If you are creating a new product or offering, you want skepticism. You want folks who are going to take a critical look at what you're proposing and help you uncover flaws that, if left unexamined, could lead to a costly failure.

These people are valuable to your new product development process. But if you're looking to clarify your organization's purpose, they are absolutely the wrong bunch to recruit.

I bring this up because I ask companies to put together a group of key stakeholders that will help in the purpose clarification process. And companies have a tendency to default to including this group of people.

I understand why. These people have contributed to the success of product development, where cynicism and playing the devil's advocate have helped the organization avoid costly mistakes.

But clarifying the organization's purpose is not like developing a new offering. In fact, it's nothing like it at all.

For starters, we're not creating something new. We are uncovering what is already there. Giving it a voice. And amplifying it.

This requires a group of stakeholders with a different outlook. One that understands the power of aspirations.

Find your believers

They are in your organization. Those people who are natural leaders. Not by title. But by their ability to energize and inspire those around them. This is the group you want to recruit.

They will be crucial in representing all the team members across the organization. Here are a few key questions to ask as you evaluate the potential candidates for clarifying your purpose:

1. Are they true leaders? Do people naturally love to follow them? Are they encouraging to others? Do they believe that they are successful when those around them are successful? These are the types of people who inspire others. The purpose process needs this special breed.

2. Are they respected? A person may hold a prestigious title, but it doesn’t mean he or she naturally has the respect of the rest of the team. This respect will be important as they carry the purpose out into the organization. Other team members will assign more credibility to the purpose if it is sponsored by someone they respect.

3. Are they genuine? Some just seem to exude believability. Usually because of a consistency of character married with a good dose of humility. These are the people who will be earnest in the effort to clarify a purpose, and whose opinions will be held in high regard as they speak of it to others.

4. Are they positive? For some, it’s just in their nature to be contrarians. Can these types be won over? Sometimes. But we run the risk of them turning what should feel like a quest into a slow, painful grind. Look for those who are naturally positive.

5. Do they have the potential to become evangelists? Enthusiasm is infectious. We need people who have a high likelihood of being swept up by it. That doesn’t mean we only need the kind who jumps up and down with excitement. It can be equally felt from those who quietly express a heartfelt fervor.

I can't overstate the need to find your believers. They are the ones who can help you clarify what is truly special about your organization. But more than that, they are the ones that will carry your purpose out into your organization. They are the ones that will help you evangelize your team members. They are your believers. And they are the key to helping your purpose become everything it can become.