Offering and Killing Meaning at Work: Lessons from Petra Kipfelsberger

In this episode of Meaningful Work Matters, we speak with Petra Kipfelsberger, Associate Professor for Leadership and Organizational Behaviour at BI Norwegian Business School.

With her extensive background in leadership research and coaching experience at the C-level, Kipfelsberger brings deep expertise on how leaders can inspire meaningful work. Her research focuses on how individuals and organizations thrive during uncertainty, with particular attention to visionary leadership, meaningful work, and coaching. Throughout the episode, Kipfelsberger shares evidence-based insights on how leaders can authentically communicate purpose and foster meaning, while avoiding behaviors that diminish employees' sense of significance.

Leaders Offer Meaning Rather Than Make It

Kipfelsberger introduces an important distinction in how leaders influence meaning.

She challenges the common assumption that leaders directly create meaning for employees. Instead, effective leaders present opportunities—what she calls "offerings"—that allow employees to discover their own sense of purpose.

This view recognizes that meaning remains personal while still acknowledging the leader's critical role in providing context and vision. When leaders understand this balance, they create environments where employees connect their work to larger purposes without forcing that connection.

Authentic Leadership Starts With Personal Meaning

Kipfelsberger builds on this foundation with a straightforward principle: leaders need to find meaning in their own work before they can help others find it. She puts it simply:

"You cannot give what you don't have."

When leaders genuinely find their work meaningful, their communication becomes naturally energetic and convincing. Their visionary leadership emerges as authentic expression rather than rehearsed technique. Employees quickly sense when a leader truly believes in the vision versus when they're just going through the motions.

Timing Matters

Kipfelsberger's research reveals a surprising insight about when visionary leadership makes the most impact. She found that a leader's vision and purpose communication matters most in the first years of working with team members—with this influence extending up to six years.

This finding has clear implications for how we think about onboarding employees. Rather than treating it as a brief orientation, effective leaders view it as an extended journey of meaning development that shapes an employee's entire experience.

During these early years, consistently communicating vision and purpose creates a foundation for long-term engagement. As time passes, employees develop their own sources of meaning and rely less on their leader's vision.

The Dark Side: How Leaders Kill Meaning

The conversation then shifts to what Kipfelsberger calls "meaning killing"—leadership behaviors that diminish employees' sense of purpose. She offers a common example: when a manager assigns an urgent task with a random deadline, then fails to acknowledge when employees complete it.

Other meaning-damaging behaviors include not providing feedback, ignoring contributions, and trying to dictate meaning rather than offering it.

This concept shares similarities with what Zach Mercurio calls "anti-mattering"—when employees feel invisible or insignificant in their workplace. Over time, these behaviors make meaningful work harder to maintain. Even inspiring visions fall apart when daily interactions communicate to employees that their work doesn't matter.

What Would Viktor Frankl Do?

The discussion explores how Viktor Frankl's ideas about meaning apply to leadership. Kipfelsberger has studied Frankl extensively, and she explains how his concept of self-transcendence transforms leadership approaches.

Frankl's view shifts focus from self-actualization to self-transcendence—finding purpose by contributing to something beyond oneself. This positions leadership as service rather than self-centered achievement. As Kipfelsberger notes, "It's not about me. It's about giving to others, and then this will help me find meaning as a byproduct."

This connects to visionary leadership, as good leaders help employees see how their work contributes to something larger. Frankl's perspective on transcendence echoes themes explored in our conversation with Scott Barry Kaufman, who similarly challenges traditional notions of Maslow's hierarchy and emphasizes the importance of serving something beyond ourselves.

Frankl's emphasis on finding meaning in specific moments also helps leaders connect daily tasks to broader purpose.

Family Businesses Show Meaningful Leadership in Action

Kipfelsberger next shares research on family-run businesses, where employees report higher satisfaction levels. She found this stems from the authentic passion and long-term vision that family leaders communicate.

Family businesses operate with a different time perspective—they make decisions with future generations in mind. This creates a culture valuing people and well-being over short-term results.

As Soren notes in the conversation, this connects to Indigenous wisdom like the "seven generations" philosophy, which teaches that decisions made today should consider their impact on descendants seven generations into the future—roughly 150 years. This principle encourages long-term stewardship, sustainability, and responsibility that extends far beyond quarterly profits.

In family businesses, this similar multigenerational thinking shapes daily operations and creates authenticity that resonates with employees.

Practical Leadership Strategies

Kipfelsberger concludes with practical approaches for leaders who want to foster meaningful work:

• Start with authentic communication about your purpose, especially during early interactions with team members

• Frame messages positively instead of using negations

• Create space for meaningful dialogue, possibly through coaching

• Connect big-picture vision with concrete, immediate actions

• Provide timely feedback and acknowledgment

These strategies help leaders avoid becoming "meaning killers" and create environments where employees discover their own sense of purpose.

Kipfelsberger emphasizes that fostering meaning doesn't require grand gestures - simple acknowledgments and regular feedback can make a significant difference in how employees experience their work, ultimately leading to greater satisfaction and engagement.

Resources for Further Exploration

• Kipfelsberger, P., & Kark, R. (2018). 'Killing me softly with his/her song': How leaders dismantle followers' sense of work meaningfulness. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 654.

• Kipfelsberger, P., Braun, S., Fladerer, M. P., & Dragoni, L. (2022). Developing authenticity: A quasi-experimental investigation. Personality and Individual Differences, 198, 111825.

• Viktor Frankl's book "Man's Search for Meaning"

The Five Dimensions of Job Crafting: Lessons from Rob Baker

In this episode of Meaningful Work Matters, host Andrew Soren speaks with Rob Baker, a leading expert on job crafting and founder of Tailored Thinking, a pioneering evidence-based positive psychology consultancy. Named as one of HR Magazine's Most Influential Thinkers (#8 in 2023), Baker is a TEDX speaker, author of "Personalization at Work," and a Chartered Fellow of both the CIPD and the Australian HR Institute. His mission is simple yet profound: making work better and making better work.

Throughout the episode, Baker shares practical insights on how individuals can shape their work to better align with their strengths and values, making small yet meaningful changes that boost performance, well-being, and job satisfaction. They explore concrete strategies for crafting various aspects of our jobs and discuss what managers need to know to support their teams in this process.

What is Job Crafting?

Job crafting is about personalizing and shaping how we do our work so that our jobs align better with our passions, strengths, and interests. Baker explains the concept using a simple yet effective metaphor:

“If you can imagine your job like a jacket or a dress that you buy off the peg, you often hope it’s going to be a good fit for you. You don’t know until you put it on. Job crafting is about shaping that job in small ways to make it a better fit for you as an individual.””

The key insight here is that while approximately 90% of most jobs are fixed (the "color" or "fabric" of the jacket), there are always opportunities to shape around the edges. These small adjustments can significantly impact how we experience our work.

This concept isn't just theoretical - it's backed by substantial research. Baker notes that over 170 peer-reviewed papers have explored job crafting, consistently finding positive outcomes in three core areas:

1. Performance: People who craft their jobs tend to have more energy and zest, leading to better performance as measured by self-assessments, manager evaluations, and even customer service ratings.

2. Well-being: When people feel in control of their job and can shape it, they report higher levels of well-being, satisfaction, and engagement. Job crafting can also buffer against workplace stress.

3. Development: Job crafting is strongly linked to career progression, adaptability, and satisfaction. Those who report crafting behaviors tend to experience greater career mobility and fulfillment.

The Five Dimensions of Job Crafting

Baker identifies five distinct ways people can craft their jobs:

Task Crafting

This involves adjusting the activities you do or how you structure your day. Examples include:

• Restructuring when you do certain tasks

• Taking an existing task and approaching it differently

• Using new tools or technologies to complete familiar tasks

Skill Crafting

This focuses on how you develop and apply your skills and knowledge at work. It might involve:

• Seeking opportunities to learn new skills

• Finding ways to use underutilized abilities

• Adapting your approach to leverage your strengths

Purpose (Cognitive) Crafting

This dimension is about connecting to what's meaningful and purposeful for you:

• Finding aspects of your work that align with your values

• Reframing how you think about your role's impact

• Bringing external passions into the workplace (like starting a running club)

Relationship Crafting

This involves shaping your connections with others:

• Amplifying relationships you enjoy

• Fostering connections outside your immediate team

• Adjusting how you interact with challenging colleagues (what Baker refers to as "energy black holes")

Wellbeing Crafting

This focuses on approaching work from a healthier perspective:

• Creating rituals that support mental or physical health

• Establishing boundaries to protect energy

• Developing strategies to manage workplace stressors

Baker shares the example of a physiotherapist who, finding his work stressful with back-to-back patients, decided to take "100 mindful steps" when walking from his office to reception to collect each new patient. This simple well-being intervention helped him recenter and transition mindfully between patients.

Challenges and Considerations

While job crafting offers tremendous benefits, it's not without challenges. Baker addresses several potential concerns:

Management Skepticism

Some managers worry that giving employees permission to craft their jobs will lead to chaos or people shirking core responsibilities. Baker counters this with evidence:

"The reality the research shows, and this is my practical experience, is that most job crafting is in budgets of five to ten minutes a day, or like an hour a week max. People haven't got the bandwidth, the time, or the energy to go beyond that."

People tend to be realistic about what they can change, and they understand that most of their job remains fixed.

Implementation Without Follow-Through

One guaranteed way for job crafting to have a negative effect is if organizations introduce the concept but don't allow actual implementation:

"If you give people the rhetoric about it, you might give people the training about it, and then you don't allow people to execute...people will say, 'Well, hang on, you asked me to do one thing, and actually you are acting a different way.'"

This disconnect can lead to frustration and disengagement. Baker recommends starting with pilot groups to collect success stories before rolling out job crafting more broadly.

Vulnerability in Trying New Approaches

Employees may feel vulnerable when first attempting to craft their jobs, especially in cultures where this hasn't been the norm. Baker notes that providing support and reassurance during this transition is crucial.

Practical Applications and Implications

How to Start Job Crafting

Baker offers several practical approaches for individuals looking to craft their jobs:

1. Energy Mapping Exercise: Draw a line with "gives energy" on one end and "takes energy" on the other. Plot your daily tasks along this spectrum, then consider how to amplify energizing activities and reshape draining ones.

2. Focus on One Thing: Instead of trying to change everything at once, identify one aspect of your job you'd like to improve and start there.

3. Schedule "Me Meetings": Baker notes that while we attend countless meetings for others, we rarely schedule time for ourselves. Set aside 30-60 minutes to reflect on what you'd like to change about your work.

4. Reframe Unavoidable Tasks: For tasks you dislike but can't eliminate, consider their deeper purpose and create a system to make them more palatable. Baker shares how he became "frenemies with expenses" by recognizing their importance to the business and rewarding himself with a KitKat Chunky after completion.

For Managers Supporting Job Crafting

Managers can foster an environment conducive to job crafting by:

1. Creating Space for Honest Conversations: Ask questions like "What are you enjoying about your job?" or "If you could make your job 1% better, what would you do?"

2. Listening Sincerely: Show genuine interest in employees' ideas rather than merely going through the motions.

3. Embedding Job Crafting in Performance Reviews: Some organizations have successfully integrated job crafting discussions into regular performance check-ins, focusing on different dimensions each quarter.

4. Adopting an Experimental Mindset: Encourage employees to try small changes with the understanding that not all experiments will succeed.

5. Believing in Employee Capability: At its core, supporting job crafting requires trusting that employees can thoughtfully reshape aspects of their work while still meeting core responsibilities.

Connections to Broader Themes

Soren and Baker discuss how job crafting connects to larger workplace themes, particularly autonomy and the post-pandemic shift in work arrangements. They note that job crafting shares elements with Self-Determination Theory (discussed in a previous episode with Ann Bradford [link]), especially the power of choice and autonomy in creating meaningful work.

The conversation also touches on how job crafting relates to the ongoing debate about remote versus in-office work. The backlash against companies requiring office returns after offering flexibility parallels the frustration that can occur when organizations introduce job crafting but later restrict it.

Future Directions and Ongoing Work

Looking ahead, Baker sees job crafting becoming a core skill in the changing landscape of work:

"If you think about pre-pandemic...wouldn't it be great if we could get everyone to top up their well-being and resilience skills? I think job crafting is a skill set that enables people to be able to change and agile flex in terms of how they pursue their role."

Further, as artificial intelligence and automation transform jobs, Baker suggests that job crafting capabilities will become increasingly valuable. He encourages organizations to involve employees in harnessing new technologies rather than imposing changes without consultation.

An intriguing potential application involves using AI tools like ChatGPT to support job crafting - not just for efficiency but for energy:

"Most organizations or most people want to talk about using AI in their own roles, they talk about seeking efficiency. And I'd love people to use the E word, but change it to energy...rather than doing the same things faster, can you bring more energy and lightness to what you're doing?"

Key Takeaways

1. Job crafting involves making small, intentional changes to align your work better with your strengths, values, and interests.

2. There are five dimensions of job crafting: tasks, skills, purpose, relationships, and well-being.

3. Research shows job crafting improves performance, well-being, and career development.

4. Most people craft their jobs in small increments (5-10 minutes daily or an hour weekly).

5. Managers can support job crafting by creating space for honest conversations, listening sincerely, and adopting an experimental mindset.

Job crafting offers a powerful framework for anyone looking to find greater meaning and satisfaction in their work. By making small adjustments across the five dimensions - tasks, skills, purpose, relationships, and well-being - individuals can transform their experience of work without necessarily changing jobs.

As Baker reminds us, the question we should all be asking is: "What can bring you more energy?" By focusing on energy rather than mere efficiency, job crafting provides a path toward work that is not just better performed but more deeply fulfilling.

Resources for Further Exploration

• Connect with Rob Baker on LinkedIn or Instagram

• Visit Tailored Thinking for more resources on job crafting

• Rob's book: "Personalization at Work"

• Original job crafting research from the University of Michigan

Indigenous Perspectives on Meaningful Work: Lessons from Adam Murry and Alvan Yuan

In this episode of Meaningful Work Matters, host Andrew Soren sits down with two researchers who are enhancing our understanding of meaningful work through an Indigenous lens.

Dr. Adam Murry, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Calgary with Ukrainian, Irish, and Apache heritage, and his graduate student Alvan Yuan, a Canadian of Taiwanese descent, offer an exploration of Indigenous perspectives in workplace settings.

Drawing from their extensive research in post-secondary institutions, Murray and Yuan go beyond describing workplace experiences. They provide a comprehensive analysis that challenges existing paradigms of meaningful work, offering practical insights for leaders and organizations seeking to create more inclusive, purposeful work environments.

Their study explores the complex ways Indigenous faculty and staff in post-secondary institutions define, experience, and navigate professional purpose, while also presenting actionable strategies for organizational transformation.

The Research Journey

The conversation begins with the backstory of their research, which emerged from a critical question posed by university leadership: How can we retain and support Indigenous faculty and staff?

Murry explains that this wasn't just another academic exercise, but a deeply purposeful investigation prompted by concerns about Indigenous employees being recruited away from their institutions.

The researchers interviewed 18 Indigenous faculty and staff from universities across Western Canada, focusing on understanding their experiences of meaningful work. Their approach was deliberately collaborative, rooted in Murry's long-standing commitment to research that genuinely serves Indigenous communities.

Redefining Meaningful Work

Through their interviews, Murry and Yuan uncovered an holistic understanding of meaningful work that extends far beyond traditional workplace metrics. For the Indigenous employees the spoke with, work is intrinsically linked to broader concepts of community, ancestry, and collective purpose.

Three key dimensions emerged as central to their sense of meaningful work:

1 Generational Belonging - seeing work as a continuation of ancestral labor and a service to both current and future generations. This perspective transforms work from an individual pursuit to a collective journey of community advancement.

2 Connectedness - not just to immediate colleagues, but to community, land, and cultural context. This connectedness is far more comprehensive than typical workplace understanding of team dynamics.

3 Job Design - finding meaning in work that directly aligns with Indigenous causes or personal cultural beliefs. The job itself becomes a vehicle for cultural preservation and community empowerment.

The Invisible Labor of Indigenous Professionals

Murry and Yuan don't shy away from naming the systemic challenges Indigenous employees face.

They describe what they term the "minority tax" - an invisible burden of additional unrecognized labor. Indigenous faculty and staff are simultaneously expected to represent entire Indigenous experiences while managing traditional job responsibilities, all while confronting deep-rooted colonial structures within institutions.

The researchers highlight a critical tension: organizations frequently seek to leverage Indigenous employees' community-driven values without providing adequate support, recognition, or compensation.

This dynamic often leads to burnout, frustration, and a sense of exploitation.

Pathways to Organizational Transformation

The research offers compelling recommendations for meaningful change. Murry and Yuan advocate for a radical reimagining of workplace structures that goes beyond surface-level diversity initiatives.

Key strategies include:

• Providing genuine job crafting opportunities

• Encoding community-focused work into formal job descriptions

• Creating promotion criteria that truly recognize Indigenous contributions

• Allowing Indigenous employees to define decolonization on their own terms

Decolonization as a Workplace Journey

The researchers frame meaningful work as a potential avenue for reconciliation - a space where systemic barriers can be challenged and transformed.

They draw on the powerful insight that decolonization is not just an institutional mandate, but a deeply personal process of reclaiming narrative and purpose.

Conclusion

Murry and Yuan invite us to expand our understanding of meaningful work.

They challenge us to recognize that career purpose is a deeply personal journey shaped by cultural context, historical experiences, and collective aspirations.

For organizations seeking greater diversity, equity, and inclusion, this research offers a transformative roadmap - one that honors the rich, multifaceted experiences of Indigenous professionals and reimagines workplace culture through a lens of genuine respect and mutual understanding.

Resources Mentioned

• Indigenous Organizations and Communities Research Lab at the University of Calgary

• "Decolonization is Not a Metaphor" by Tuck and Yang (2012)

• Native American Rehabilitation Association (NARA) in Portland

• Indigenous Primary Health Care and Policy Research (IPHCPR) Network of Alberta

Redefining Purpose as Everyday Direction: Lessons from Patrick Hill

In this episode of Meaningful Work Matters, host Andrew Soren sits down with Patrick Hill, a professor of psychological and brain sciences at Washington University in St. Louis. Hill's research focuses on purpose and identity development, and he offers a fresh perspectives on what it means to live a purposeful life.

Hill received his PhD from the University of Notre Dame and his BA from Indiana University. His research program examines how to cultivate a life direction and how purpose promotes adaptive lifespan development.

Hill's work challenges traditional notions of purpose; presenting it not as a lofty, unattainable goal, but as something adaptable, accessible, and actionable in our everyday lives. His insights shed light on the role of purpose in well-being, personal growth, and even physical health, often in unexpected ways.

Redefining Purpose

To start, Hill introduces a nuanced understanding of purpose, breaking it down into three key elements:

1. Self-defining: Purpose should be personally attached and definitive.

2. Engaging and energizing: It should lead to greater life engagement and personal agency.

3. Future-oriented: Purpose provides direction and intentionality.

Hill emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between "big P" Purpose - often seen as world-changing and potentially anxiety-inducing - and "small p" purpose, which focuses on everyday actions that provide direction and lead to positive outcomes. This shift in perspective makes purpose more accessible and actionable for individuals in their daily lives.

"Purpose is this self-defining, self-informative life aim that gives you a direction towards engagement in life from one day to the next, one year to the next throughout the lifespan."

