During a recent Skype call, one of my European team members asked me to tell her about US Memorial Day. What’s it all about, she wanted to know.

As I related the origin and purpose of the day, it occurred to me that at this point, many Americans simply see Memorial Day as the unofficial start of Summer: A three-day holiday, a visit to the beach, or a relaxing barbecue with family and friends.

Unless you’ve lost someone close to you in the service of the country, you may not step back to consider closely the true reason for the day. The original purpose may be hazy, distant or lost.

This same disconnect from purpose can happen at work, at home, among our teams. We continue to do the same things, sometimes with great zeal and for many years, without fully appreciating whether these activities still add value or serve our objectives amid changing conditions.

We somehow forget what it’s all about. Or we lose sight of purpose but hang on to the tactics that have become so familiar.

Take a strategic pause from the busyness of your business. Think about what you and your organization are doing and consider whether change may be worthwhile. Do your traditions, strategy, and daily execution bring value, and do they quickly get you where you are going?

Is it time to do something different? Or at least revisit the importance of continuing down a familiar path?

Reconnect your organization with purpose, relevance, and timeliness of the work. You will increase commitment and improve outcomes right away.

I found Liz to be an exceptional consultant for our executive sales leaders. Her direct style of communication, clear expectation setting and collaborative approach drove the performance of our sales leaders to deliver strong double digit results.

– Marlou Janssen, President, Biotronik Inc.