Purpose Over Perks: A Leadership Lesson from a Hospital Sign
A hospital once tested two versions of a simple handwashing reminder.
The first sign said, “Wash your hands to prevent disease.”
The second said, “Wash your hands to protect your patients.”
Same action. Different message.
And the results? The second message — the one that tied the action to someone else’s wellbeing — led to significantly better hand hygiene compliance. Why? Because people weren’t just following a rule. They were reminded of their responsibility — that others were depending on them.
That experiment stuck with me. And over the years, I’ve found the same insight applies far beyond hospital walls — especially in engineering leadership.
🎯 What Really Motivates People?
As a Director of Engineering, I’ve managed teams of highly talented developers, architects, and designers. Some are energized by a challenging problem. Some care about career growth. Others love playing with new tech. But there’s one consistent pattern I’ve observed over and over:
The deepest, most durable motivation comes from feeling responsible for something that matters.
Not just assigned a task. But trusted with an outcome.
Not just working on a story. But understanding why it matters, and who it impacts.
And when people understand that, everything shifts — their energy, their ownership, their pride in the work.
🧠 A Quick Story
A while back, we were launching a high-throughput API system. It had to be scalable, resilient, and meet tight deadlines. One of our senior engineers was working on a caching layer — not glamorous work, and definitely not customer-facing.
In a casual 1:1, I told him:
“This caching layer might seem small — but it’s what keeps a client’s homepage stable under massive traffic. It’s invisible, but critical.”
He paused. Then nodded. Later that week, I noticed he’d gone above and beyond — added fallback logic, fine-tuned thresholds, even tested under edge conditions I hadn’t considered. Not because I asked. But because he felt responsible.
💡 Responsibility > Rewards
It’s easy to assume people are motivated by the usual things:
Bonuses. Promotions. Raises.
And yes — those things matter. But they’re not always enough. And they’re not always the right lever.
Real motivation often comes from:
Knowing why your work exists
Seeing the impact you’re making
Feeling like you’re trusted to make it happen
This is why so many startups, nonprofits, or open-source projects thrive without massive salaries. People are drawn to mission, impact, and responsibility.
🛠 What This Looks Like in Practice
So how do you apply this as a leader?
Here’s what’s worked for me:
1. Connect the dots
Don’t just assign tasks. Explain the “why.”
“This isn’t just a bug fix — it’s what’s blocking a client from going live.”
2. Talk about the user
Engineers don’t always see who benefits from their work. Show them.
User stories, client anecdotes, or even internal metrics help bring it to life.
3. Give real ownership
Instead of saying “build this,” say:
“You’re responsible for making sure this goes out reliably and scales. Let me know what support you need.”
4. Celebrate the impact
When something succeeds, don’t just say “good job.” Say:
“Thanks to your work, we were able to onboard 15 new partners without any issues.”
People don’t need applause — they need to know their work mattered.
🧭 The Takeaway
If you want to motivate your team, don’t just reach for perks or performance plans.
Start by telling them the truth:
Why their work matters
Who it’s for
What could go wrong if they don’t get it right
And why you’re counting on them to make it happen
Responsibility isn’t pressure.
Done right, it’s empowerment.
It tells someone: You matter. This depends on you.
And that’s the most powerful motivator I’ve ever seen.
✉️ I’d love to hear how others are motivating their teams — or what inspired you to go above and beyond in your own work. Let’s connect.