Protect Business Mojo—How to Recognize, Preserve, and Strengthen Your Unique Spark

Across industries, the word ‘mojo’ stands for a company’s elusive spark—the creative energy, sense of purpose, and emotional connection that makes work feel not just productive but alive. Some call it culture, others ‘soul,’ but most people know when they feel it—and when it’s gone. Mojo is easily lost as organizations grow or become overly focused on efficiency, standardization, or cost-cutting, gradually trading authenticity and connection for process.

Leaders who care about preserving mojo regularly check in with their teams, seeking honest input on moments of high and low energy. They actively share cautionary tales of organizations whose spark dimmed, learning from others' mistakes—like prioritizing expansion at the cost of creativity, ignoring community ties, or losing emotional connection with staff and customers. Instead of just reacting to problems, they make protecting mojo an ongoing practice—celebrating small wins, keeping human rituals alive, and making space for creative contributions at all levels.

Workplace psychologists note that when employees feel they are part of ‘something special,’ engagement, resiliency, and innovation rise. Protecting mojo requires ongoing vigilance and an openness to learning from both successes and failures.

Gather your team for an honest chat about what gives your group or project its unique spark—encourage everyone to name specific moments or qualities that feel electric or energizing. Then, swap stories about companies or organizations that once had mojo but lost it, and take time to draw out what caused those declines. Together, brainstorm and commit to a couple of concrete habits—maybe an open-mic celebration or permission to experiment—that will keep your mojo strong as you move forward. Guarding your spark is a continual team effort, and it starts with these open conversations this week.