The Three A's of Purpose

Hill introduces the concept of purpose being adaptable, accessible, and actionable:

• Adaptable: Purpose should evolve with an individual's life circumstances.

• Accessible: It should be attainable for everyone, not just a privileged few.

• Actionable: Purpose should guide daily decisions and behaviors.

This framework helps demystify purpose and makes it more approachable for individuals who might feel overwhelmed by traditional, lofty notions of purpose.

Challenges and Considerations

One significant challenge Hill addresses is "purpose anxiety" - the stress and pressure individuals feel when asked to define their life's purpose. This anxiety can be particularly prevalent in workplace settings where employees are asked to align with organizational purpose statements.

Hill suggests that instead of focusing on grand, overarching purposes, individuals and organizations should concentrate on identifying smaller, more immediate sources of meaning and direction. This approach can help alleviate anxiety and make purpose more accessible to everyone.

Hill's Model: Sense of Purpose

Dr. Hill's research emphasizes the importance of fostering a "sense of purpose" rather than identifying a single, grand purpose. This model focuses on:

1. Feeling a sense of direction

2. Having goals that provide personal definition

3. Engaging in activities that energize and feel meaningful

This approach has been linked to various positive outcomes, including reduced risk of cognitive impairment, lower mortality rates, and improved well-being.

Practical Applications and Implications

For individuals:

1. Reflect on daily activities that provide a sense of direction and energy

2. Engage in dialogue about purpose with peers and colleagues

3. Focus on building a sense of purpose rather than defining a single, grand purpose

For organizations:

1. Foster environments where employees can discuss and explore purpose

2. Break down organizational purpose into specific, actionable activities

3. Allow for individual interpretation and alignment with organizational purpose

Hill emphasizes the importance of dialogue in exploring purpose:

"The most important thing for the purpose anxiety is having the scaffolding and the social connections along the way to help you explore."

Conclusion

Patrick Hill's research offers a refreshing and practical approach to understanding purpose in our lives and work. By reframing purpose as something adaptable, accessible, and actionable, Hill provides a pathway for individuals and organizations to cultivate meaningful engagement without the anxiety often associated with grand purpose statements.

As we navigate the complexities of modern work life, this nuanced understanding of purpose can help foster environments where individuals can thrive, find direction, and contribute meaningfully - not just to their organizations but to their own sense of fulfillment and well-being.

Resources for Further Exploration

• PATH Lab website at Washington University: [https://www.pathlabwustl.com/]

• Dr. Hill's research publications: [https://psych.wustl.edu/people/patrick-hill]

Unlearning Silence: Lessons from Elaine Lin Hering

In this episode of Meaningful Work Matters, host Andrew Soren speaks with Elaine Lin Hering, author of the new book "Unlearning Silence: How to Speak Your Mind, Unleash Talent, and Live More Fully."

Elaine, a recovering attorney turned accidental author, has dedicated her career to improving how we communicate with each other. Her work focuses on helping people show up authentically in the workplace and in life.

Unlearning Silence

Lin Hering introduces the concept of "unlearning silence" as a crucial step in creating more authentic and effective workplace communication. She defines silence in this context as feeling that there isn't enough room for one's ideas, insights, needs, goals, hopes, and concerns in a relational system, whether at work or in personal relationships.

Lin Hering explains:

"Silence is when you feel like you're not going to be well received, and so the outcome that makes more sense is to keep your mouth shut."

This silence can manifest in various ways, such as the "meeting after the meeting" phenomenon or the need for employees to censor or edit themselves.

The process of unlearning silence involves:

1. Awareness of one's assumptions about voice and silence

2. Interrogating these assumptions

3. Experimenting with new behaviors

4. Building a supportive team

The Complexity of Authenticity at Work

Lin Hering delves into the nuanced topic of authenticity in the workplace, particularly for individuals with subordinated identities. She highlights the challenges of bringing one's authentic self to work when facing an uphill battle against dominant cultural norms.

"Every organization, every team has a dominant culture," Lin Hering explains. "And it is driven by the people who carry that identity... If you carry the subordinated identity, meaning not the dominant, you are inherently pushing uphill."

This concept raises important questions about how organizations can create environments where diverse voices are truly valued and heard.

Challenges and Considerations

Lin Hering acknowledges that there can be real costs to speaking up in the workplace. She emphasizes the importance of agency in deciding when to speak and when to remain silent. The challenge lies in distinguishing between silence that is strategic and empowering versus silence that is oppressive and disempowering.

"The difference between silence that is additive or strategic and the silence that is oppressive is agency," Lin Hering notes. This nuanced understanding of silence challenges the simplistic "speak up" culture often promoted in workplaces.

Awareness and Action

Lin Hering presents a two-part framework for unlearning silence:

Awareness: Recognizing our assumptions about voice, silence, and who gets to speak in various contexts.

Action: Interrogating these assumptions, experimenting with new behaviors, and building a supportive network.

This framework emphasizes the importance of self-reflection and intentional behavior change in creating more inclusive and authentic communication environments.

