The biggest challenge we face in any organization is hiring great people. You have to find the right person, with the right attitude, with the right skills, all at the right time! The even greater challenge lies in helping people see the meaning in their work, so they feel internally motivated to do a great job. You can't motivate anyone to do anything they don't care about, unless you make them live in fear--and that's never sustainable. All motivation is internally driven, and it all comes down to how much things matter to people.

"I spoke to a woman who was filling out forms at a credit office," recalls Christian Clausen, CEO of Nordea Bank. "She asked me to explain why she was doing this meaningless, menial work. I told her she wasn't just filling out forms. She was helping a family to buy a house, and if she did her job well, they would be able to buy that house. If she didn't, they would be heartbroken. She was actually facilitating something extremely important. She was making someone's dreams come true."

Everyone needs a purpose, yet most companies fail to show people the meaning in their work. The most important job of a leader is to help your team celebrate the impact they have on the lives of people!

Watch the video version of my interview with Christian Clausen below: