It came to stand for a clearly articulated, ambitious goal that is so tangible it inspires people to contribute their own part. The idea itself is so vivid that people start asking themselves: “What can I do, in my area of expertise, to help put the first American on the moon?” Unlike feedback, which looks backward, a moonshot provides feed forward: it invites people to look ahead and adjust their actions accordingly. They measure the value of their own contribution by how much it helps achieve the collective goal.
People also realise that their efforts only have real impact when they fit with what others are producing. This requires coordination, but also a willingness to shape one’s own contribution so it aligns with the bigger picture. That has implications for people’s mindset: their work serves a higher purpose, which in turn tempers ego-driven behaviour, something that benefits collaboration and goal achievement alike.
What not to do
What a moonshot means for change in general also applies to culture change. Simply defining new core values and trying to instil them in people’s minds does not create cultural change. Values are abstractions — they are difficult to make concrete. Workshops on new core values often leave participants wondering, “So what now?”
Although cultural problems often trigger the desire for change, they rarely provide an inspiring picture of the culture you want to build. You achieve little by describing the desired culture merely as the opposite of what currently goes wrong. An organisation that says it wants to be ‘free’ — meaning no more breaches of integrity — is unlikely to spark enthusiasm. The same applies to a ‘safe’ culture, defined simply as one without safety incidents, or a ‘peaceful’ one, defined as the absence of conflict.
Such approaches don’t work. They merely invert the negative: the desired culture becomes the absence of problems. And that inspires no one.
What makes a good moonshot?
The key is to tackle cultural problems in the light of a higher purpose and to unite people around that purpose. In doing so, cultural issues take on a new meaning: they become obstacles to overcome together. Solving them is no longer the end goal but a necessary condition for realising the desired culture.
A powerful cultural moonshot has the following characteristics:
1. Radical ambition – not just a bit better
A cultural moonshot goes beyond ‘improving collaboration’ or ‘building more trust’. It describes a fundamental shift in how people relate to one another, work with customers, or find meaning in their work.
For example: “We will become an organisation where everyone feels free to disagree with the boss.” Or consider the company that became famous for its radical promise: ‘Everything for a smile’ — a statement that deeply shaped how employees interact with customers and deliver quality. Even smaller organisations can express this kind of ambition: a local authority might say, “We’re not here to enforce rules, but to help residents move forward.”
2. Visible meaning for society or the greater whole
A strong moonshot links the desired culture to a social or moral purpose, something that touches and inspires people. For instance: “We’re building a construction company that reuses 100% of its materials.” Or: “We aim to be the care organisation where every client feels seen, not just treated.”
It’s about an ambition that reaches beyond the organisation itself, something people can feel proud to contribute to.
3. Inspiring and reinforcing a positive self-image
The wording of the moonshot should be appealing, vivid and forward-looking. It should energise people to join in, rather than simply instructing them what to do. A good moonshot makes employees think: “That’s something I want to be part of.”
The Dutch home-care organisation Buurtzorg is a striking example. For years, it grew rapidly and effortlessly attracted new staff. Its vision is not written in management jargon, but in recognisable, human language. It speaks about how people want to work and what connects them: small, self-managing teams working as equals, without managers but with coaches, where every nurse is at the heart of the community.
They believe in growth and development, in mutual connection between more than a thousand teams, and in focusing on solutions rather than problems. Everything revolves around one clear goal: the best care at home.
4. Collective ownership
A moonshot only works if it belongs to everyone, not just to senior management or HR. Employees need to see themselves in it and feel they have influence over how to make it real. For example, by jointly defining what the ambition means in their own team, or by sharing success stories that show how the higher goal comes to life in daily practice.
5. Translating vision into concrete behaviour
However grand the vision, it must become visible in everyday actions. Teams should be able to ask: “What does this mean for how we work together, make decisions, or deal with customers?”
A moonshot gains its true power when it guides choices, from how you run meetings to how you resolve conflicts or celebrate success.