Practical Applications and Implications

For individuals:

• Regularly ask yourself, "What do I think?" and "What do I need?" to reconnect with your authentic voice.

• Start with small experiments to practice using your voice in low-stakes situations.

• Build a supportive team around you, including mentors, peers, and media sources that reinforce your values.

For managers and leaders:

• Recognize that not everyone communicates or processes information like you do.

• Actively design communication and work processes that accommodate diverse styles and preferences.

• Create opportunities for new hires to act as "culture detectives," leveraging their fresh perspectives to question established norms.

Final Thoughts

Unlearning silence connects deeply to the broader themes of meaningful work, employee well-being, and organizational culture. By creating environments where people feel empowered to express their authentic selves, organizations can tap into diverse perspectives, increase innovation, and improve overall job satisfaction.

Lin Hering’s work also touches on important issues of equity and inclusion in the workplace, highlighting how dominant cultural norms can silence marginalized voices and limit the potential for true diversity of thought.

"We're co-creating culture and everyone owns it. So what is my role in creating a space where each human being experiences dignity and belonging at work and is able to do their best work?"

Resources for Further Exploration

• Elaine Lin Hering's book: "Unlearning Silence: How to Speak Your Mind, Unleash Talent, and Live More Fully"

• Ankari Williams' work on micro-activism: link

Balancing Passion and Boundaries: Lessons from Frank Martela

In this episode of Meaningful Work Matters, host Andrew engages in an insightful conversation with Frank Martela, PhD about the nature of meaningful work, the dimensions of well-being, and the interconnections between sustainability and human thriving.

Dr. Martela is an Assistant Professor at Aalto University, Finland, with dual doctorates in organizational research and practical philosophy. His work focuses on meaningfulness, human motivation, and how organizations can unleash human potential. A renowned expert on meaning and happiness, his research seeks to understand the fundamentals of happiness, meaningfulness, and the good life.

Defining Meaningful Work

Martela begins by discussing his influential research on defining meaningful work. He explains that meaningful work generally refers to work that has intrinsic value beyond just financial compensation.

Through a comprehensive review of existing literature, Martela and his colleagues identified three key dimensions of meaningful work: overall significance, self-realization, and broader purpose.

Overall significance refers to the sense that work is worthwhile and valuable in itself.

Self-realization involves the ability to express oneself and engage in activities aligned with one's interests and values.

Broader purpose encompasses the feeling of contributing to something beyond oneself and having a positive impact on others or society.

Martela emphasizes that meaningful work involves both a connection to oneself and a connection to others or the wider world. This conceptualization provides a useful framework for understanding and fostering meaningfulness in various work contexts.

The Relationship Between Meaning and Purpose

An interesting discussion unfolds about the relationship between meaning and purpose, two concepts that are often intertwined in research and popular discourse.

Martela offers a nuanced perspective, suggesting that meaning is a broader concept encompassing all things that make life or work feel valuable, while purpose is more future-oriented, involving goals and projects that contribute to meaning. He notes that while purpose is often a key source of meaning, meaningful experiences can occur without explicit purpose, such as enjoying time with friends.

This distinction helps clarify the roles of meaning and purpose in both work and life contexts, highlighting the importance of considering both in efforts to enhance well-being and fulfillment.

The Dark Side of Meaningful Work

While meaningful work is generally associated with positive outcomes, Martela acknowledges potential downsides. He points out that people who find their work highly meaningful may be more susceptible to exploitation or overwork. Additionally, strong dedication to meaningful work might lead to neglecting other important life domains, resulting in work-life imbalance.

These insights underscore the importance of maintaining balance and boundaries, even when engaged in deeply meaningful work.

A New Model of Well-being

Martela introduces his innovative model of well-being, which is grounded in human needs and nature. The model consists of four dimensions:

• Having: Meeting basic physical and safety needs.

• Loving: Fulfilling social needs and relationships.

• Doing: Engaging in purposeful activities and growth.

• Being: Experiencing positive emotions and life satisfaction.

This framework offers a nuanced approach to understanding and measuring well-being, with potential applications in both policy and organizational contexts.

Applying the Model to Work Contexts

The conversation explores how Martela's well-being model can be applied specifically to work settings.

In the workplace, "having" involves basic safety, security, and fair compensation. "Loving" at work relates to belongingness, community, and supportive relationships. "Doing" encompasses learning, growth, competence, and purposeful impact. "Being" reflects job satisfaction and positive emotional experiences at work.

This application provides a holistic lens for evaluating and enhancing employee well-being across multiple dimensions. Soren and Martela discuss how these concepts can be measured and implemented in organizational settings, highlighting the importance of both comprehensive annual surveys and more frequent, simplified check-ins to gauge employee well-being.

Sustainability and Well-being

The episode concludes with a discussion on the crucial relationship between sustainability and well-being. Martela argues that the ultimate goal of politics and policy should be to promote well-being in a sustainable manner. This involves recognizing environmental limits and planetary boundaries, designing economic and social systems that maximize well-being within these limits, and developing standardized measures for both well-being and environmental impact to inform decision-making.

