Sunday Email: Team Objectives / Ted Lasso Show

Read time: ~6.35 minutes

Happy Sunday!

Every Sunday I offer strategies for the week ahead and a thought to fuel your action.

This quote from Dave Packard, co-founder of HP, resonates with me, not only on a professional level but also on a personal one. It highlights a deeper truth: both businesses and individuals thrive when they are driven by a purpose greater than themselves.

As individuals, we live each day striving for progress, to create something meaningful—whether that’s building a business, nurturing a family, or fostering security. But our purpose isn’t just about us. It extends to our families, communities, and the world at large. The impact we seek often transcends personal gain.

Purpose is powerful. It energizes us, drives us through challenges, and gives us direction. However, things begin to unravel when we focus solely on self-benefit. While personal gratification is important, true fulfillment comes when we align ourselves with a broader mission. Dave Packard encapsulates this idea well:

Living solely for self-gain is like working just for a paycheck—it lacks depth. The sweet spot is finding a purpose that brings both financial security and a greater impact. When we reach that intersection, we unlock our true potential.

In my conversations with clients, I often hear, “I’m just focused on providing for my family right now. I’ll find my purpose later, maybe when I hit retirement or when the kids are out of the house.” But I’ve learned that this mindset is a trap. It creates a perpetual cycle of postponement. Once that next milestone is reached, another goal takes its place—whether it’s a new financial target, a career achievement, or another life stage.

The reality is that many of us avoid exploring our true purpose because it feels overwhelming. We’re afraid of boxing ourselves in, making the wrong choice, or realizing we’ve been chasing the wrong goals. Cognitive dissonance—the internal discomfort of facing these truths—often leads us to rationalize our current path rather than seeking deeper meaning.

I was recently researching what motivates successful organizations and through this research illuminated a striking parallel between business purpose and personal fulfillment. In both cases, clarity of purpose is essential to success.

As advisors, we can borrow lessons from the corporate world to help our clients not only manage their wealth but also uncover and live out their purpose. Over the next decade, those advisors who focus on helping families define and fulfill their purpose will stand out. Managing money will remain important, but it will form the base of a much larger value pyramid. Advisors who reach the peak will guide families in living their most purposeful lives.

Here are a few lessons from the world’s top companies that we can apply as we help clients on their journey to purpose.

A leading question business leaders ask is: “How can we create value for customers?”

Successful business leaders often start by asking a pivotal question: “How can we create value for our customers?” But answering this requires deep clarity. To truly create value, businesses must first understand who they are serving—not with broad strokes like “families” or “women,” but with a precise understanding of their ideal customer. It’s about honing in on the specific person who will find the greatest value in the product or service being offered.

Equally important is understanding what they deliver. The difference between businesses that struggle and those that thrive is focus. Companies that fail often try to be everything to everyone. Those that succeed, however, zero in on their core offering and never waver from it.

Take Apple, for example. Most people think they sell phones and computers, but that’s only the surface. What Apple truly delivers is simplicity, connection, power, and elegance—all packaged in accessible, beautifully designed products. Apple’s success stems from an unwavering commitment to these values, not the products themselves.

The best companies in the world are unapologetically clear about who they are, what they deliver, and who they serve.

As individuals, we often lose sight of this clarity. We define ourselves by what we do, but rarely stop to ask why we do it or why we desire the outcomes we seek. Instead, we often rely on external perceptions—letting the opinions of others or societal expectations dictate our identity.

This is understandable. Our cognitive capacity is limited, and doing the deep work to uncover what truly drives us can feel overwhelming. It’s easier to adopt the views and affiliations that bring us comfort, allowing their beliefs to filter through our own experiences until they become ours. This reduces the mental burden, but it also distances us from our true selves.

As advisors, this is where our unique value comes in. We can help clients alleviate the cognitive load while guiding them toward a clearer understanding of who they are and what they really want. Our role is to ask the right questions, actively listen, and remain genuinely curious about their answers.

By doing so, we help them break through the noise of external expectations and uncover the deeper reasons behind their desires—leading them to more purposeful and fulfilling decisions.

Company objectives are effective when they align with company and mission

The most effective leaders inspire their teams by clearly connecting each person’s role to the broader mission of the company. When people understand how their individual work fits into the larger purpose, it creates buy-in. They feel motivated by the knowledge that they’re contributing to something bigger than themselves.

But when leaders fail to make this connection, the opposite happens. People become confused and frustrated. They struggle to understand why they’re being asked to do certain tasks, and without a clear sense of purpose, the work feels meaningless. This disconnection breeds chaos and dissatisfaction, both within the individual and the organization.

The same is true for individuals who live without a defined set of values or a clear sense of purpose. They might feel good temporarily, but it’s often a fleeting satisfaction based on short-term outcomes rather than true fulfillment. It’s not the process they’re enjoying; it’s the occasional positive result.

However, when life inevitably becomes challenging, those without a solid foundation of values and purpose are more likely to feel lost. They start questioning their decisions and chasing new outcomes, hoping for a better result. But without a defined purpose guiding them, they lack the tools to navigate the difficulties.

Outcomes are influenced by countless external factors, many of which are beyond our control. What we can control is the process. A well-defined process grounded in purpose and values won’t always guarantee the desired outcome, but it provides a sense of direction and consistency that helps us weather both successes and setbacks.

As advisors, this is where we can add significant value. Our role is to help clients identify their core values by reflecting on their past and present experiences. When clients have a strong sense of their values, those values become the lens through which they make all future decisions.

By focusing on building a strong process—whether in financial planning or life in general—clients become less fixated on short-term outcomes like portfolio performance. Instead, they feel empowered to adjust their plans as needed, knowing their actions are rooted in something deeper and more meaningful.

