When What You Do Flows From Why You Do It

For some reason, we often forget why we do what we do, but we rarely forget the what.
The what includes tasks, processes, reports, people, accountability, and projects where we use our creativity. You’ll find the blood, sweat, and tears in the what—because that’s where the results of our labor show up.

But while we know our why and can perform the what, can we clearly articulate what we do?
If you stepped into an elevator and someone asked you to explain your organization in sixty seconds or less, could you?

Recently, our team at EAG decided to write out our what. It reads:

“At Ellis Adams Group, we’re a full-service hospitality operations and design firm that partners with global brands and independent owners to bring their visions to life. From concept creation and interior design to food and beverage development, training, and total hotel operations, we specialize in crafting experiences that are both beautiful and profitable. What makes us different is our ability to connect creativity with functionality. We’re driven by a simple mission: to create unparalleled experiences that leave a lasting impact on both guests and teams.”

That’s what we do—and in the last sentence you’ll discover why we do it.
Always remember: what you do flows from your why.
Or put simply, operations flow from your mission.

If you skip the mission, you’ll have a team doing tasks but lacking passion or purpose.
If you skip the operations, you’ll have people filled with passion but with nothing productive to channel it into. As the leader, it’s your job to marry the two. It’s not enough to know the why or even the what—you must know how they work together.

Take your team and have each member explain what they do. Ask them to literally write out their piece of the what. They should be able to explain it in sixty seconds or less. Once that’s done, help them understand how their what fulfills the larger purpose of the organization.

The team should know the mission, understand their piece of operations, and see how it contributes to the overall purpose of the company.

Do that, and you’ll already be ten steps ahead of most organizations.
Few companies take these steps. They’re often dismissed as “fluff” or “soft skills”—somehow less valuable than the actual building of the widget. But that thinking is deeply flawed.

Skip the why, the what, and the connection between the two, and all you’re doing is hiring warm bodies to complete chores. And last I checked, people hate chores. They want to understand what they do (operations) and they want it to matter (mission).

With global turnover rates where they are, helping your team understand their place and why it matters will reduce churn and build believers in your brand.

Slow down. Preach the mission. Explain what the company does. Help people see their part in the whole. Then coach, equip, and hold them accountable. Do that consistently, and you’ll see both passion and profits grow.

Intersecting life, luxury, and leadership,
Chris Adams

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