There’s a moment in every leader’s career when you realize that giving people instructions only gets you so far. You can tell them what to do, even how to do it — and they’ll probably do it. But something’s missing. It works… until it doesn’t.
Because when you only give tasks, you become the ceiling of your team’s creativity. The best outcomes you’ll ever get are the ones that already exist in your own head. And unless you’re Steve Jobs, that’s not a good long-term strategy.
Meaning Is a Multiplier
Giving tasks is useful. But giving meaning — explaining the why — is powerful.
The “why” connects work to value. It turns effort into purpose. It gives people a reason to care and a reason to think. When your team understands why something matters, they make better decisions. They fill in the blanks. They take ownership.
I’ve seen this over and over again — when people feel the “why,” they don’t just execute; they create.
The Cost of Skipping the Why
Leaders often skip explaining the “why” because they think it’s obvious. They’ve already solved the problem in their minds, and now it’s just about execution. Sometimes it’s because they’re experts, and they assume everyone sees what they see. Other times it’s because things are moving fast and it feels unnecessary.
But when you skip the why, you lose creativity, ownership, and energy. People might comply, but they won’t contribute. Worse — they might even start guessing the meaning themselves, filling in the gaps with assumptions that don’t help.
When the Why Matters Most
You don’t have to explain the “why” all the time. If you do it too often, it becomes background noise — a slogan that nobody hears anymore. But there are three moments when it’s especially important:
1. Everyday work
Small actions still need context. A single line can make a task meaningful:
“We’re cleaning up this data so customers get refunds faster.”
2. New initiatives
When something is new or uncertain, people need to know where it fits. Explaining the why gives them the frame — the boundaries within which they can innovate.
3. Tough periods
When things get hard — change, reorganization, even layoffs — honesty about the why helps people process faster and move forward with clarity.
In difficult moments, meaning doesn’t make things easy. But it does make them easier to face.
Avoid the Empty Why
There’s another trap: using the “why” as decoration. Empty slogans. Corporate phrases. Words that sound inspiring but mean nothing.
Your “why” must be real and honest. Grounded in facts, not hype. It’s okay if it’s uncomfortable — that’s what builds trust.
Trust your team’s maturity and sensitivity. They can handle the truth, and they’ll respect you for sharing it.
A little aspiration is fine — but only if it’s connected to reality. Otherwise, you’re just painting over cracks.
The Right Balance
Sometimes you really do just need to say, “Please have this done by Friday.” Clarity matters.
But if that’s your default, your team will stop thinking. They’ll stop challenging, stop creating, stop caring.
Balance looks like this:
Clear tasks + Honest why + Space to contribute.
That’s how you get accountability and creativity.
A Simple Practice
Before assigning anything, take one minute to think privately:
- Why does this matter?
- Who benefits?
- What does success look like?
- How does it connect to the bigger goal?
Then share that with your team. It doesn’t need to be perfect or polished — just true.
That’s how you feed the “why” without turning it into a slogan. It’s not about performance. It’s about connection.
Leadership Is Not About Having All the Answers
Leadership isn’t about being the smartest person in the room. It’s about creating conditions for smarter ideas to emerge.
When you share the “why,” you open that space. You invite your team to think, to question, and to own the outcome. You turn compliance into commitment.
And that’s when leadership starts to feel less like control, and more like collaboration.
Leaders set direction. Teams create the path.
Closing Thought
Meaning multiplies results. So before you give an instruction, pause and ask yourself: Does my team know why this matters?
You don’t need to say it every time. But when you do, make it real. That’s how you feed the team — not with orders, but with purpose.
JUAN ARAYA 