All great leaders recognize that objectives may need to be adjusted by changes in conditions

The best leaders understand that while objectives may need to shift with changing circumstances, core values should remain steady. They follow a consistent process that guides their decision-making, allowing them to stay true to their mission, even when faced with external pressures or short-term challenges.

Rather than reacting impulsively to headlines or temporary setbacks, effective leaders use a structured approach to assess situations. They analyze data, explore issues from multiple angles, and carefully define the problem before deciding on the best course of action. This process enables them to adjust objectives as necessary while maintaining alignment with the organization’s core values.

A great example of this in action is the use of an operating system within businesses. Many organizations—including ours—rely on the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), which creates a shared language, cadence for meetings, and goal-setting structure. This system ensures that daily actions remain connected to long-term objectives, providing clarity and accountability.

But using an operating system doesn’t mean things stay static. On the contrary, it allows businesses to make thoughtful, intentional changes when needed. Instead of making decisions based on emotional reactions, leaders can rely on a structured framework to ensure that changes align with the company’s mission.

Just as companies need a solid process to navigate change, individuals can benefit from having their own “operating system.” Life is emotional and unpredictable, full of highs and lows. As we grow and evolve, our experiences shape our outlook and priorities.

What tends to remain constant, though, is our value system. While our actions and decisions may shift over time, our values act as a guiding framework, helping us stay grounded. They form the foundation of our personal “operating system”—the process through which we filter decisions and respond to life’s challenges.

Identifying this personal operating system is key to ensuring that our actions are rooted in who we truly are, rather than in fleeting emotions or the influence of external opinions. By staying connected to our values, we can navigate change with confidence, making adjustments when necessary without losing sight of our deeper purpose.

Great leaders tie objectives to employee reviews and compensation, increasing motivation

The most effective leaders understand the importance of aligning employee actions with broader company objectives. They focus on what employees can control—their daily performance and behaviors—while ensuring those actions contribute to the company’s larger goals, even when those goals may be somewhat outside an individual’s control.

Problems arise when incentives are tied solely to broad objectives without connecting them to specific, actionable steps for employees. When employees feel they have little influence over outcomes, frustration builds. They may put in effort but feel powerless when business results don’t align with their perception of their contributions.

The best leaders avoid this by clearly defining the actions necessary to achieve the company’s mission. They break down larger goals into specific, controllable tasks, ensuring each employee knows how their role contributes to the bigger picture. It’s much like a symphony—each person plays their part, and when done well, the collective effort creates something far greater than the sum of its parts.

This approach not only drives business success but also fosters a deep sense of fulfillment for employees. When people understand how their actions contribute to a larger purpose, they feel connected, valued, and motivated. They’re not just doing a job—they’re part of something meaningful.

The Parallels for Advisors: Focusing on What We Can Control

When we look at wealth management, there are two core elements: saving money and growing money. Many families—and sometimes advisors—tend to focus on the growth aspect. But growth is an outcome, and outcomes are often influenced by factors beyond our control, like market conditions.

On the other hand, saving is something we can control. It requires conscious decisions, sacrifice, and discipline. And while it might not always be the most exciting part of the financial planning process, it’s the area where families can have the greatest direct impact on their long-term financial success.

This is where the opportunity lies. Shifting the conversation with clients to focus on controllable actions—like increasing savings—reduces cognitive load and anxiety around unpredictable outcomes. It empowers clients to take meaningful steps that contribute to their financial well-being, even when the markets fluctuate.

By focusing on what’s within our control, both as leaders and advisors, we create a process that’s not only effective but also fulfilling for everyone involved.

Great leaders know how to motivate individuals to make meaningful contributions, even within complex organizations. They understand that the key to success lies in creating alignment between personal actions and a broader purpose.

There are countless lessons to be learned from the world’s most successful businesses and leaders. The common thread that runs through these organizations is their unwavering commitment to their “why”—their core purpose. This purpose serves as the foundation for all decisions, and no matter the external environment—whether it’s economic shifts or industry changes—they remain steadfast in their mission.

The most impactful leaders take this purpose and distill it into every layer of the organization. From high-level strategy to day-to-day operations, every decision ties back to that central “why.” This clarity and consistency create alignment, fostering a culture where individuals feel connected to something larger than themselves.

We all agree with this in theory, yet many of us struggle to apply it to our personal lives. As wealth managers, we stand at the center of our clients’ lives, which gives us a unique opportunity to evolve the way we define and deliver value.

Over the next decade, the most successful wealth managers will be those who help families not just manage their finances but also align their financial decisions with their core values and purpose. By doing so, we can guide clients toward living more purposeful and fulfilling lives—transforming our role in ways that go beyond the numbers.

A Thought To Ponder This Week

I love the show Ted Lasso.

The character of Ted Lasso is so easy to cheer for. And despite being on a show, I seem to connect deeply with him.

The quirkiness and the appreciation he has makes me feel good.

Despite having no knowledge of coaching soccer, he found a way to connect and inspire his team.

Connection to me extends beyond a conversation.

It’s a matter of having a deeper feeling after conversation. A feeling of being heard, being accepted and being satisfied.

Connection is drastically more difficult than conversation.

But there is so much to learn from Ted Lasso in connection.

And as can be seen in the show, the upside of learning these lessons is greater commitment to ones views, vision and mission.

There is so much noise in the world today. Our clients emotions seem to be in the center of a game of tug of war.

To help them see the path froward. And buy into the advice we have, we must connect.

Connection is actually the key to differentiating in this industry going forward.

As we head into a new week, think to a conversation you had recently that made you feel good. And try to understand why and incorporate that into your next conversation.

The best is ahead!

-Matt