Why are some people and teams more motivated, more innovative, and more successful than others? Why do some teams of talented and seemingly compatible people fall short against lesser teams with less suitable members? More often than not, great teams become great when they tap into something more inspiring—and more visceral—than casting a visionary strategy or struggling to get buy-in on a mission statement. 

They know what they’re fighting for. They’re fighting to make change in their industry. They’re fighting to remove an injustice. They’re fighting to make their customer’s lives better. Sometimes, they’re even just fighting to survive. But, surprisingly, they’re rarely framing their fight as a battle for market share against the competition. 

People don’t want to join a company; they want to join a crusade. In this persuasive and provocative keynote, David Burkus, argues that what a team is fighting for is a powerful and potent driver of performance and collaboration, but not just any fight will do. Drawing on decades of social science research and real-life examples from billion-dollar companies, French pirates, Olympic champion curling teams (you read that right), and more, Burkus weaves together a clear picture of how people are inspired, how movements are led, and how organizations win. Audience members will leave with a clear and concise way to frame what purpose they’re fighting for and the tools to communicate that purpose to their team.

1. How to distinguish between bland purpose and one worth fighting for
2. The three distinct types of “fights” to build a purpose around
3. How to build purpose into your company or team culture