It can be easy for an association leader to figure they don’t need to think too hard about their organization’s purpose. Associations know what their industry is, what its people do, and how they can rise in the profession.

Of course, it’s not as simple as that. Economic, technological, and social forces decimate some member categories and establish new ones. Political challenges ask leaders to figure out how much energy to dedicate to advocacy—and how to rally stakeholders around your message.

Combine that with a lot of polling that says people are feeling disengaged at work, and those mission-and-purpose discussions can feel a little more urgent. Writing in Forbes, sociologist and author Tracy Brower argues that leaders have a duty to “create the conditions for [others] to have a greater sense of purpose.”

How to do that? Brower’s advice is fairly straightforward: Lots of communication, lots of paying attention to individuals’ achievements. But I particularly appreciate one idea she suggested: look for cases where you’re “contributing to real people in real ways.” Brower explains: “Community and connections are fundamental to our health and wellbeing, so knowing how our role connects with others is significantly linked to a sense of meaning, purpose and importance.”

That human connection is as essential at an association as it is at a Fortune 100 firm. The meetings department can get in the habit of thinking about attendees, not people. Membership can focus on renewals, not people. Marketing will obsess over market segmentation, not people. There are plenty of good reasons to focus on those metrics, but metrics are rarely motivating in themselves. It’s helpful to encourage a focus on not just “what success looks like” in terms of numbers but personally—the job promotion a member landed, a licensure achieved, an emerging industry leader in a new market. Making success personal and concrete rallies people.

Recognizing the personal impact of the industry is meaningful, and doesn’t always require a deep strategic process. Last December the Educational Theatre Association, which represents theater-education professionals, stood up an advocacy campaign practically overnight in response to the rapid use of “theater kid” as a politicized insult. That term hits ETA members where they live—it’s who they are, and who they serve—and being attuned to that kind of personal attachment helped ETA’s #proudtheatrekid campaign take off in a hurry.

And when it comes to supporting staff and volunteers, it’s worth paying attention to how they’re personally affected by their work. “Wellness,” which was top-of-mind during the heart of the pandemic, doesn’t get a lot of love these days. Maybe other HR matters took priority; maybe a lot of places discovered it involves more than a discount coupon for a yoga class. Regardless, human beings are just as motivated by care and consideration now as they were in 2020, and that remains worth the investment.

“Leaders provide for purpose by ensuring reasonable work expectations that allow for people to have healthy boundaries between work and life,” Brower writes. “In addition, great leaders provide flexibility when it’s possible, so people are able to navigate work and life in the ways that work best for them.”

Ultimately, a leader wants motivated people working under them, the better to inspire the members they’re serving. Cultivating a sense of purpose is a soft skill, but it means a lot to various bottom lines.