.

It all started when the founder, an entrepreneur named Jeff Hilimire, wanted to create a company that was successful while making a huge, positive impact on the world. Their mission at Dragon Army is to inspire happiness. Dragon Army’s “why” is to develop positive, helpful relationships with employees, clients, and the community overall. And they’ve done this by instilling optimism in the very fabric of their organization.

“At Dragon Army, we focus on inspiring happiness, not just for our clients but within our team and community as well,” explained Hilimire. “That’s the mission, and it is where everything starts.”

What does that look like? They practice active, on-going employee recognition of each Dragon, which is their name for team members.

Each month, Dragon Army has a company-wide meeting that includes at least 30 minutes where Dragons publicly acknowledge teammates for their efforts. While often focused on work contributions, that recognition includes personal things such as sending a kind gift when having a bad day, or a simple message of encouragement. Then at the end of the meeting, the company’s Wiggin award, a physical Dragon statue, is passed from the previous month’s Dragon who went above and beyond to a new recipient.

Dragon Army also has a simple channel within Slack called #applause. This is filled with daily shout-outs of each other, which are specific, detailed and personal. All of which serves to make people feel seen, heard and appreciated.

That kind of acknowledgement means a lot during the normal course of business, and even more in challenging times. The past year has been difficult for many technology companies dealing with massive layoffs and decreased market demand. When they cut budgets, that directly impacts digital marketing firms nationwide like Dragon Army.

As Jenn Leahy, Chief Executive Officer of Dragon Army explains, “We have weathered the uncertainty by doubling down on our purpose and prioritizing those things within our control — our support for one another, and our commitment to positive thinking.” “While this is less than ideal, we remain committed to rigorous and consistent growth tactics, and a desire to keep our team intact,” she continued. “Leaning into our acknowledgments for one another is a key element of our think positive approach and genuine care for each other as humans.

That focus on optimism has paid off. At Dragon Army, their employee retention levels are twice that of their competitors. Client satisfaction scores, which are assessed by a third party, continue to be far above the industry average. The previous few years saw regular revenue increases, and the team will rebound to growth once the technology sector regains its strength.

Want to create a deeper, more meaningful connection with your teams — one that instills a sense of optimism? Then create a more “personal” purpose, like Dragon Army has done.

I’ll use an example from my corporate job at National DCP, the $3B supply chain management company serving Dunkin’. Within communications, we help our employees connect to the human faces of our mission and values. For us, it’s about the Dunkin’ franchisees who count on our teams to source food and non-food items from around the world and then deliver the goods to nearly 10,000 restaurants. Our “personal” purpose is to support their dreams of restaurant ownership for their families and their goals. It is also about making sure that Dunkin’ customers — the people that count on that great cup of coffee to power their day, the kids who celebrate a baseball team win by heading over to Dunkin’ for their favorite treats — get what they desire.

You see, if America runs on Dunkin, Dunkin runs on us, National DCP. That’s how we communicate with employees that we’re part of a bigger whole; something that is meaningful and that’s important for whatever role you’re in. The “why” that goes beyond the norm and creates a strong sense of optimism and fulfillment for the role each team member plays.

Here are a few tips to create a more personal purpose at your organization:

• Focus on the human element of what your company does. Are you a real estate group that helps people find their forever home or a law firm that helps people get justice? A manufacturing company that fuels thousands of jobs while creating vital goods? That’s what you connect people to, those positive outcomes.
• Showcase stories of your people in action. Post photos on your company’s social media outlets, write articles in the newsletter, include images on your website that illustrate the deeper connections you are making. It will inspire greater engagement and connection.

How does your company create a culture of optimism? What is the personal side of your organization’s purpose?