Everything we do in state government, we do with a shared

"Everything we do in state government, we do with a shared purpose: to Empower People, Improve Lives and Inspire Success. Combined with our shared values of gratitude, curiosity, humility and courage, we're working to develop a positive and innovative state government culture in North Dakota." – Doug Burgum

In this luminous declaration, Doug Burgum, Governor of North Dakota, speaks not merely as a politician, but as a steward of human potential. His words are a hymn to purpose and virtue, calling all who serve in government to remember that their labor must spring from the heart, not the hierarchy. To “Empower People, Improve Lives, and Inspire Success”—this is not the cold machinery of bureaucracy, but the living breath of service. Burgum’s vision transforms government from a structure of authority into a community of upliftment, reminding us that leadership, when guided by gratitude, curiosity, humility, and courage, becomes a sacred duty.

This quote finds its roots in Burgum’s deep belief in transformational leadership—a philosophy he carried from his years as an entrepreneur into public life. He saw that innovation is not born from orders, but from culture, and that a government that truly serves must first believe in the goodness and capacity of its people. In an age when cynicism too often corrodes public trust, Burgum’s words rekindle an ancient ideal: that the purpose of governance is not domination, but empowerment; not control, but inspiration. Just as the philosopher-kings of old were charged to nurture the virtue of their citizens, so too must modern leaders guide through vision, empathy, and moral example.

Consider the story of Pericles, the great Athenian statesman who led during the city’s golden age. Under his leadership, Athens flourished not because it conquered more lands, but because it invested in its people. Pericles built schools, theaters, and institutions of learning—believing that the strength of a state rests not in its armies, but in the minds and hearts of its citizens. In much the same spirit, Burgum’s North Dakota seeks to empower through knowledge, innovation, and unity—reminding us that government’s highest calling is to create conditions where people may rise to their best selves.

The governor’s mention of shared values—gratitude, curiosity, humility, and courage—reads like a modern code of civic virtue. Gratitude reminds leaders to remember those they serve; curiosity drives them to seek better ways of doing good; humility tempers power with perspective; and courage compels them to act boldly for justice, even when it is hard. Together, these virtues form the moral compass of any true public servant. Without them, government becomes a hollow vessel; with them, it becomes a living flame of progress.

Yet Burgum’s words also carry a quiet challenge. For to “Empower People” is not merely to provide resources or policies—it is to trust them. To “Improve Lives” requires listening more than dictating. And to “Inspire Success” demands that leaders first embody the spirit they wish to awaken in others. This is the harder road, the road of servant leadership, where one’s power is measured not by how much one commands, but by how deeply one uplifts. In this, Burgum speaks a wisdom older than the republic itself: that the truest ruler is he who rules through virtue, not force.

The echo of his words can be heard in every great renewal of a nation. When Franklin Roosevelt launched the New Deal, he did not merely build programs—he built hope. When Nelson Mandela emerged from prison to lead South Africa, he did not seek revenge, but reconciliation. Both leaders, like Burgum in his own measure, understood that to govern is to kindle the human spirit, not to bind it. A government infused with gratitude and courage becomes not a master, but a partner—a collective endeavor toward the common good.

The lesson for all who hear this quote is clear: whether you lead a state, a business, or a single household, lead with purpose and virtue. Do not seek only to manage, but to inspire. In your work, let gratitude soften your pride, curiosity sharpen your mind, humility ground your ambition, and courage steel your resolve. For when these virtues unite under a shared purpose, the ordinary becomes extraordinary, and even the smallest act of service can ripple outward to empower, improve, and inspire generations yet unborn.

Thus, Doug Burgum’s words stand as a reminder to all who bear responsibility: that the strength of a government—or any community—does not lie in its buildings or budgets, but in the spirit of those who serve. And when that spirit is guided by gratitude and courage, it becomes something timeless—a living testament to the truth that leadership, at its highest form, is love made practical.