Why Is a Verb: How Well-Managed Teams Turn Purpose into Productivity

"Bold. Practical. Timely." - Jessica Jensen, Chief Marketing Officer, Indeed
"Why Is a Verb combines incisive research insight with deep frontline experience to produce the kind of practical, evidence-based approach leaders have been hungering for-one that goes beyond merely articulating purpose to the real work of implementation." - Dan Witters, Research Director, Gallup National Health and Well-Being Index
"Purpose in the workplace, while celebrated, has a mixed track record when it comes to tangible results. Drawing on research and experience, Butler and Price show how an authentic and systematic approach can help WHY deliver for individuals and organizations alike." - Ty Breland, Chief Human Resources Officer, Marriott International
"Captivates from the start, challenging preconceived notions and buzzwords around purpose... delves into the process of operationalizing purpose, offering actionable tactics for success. A must-read." - Jodie Goulden, Organization Design Expert, Orgdesign Works
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How Can WHY work Better?

"I often feel like a musician who can't hear themselves play." -Gen Z employee

Everyone wants work to matter.

Employees want the joy of having impact.

Leaders want the impact to drive productivity.

Top value creators, from Apple to Tesla, show what can happen when purpose and productivity mesh.

Less clear? How to replicate such success.

Over half a century, experts' preferred practice-publishing purpose or WHY statements-has become a standard ritual among high-aspiration organizations.

Yet something isn't working.

• Less than one in three leaders actually uses these tools.
• Barely one in five employees feels engaged.
• Productivity growth has fallen to historic lows.

This book proposes a bold new approach, the product of a unique five-year quest by two social scientists turned management practitioners. Combining years of field work with research insight, it reveals:

• How humans' distinctive need for purpose has driven our flourishing as a species;
• How the feeling has been dulled by modern work and life;
• How tapping its power means going beyond mere words.

What emerges is a fresh perspective on what purpose-driven leadership really entails: less talking about your company's impact than helping employees feel their own.

STEPHEN BUTLER is a management consultant and globally featured TEDx speaker.

KARISSA PRICE is Chief Marketing Officer at Dragonfruit AI and a former Fortune 100 marketing executive.

Since earning social science doctorates at Harvard and Cambridge and starting careers at The Boston Consulting Group, they've created over five decades of value as executives, entrepreneurs, and advisors.