Martela emphasizes the need for an integrated approach to human flourishing and environmental stewardship, highlighting the importance of long-term thinking in our pursuit of well-being. He suggests that by considering well-being and sustainability together, we can create policies and practices that support human thriving while respecting the constraints of our planet.

Resources for further exploration:

For more information on Frank Martela's work and the topics discussed, listeners are encouraged to explore his website and visit the Aalto University website.

Principled Insubordination: Lessons From Dr. Todd Kashdan

In this episode of Meaningful Work Matters, Andrew sits down with Dr. Todd B. Kashdan, Professor of Psychology at George Mason University and author of "The Art of Insubordination: How to Dissent and Defy Effectively."

As one of the main figures in the positive psychology movement, Dr. Kashdan brings over 20 years of research on purpose, meaning, and well-being to this conversation about the value of principled rebellion in creating more meaningful work environments.

The Evolution of Purpose Research

The conversation begins with a reflection on how research on purpose and meaning has evolved over the past two decades. Kashdan highlights a key insight: "A lot of the things that were originally discussed as the defining features of purpose in life are actually things that could amplify it, or there are things in the environment that could influence it."

This distinction is crucial because it shifts our focus to potential intervention targets.

For example, rather than seeing an enriching environment as an inherent part of having purpose, we can now explore how factors like green spaces might influence the development of purpose in young people.

Kashdan also emphasizes that while disadvantaged circumstances can make it harder to commit time and effort to one's purpose, they don't inherently prevent someone from having a sense of purpose.

This nuanced understanding opens up new avenues for supporting purpose development across diverse populations.

The Value of Principled Rebellion

The heart of the conversation centers on Kashdan's recent book, "The Art of Insubordination." He argues that fostering principled rebellion is crucial for creating more innovative, inclusive, and meaningful work environments. Kashdan presents an equation of principled insubordination:

(Defiance x Authenticity + Contribution) / Social Pressure

This equation highlights the importance of genuine, constructive dissent in the face of social conformity pressures.

Kashdan asserts that "Dissent opens people's minds, conformity closes people's minds." Even when a dissenting idea is ultimately wrong, it stimulates "cognitive liberation," encouraging more creative problem-solving within the group. He further argues that "permitting and embracing dissent unlocks the benefits of diversity." It's not enough to have diverse team members; organizations need to create environments where unique perspectives are truly heard and valued.

Navigating the Challenges of Principled Rebellion

While advocating for more principled rebellion, Kashdan doesn't shy away from discussing the potential pitfalls. He introduces the concept of the "Black Sheep Effect," where dissenters often face harsher criticism from their in-group than outsiders would. This can make speaking up emotionally challenging. He also discusses the "Power Paradox," noting a tendency for successful dissenters to become inflexible once they gain majority support, potentially stifling future innovation.

Kashdan acknowledges that embracing dissent can create short-term inefficiencies but argues it leads to more robust, innovative solutions in the long run.

Strategies for Fostering Constructive Dissent

Kashdan offers several practical strategies for individuals and organizations looking to cultivate healthier dissent. He recommends that individuals diversify their identity portfolio, investing in multiple dimensions of their identity beyond work. This creates resilience, allowing people to better weather potential backlash from speaking up.

For organizations, he emphasizes the importance of separating task conflict from relationship conflict. This distinction allows for more productive discussions about ideas or methods without damaging working relationships.

When dissenting, individuals should focus on how their ideas contribute to shared goals rather than simply opposing the status quo. Kashdan also stresses the importance of creating safe spaces for minority perspectives. Even as formerly marginalized groups gain acceptance, it's crucial to maintain spaces where unique cultural identities can be fully expressed and honored.

Implications for Meaningful Work

This conversation has profound implications for how we think about creating meaningful work environments. It underscores the importance of psychological safety, where people feel secure expressing dissenting views without fear of personal repercussions. Leaders must recognize that fostering meaningful dissent often involves navigating complex trade-offs between short-term efficiency and long-term innovation.

Kashdan's insights challenge us to redefine success in organizational culture. Rather than seeing unanimity as a sign of strong culture, organizations should celebrate constructive disagreement as a marker of psychological safety and innovation potential. For individuals, engaging in principled rebellion can be a powerful source of meaning, allowing them to align their work with deeply held values and contribute to positive change.

By fostering environments that welcome principled rebellion, organizations can unlock greater innovation, inclusivity, and, ultimately, more meaningful work for all.

Resources for further exploration:

• The Art of Insubordination: How to Dissent and Defy Effectively by Todd B. Kashdan

• Origins of purpose in life: Refining our understanding of a life well lived by Todd B. Kashdan & Patrick E. McKnight

• Differential contributions of majority and minority influence by Charlan J. Nemeth

• The Power Paradox: How We Gain and Lose Influence by Dacher Keltner

Rethinking Performance Management for Workplace Flourishing: Lessons from Antoinette Weibel

In this episode of Meaningful Work Matters, Andrew Soren spoke with Antoinette Weibel, a professor of public management at St. Gallen University’s Business School.

