What's That About?
By Les Mottosky
Simplicity is a theme here because it's a necessary bridge for modern humans. Keeping things basic re-connects us to what has always made us effective and – if we're being real – happy. It allows us to stay out of our heads and be more in the world. More of the world.
Life has become so complicated. Everything wants us to confuse easy, convenient and comfortable for simple. But easy isn't necessarily simple. And simple – when it counts – is rarely easy.
There's a tool that allows us to keep things simple: the motto.
When we nail a good motto, it's like adding handles to a heavy object. Think of a big cooler full of ice, meat and drinks. Consider carrying it 100 yards with – and then without – handles. The option is a no-brainer: handles all-day.
This is the value of a motto. It doesn't make the work lighter. But it gives us a reliable place to put our hands.
They work great for an individual and are even more profound for a team. And that team can be tens of thousands of people. A motto can't reduce the challenge, but it will absolutely increases people's ability to move together. It gives everyone something simple to grab onto. More than a tool for team alignment, it's also a target, a filter, a lighthouse, a lens and a rudder.
Mottos are a phenomenal implement of language. Especially in terms of aligning a culture. When leadership leans into them – using the motto to tell stories, rationalize decisions, celebrate success, push through challenge and demonstrate measurement – every one feels a part of the story being told. And because of that inclusion, they naturally lean into the motto.
Here is how a motto achieves it's extraordinary impact including examples of each:
The Target
It gives everyone something to aim for, and answers "Where are we going?"
A motto gives people – not just something to aim for – but a target worth aiming at. Goals often describe what we want. A motto reminds us how we're going to pursue it. And that's powerful because when people lose sight of the destination, effort becomes scattered.
Example:
"Just Do It." by Nike. This wasn't about selling shoes. It gave millions of athletes—from Olympic champions to first-time joggers—a target: action over hesitation. Every decision became easier. It forced the question "Am I thinking...or am I doing?"
It transformed exercise from something you plan into something you simply begin.
The Filter
This simplifies decisions by asking. "Does this fit?"
Big change creates decision fatigue and a motto eliminates unnecessary choices. The best mottos answer dozens of tiny questions before they're even asked.
Example:
Apple's "Think Different." from the 80's.
This became a filter or decision matrix for almost every product decision.
Would this look ordinary? Does it delight? Is it elegant?
If not... Don't build it. Thousands of potential ideas disappeared because they failed this one simple filter.
The Lighthouse
This type of motto provides reassurance during uncertainty and answers the question "Are we still on course?"
A motto becomes your fixed point when everything around you changes. Storms don't matter if you know where shore is. During uncertainty, people don't need more information. They need orientation.
Example:
"Keep Calm and Carry On." — Government of the United Kingdom
Originally created during WWII, it wasn't tactical advice. It was emotional navigation. Bombs were falling. Circumstances were chaotic. This motto reminded people: "Don't let circumstances decide who we become."
The lighthouse doesn't budge. It helps everyone else know where they are.
The Lens
This strategy forces the question "What should we pay attention to?" and changes what we notice.
A motto changes what people notice. Our brains are constantly filtering reality. The right combo of well-crafted words tells the brain what requires attention.
Example:
"Leave No Trace." — Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics
This simple phrase changed how millions experience nature. Instead of asking, "Did I enjoy this hike?" people began asking, "Will anyone know I was here?" The landscape didn't change. Perceptions did. And that's precisely what a lens does.
The Rudder
This keeps people headed in the right direction – despite distractions – by answering the question "How do we avoid drifting?"
A motto prevents drift. Every long journey encounters distractions. Urgency. Opportunity. Fear. Fatigue. A motto keeps bringing you back.
Example:
"Safety First."
It's one of the most enduring workplace mottos because it changes behaviour in moments of pressure. Production deadlines. Customer demands. Budget concerns. The rudder keeps steering toward one non-negotiable principle: "Nothing is more important than everyone going home safely."
It doesn't make the work easier. But keeps a work site from drifting toward short-cuts and quick convenience.
Transcendent slogans or mottos can do all five jobs. Simultaneously.
Let's go back to "Just Do It."
- Target: Get moving.
- Filter: Choose action over hesitation.
- Lighthouse: When doubt creeps in, remember what matters.
- Lens: Notice excuses instead of opportunities.
- Rudder: Every time you drift into overthinking, steer back toward action.
This is how and why truly great mottos become cultural shorthand.
They're not merely memorable phrases. They're compressed operating systems. In three or four words, they align attention, simplify decisions, steady emotions, shape perception, and keep people moving in the same direction.
That's an extraordinary amount of work for a handful of words.
That's simplicity in action and team-wide clarity.
And that's why every organization needs their motto.
TAGS: #What's That About?
Les Mottosky
Writes to expand the capacity of the human behind the career.
Adaptation Strategist // I help organizations turn creativity into their competitive advantage by aligning leadership, culture and strategy to unlock adaptive innovations.
Ask about the Clarity Engine Process.
Members Discussion