Who isn’t interested in being a part of something that’s bigger than them? It’s evident in the way concertgoers act as one, connecting with hundreds of people they’ve never met in order to create a force far bigger than they could achieve by themselves. And, by association, they feel like they’re part of a bigger group or eff ort, a piece of something more substantial and significant than they could ever be alone. When this happens, it changes their perspective and a feeling that affords a sense of substance, importance, pride, and direction.

Just think of the millions of people around the world who dumped ice water on their heads, raising more than $100 million for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the neurodegenerative disorder also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Drawing participation from children and adults, celebrities and political figures, the runaway success of this fundraising campaign grew exponentially with each person who accepted the challenge to connect to something larger than themselves.

If you only remember one thing from this article it’s this: It’s literally impossible to get people in any organization to think big if they’re constantly asked to “just do their job.” They must understand the big-picture workings of the business and the overall purpose it serves. Both of these contexts help people realize that what they can achieve with others is greater than what they could achieve alone. And this is where you capture people’s hearts and minds, where you see them give you their discretionary eff ort instead of just getting by.

Everyone wants to create something that doesn’t exist right now. Nobody wants to sum up a lifetime by saying, “I did one hell of a job maintaining what was already there.” We all want to be on some kind of enticing adventure in this life.

With forward motion, there’s excitement, pioneering, discovery – and a sense of accomplishment that comes from achieving something that matters. It’s more than attractive; it’s downright heady. It’s the part of the human spirit that suggests we can be more, that we are more. It’s a spirit of creating, building, and finding a better way. Our journey is both a challenge and an opportunity that compels us to take risks and makes overcoming the barriers worth the effort.

In an organization, that shared journey is the ongoing execution of a strategy – a compelling adventure. A meaningful strategy captures a sense of purpose, of doing something together that is worth the eff ort. It creates energy and unites people in the pursuit of outstanding achievement.

Taking people on a meaningful journey is a far cry from the jargon and rhetoric frequently heard in company strategy presentations today. Employees don’t want to hear buzzwords; they want to know what they’re up against, where they stand, and how the team can accomplish the goal. When they understand the challenges of the quest, they won’t have to be coerced to be engaged. The natural human drive that we can achieve in the face of adversity will prevail.