Values and Higher Purpose
People are more likely to make behavior changes when they believe in something bigger than themselves.
Values and higher purpose give meaning to transformation, anchoring individuals and teams in something they can stand behind.
When change aligns with personal and organizational values, it moves beyond compliance into commitment.
Resistance softens, engagement deepens and transformation becomes a mission.
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Values give change the roots it needs to grow.
A few ways to incorporate Values and Higher Purpose into Change Management:
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Start with "why." Connect change initiatives to the organization’s mission, vision and core values. Show employees how their work contributes to something meaningful.
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Make it personal. Help employees and leaders find their own “why” in the change, beyond business goals.
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Tell stories that inspire. Share real stories of people living the values and making an impact through change.
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Embed values into decision-making. Ensure that choices, policies and behaviors throughout the change process reflect the company’s values in action.
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Leverage purpose-driven champions. Identify and empower individuals who deeply believe in the transformation and let them lead with authenticity.
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Celebrate meaningful wins. Reinforce success by recognizing the alignment between actions and values.
The Soul of Transformation
Change Anchored In Values
Real change happens when it's connected to a higher purpose.
Case Study
Anchoring Change in Organizational Values to Drive Engagement
Problem
A large healthcare provider was rolling out a large-scale transformation project that involved consolidating multiple technology systems and aligning backend operations. While leadership saw this as a necessary step toward long-term efficiency, employees viewed it as just another corporate-driven initiative, detached from the company’s larger mission of providing high-quality healthcare.
Complicating matters, the organization was allowing each employer to remain somewhat independent, making it politically sensitive to frame the change as full integration. Leaders were hesitant to explicitly articulate the long-term vision, which made the change feel tactical rather than strategic to employees.
Additionally, when early technical issues arose (such as invoice processing failures), employees became frustrated, and without a strong higher purpose to anchor the effort, there was a risk of disengagement.
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Solution
Recognizing that major change requires meaning, the team worked to connect the transformation to the company’s deeper values and strategic goals:
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Framed the project as part of the 2025 strategic vision. Instead of presenting it as a standalone IT upgrade, the change team positioned it as a critical step toward the company’s future.
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Worked with the CEO’s office to ensure alignment. Even though some stakeholders resisted focusing on the "big picture," ensuring that messaging reflected the larger purpose of transformation helped create consistency and credibility.
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Acknowledged the emotional impact of change. Employees weren’t just adapting to a new system. They were adjusting to a shift in how HealthPartners operated. Communicating why the change mattered helped sustain engagement.
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Tied the transformation to patient care. Rather than focusing solely on efficiency and cost savings, messaging emphasized how improved backend operations would ultimately support frontline healthcare workers and enhance patient outcomes.
Result
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Employees remained engaged despite early frustrations because they understood that the change was about more than just process improvements.
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Leaders were better able to manage resistance by framing the project in terms of values and mission rather than just efficiency.
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The organization became more sophisticated about how it approached change, recognizing that anchoring transformation in a higher purpose builds long-term commitment.
Key Takeaways
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Employees need to see how change connects to a larger mission. Without a clear “why,” resistance and disengagement are inevitable.
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Even when leadership hesitates, change managers should push for strategic framing. Aligning the transformation with organizational goals and values strengthens credibility.
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People can endure difficult transitions if they believe in the outcome. Frustrations (like system failures) are easier to navigate when employees see a meaningful reason to persist.
— OUR CORE BELIEF —