“You don’t get anyone to do anything,” said Matt LeMay.
The room went silent. He paused, then repeated it — this time asking us to say it out loud. Somehow, he knew we needed it to sink in.
“You don’t get anyone to do anything.”
At first, it might sound limiting. But actually, it’s incredibly freeing — because it shifts our mindset from control to connection. From power to purpose.
We’re often taught that getting things done means giving orders or making assignments. But real momentum — the kind that drives creativity, ownership, and long-term success — comes when people choose to contribute. When they see the value. When they’re part of the vision.
Understanding What Drives People
When you’re leading — whether you’re a manager, a project owner, or just the one with the clearest picture — your job isn’t just to delegate. It’s to align. Sure, you can assign tasks, but that only goes so far. If your team doesn’t understand the “why” behind what they’re doing, they’ll only meet the minimum. They won’t innovate, anticipate, or care. But when they see the vision and feel part of it, they go further — because they want to.
When you’re influencing upward — trying to move an idea forward, gain support, or create change — the same principle applies. It’s not about pushing harder. It’s about understanding what matters to the person you’re speaking to. What are their goals? What problems are they trying to solve? If you can frame your idea in a way that aligns with what they value, you’re not convincing them — you’re inviting them in.
When you’re collaborating as equals — in cross-functional teams, in flat structures, in environments where ideas come from anywhere — clarity is still everything. It’s easy to assume that everyone’s aligned, but without a shared vision, people drift. Progress stalls. Teams spin. The more open and democratic the environment, the more important it becomes to articulate and repeat the why
Lead With Purpose
So instead of trying to get people to do things, focus on what drives them.
Listen. Observe. Understand.
Then connect the dots between what matters to you and what matters to them.
Because when people see purpose — their purpose — they don’t need to be told.
They choose to move.