Revival is not optional. It’s a business necessity.
EXPERT OPINION BY MOSHE ENGELBERG, PHD, SPEAKER, EXECUTIVE COACH, AND AUTHOR OF “THE AMARE WAVE” @ MOSHEENGELBERG
Oct 5, 2025
Photo: Getty Images
In the era of early business—long before stock tickers and shareholder reports—the spirit of goodwill fueled the mission. Picture the shepherd trading wool for olive oil to sustain his community or the potter shaping bowls so her neighbors could share meals. Today, the life-giving spirit of business has given way to meetings about meetings that produce more meetings, chasing likes and followers as leadership KPIs, and bowing to the gods of quarterly earnings. The joy of creating and serving? Leaders checked it at the door long ago.
Revival is a deliberate return to the original purpose of enterprise: to serve life, create meaning and joy, and connect people through exchange. It’s profitable too.
Good news. Revival is underway again!
In the agoras of ancient Greece, business was woven into civic life. Reputation, community, and the joy of exchange built trust and prosperity. Medieval guilds during the 12th and 15th centuries upheld standards of quality and mutual support, protecting both craftsmen and customers. Quaker businesses in the 19th century, like Cadbury, built model communities where dignity, fairness, and profitability thrived together. These were not side notes but revivals of business grounded in humanity and joy.
Today, the same spirit is in Patagonia’s purpose-driven culture, Ecosia’s reforestation-through-search model, and USAA’s unwavering service to members while thriving financially. Revival is a return to what’s always made business worth doing.
Featured Video
An Inc.com Featured Presentation
Questions for leaders to ask themselves
Where have you lost the spark of joy and buried the original spirit of business under “business as usual”?
What’s one outdated practice—personal or organizational—you could revive to bring more life into work?
If your company held a revival, what would you celebrate and what would you respectfully retire?
Why it matters now
Gallup’s recent workplace report shows global engagement sliding. Translation: fewer people feel alive at work.
Top talent is leaving uninspired workplaces. Translation: top talent won’t waste their best years where purpose is missing.
Revival drives innovation and profitability. Translation: love and joy at work aren’t soft. They’re competitive advantages.
The bottom line is revival is not optional. It’s a business necessity.
5 steps to revive your business
Dust off your why.
Reconnect with the deeper reason your business exists. Share it. Clarity brings vitality.
Spot life-giving moments.
Notice when joy, care, or genuine connection shows up. Shine a light on it and multiply it.
Release the draining stuff.
End practices that sap energy—pointless reports, toxic meetings, or reviews that feel like obituaries.
Experiment with traditions.
Revive a meaningful old practice—team lunches, storytelling, or celebrating small wins. See how it renews culture.
Build for belonging.
Design rituals that weave connection into daily work—shared gratitude, check-ins, or recognition that make people feel seen.
How to implement a revival strategy with your team
Take five to 10 minutes at your next meeting and ask one of the “mirror” questions above. No fixing, just listening. Agree on one tradition to revive and commit to trying it this week. Invite each person to share one moment when they felt most alive at work and what made it possible.
A revival challenge for you
Revival takes courage. It’s leadership stripped of buzzwords and rebuilt on timeless truths. It is about being awake to what business really is: a way to serve life, generate meaning, and yes, create joy. Imagine walking into work and feeling energy instead of dread, anticipation instead of boredom, connection instead of isolation. That’s strong and practical leadership. That’s revival.
The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.