Weibel’s fields of research include trust management in and between organizations, as well as employee engagement/motivation and positive human resource management. Inspired by the work of Sumantra Ghoshal, who wrote about both bad management theories and destroying good practice, Weibel has worked over the past several years to both uncover and teach findings on fostering good leadership and, more broadly speaking, better societies as a result.

Performance Management is Broken

As Weibel makes clear, traditional performance management systems fall short of helping people flourish. These systems are mostly rooted in outdated industrial models that fail to accommodate the complexities of modern, knowledge-based work. Weibel argues that traditional performance management often leads to negative outcomes such as reduced creativity, organizational citizenship, and overall performance. In other words, they destroy the very things they are supposedly in place to foster.

Positive Psychology Can Be Part of the Problem

Weibel also doesn’t shy away from critiquing the field of positive psychology despite her appreciation for its contributions. She points out that positive psychology, when misapplied in organizational contexts, can sometimes reinforce neoliberal ideals. This can lead to practices that focus on making employees happier solely to increase productivity rather than genuinely fostering their well-being.

The metaphor “happy cows produce more milk” illustrates how positive psychology (and humanistic psychology before it) can be misused to exploit workers under the guise of promoting well-being. Weibel emphasizes the need for a more holistic approach that considers systemic changes and ethical implications rather than merely applying positive psychology techniques to boost performance.

The Need for a Paradigm Shift

Weibel says that we need to shift away from a neoliberal paradigm, which prioritizes profit maximization and competition, to a more human-centric approach. This new paradigm, inspired by virtue ethics and more humanistic ideals, emphasizes freedom to be and become rather than merely freedom to have. It calls for organizations to redefine their purpose and contribute to social value, not just shareholder value.

The Global Flourishing Manifesto

For all of these reasons and more, Weibel has been working on The Global Flourishing Manifesto. This manifesto, co-created with her colleague Otti Vogt and a global coalition of HR and business professionals, outlines a vision for reimagining performance management. It is built on four core beliefs:

1. Growing Better Together: Emphasizing collaboration and mutual development over individual competition and forced rankings.

2. Freedom to Be or Become: Advocating for environments where employees can fully realize their potential.

3. Purpose and Social Value: Prioritizing organizational goals that contribute to societal well-being over mere profit maximization.

4. System Change Over Individual Appraisal: Recognizing the importance of systemic changes to foster flourishing rather than focusing solely on individual performance metrics.

Practical Wisdom and Ethical Leadership

The conversation also touches on the importance of practical wisdom, a concept rooted in Aristotelian ethics. Weibel highlights the need for organizations to cultivate environments where ethical decision-making and practical wisdom are embedded in everyday practices. This involves creating structures and processes that support co-creation, collective growth, and ethical behavior.

Final Thoughts

Weibel aims to spearhead several more initiatives to advance the manifesto. She believes the path forward is through conversation, experimentation, and learning. Two initiatives she’s already started, Leaders for Humanity and Business for Humanity, both look at creating a better system by talking to current thought leaders in this space to answer questions like: Can we reinvent capitalism? Can we heal capitalism from inside? Do we have to change our economic system? Visit Good Leadership Society to learn more and be part of the conversation.

When Work Becomes a Moral Imperative: Lessons from Mijeong Kwon

Mijeong Kwon, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Management at the University of Colorado Denver Business School. Her research focuses on the social dynamics of work motivation, particularly how people communicate and judge motivations for work.

Dr. Kwon's recent findings suggest that those who love their work often see this intrinsic motivation as a moral virtue while viewing working for money or recognition as less moral. She explores how this moralization of motivation can alienate colleagues and hinder the recognition of diverse work motivations.

The Moralization of Intrinsic Motivation

Kwon introduces the concept of the moralization of intrinsic motivation and explains that it involves attaching positive values to intrinsic motivation.

Intrinsic motivation refers to engaging in work because it is inherently enjoyable or satisfying. When individuals moralize intrinsic motivation, they begin to view it as the "right" reason to work, while other motivations, such as financial gain or fame, may be seen as less virtuous or even wrong.

Positive and Negative Outcomes of Moralizing Intrinsic Motivation

Kwon's research highlights both the positive and negative consequences of moralizing intrinsic motivation. On the positive side, individuals who moralize intrinsic motivation are more likely to possess and cultivate it in others, leading to increased intrinsic motivation within an organization. This can result in higher levels of engagement, satisfaction, and overall performance among employees.

However, there are also significant negative outcomes. For instance, individuals who moralize intrinsic motivation may experience guilt if they struggle to maintain their intrinsic motivation. This can lead to unnecessary stress and self-doubt, even if they are performing well at their jobs. Additionally, moralizing intrinsic motivation can cause individuals to neglect less interesting but essential tasks, potentially leading to self-exploitation and burnout.

Cultural Differences in Intrinsic Motivation

Kwon's research also explores cultural differences in intrinsic motivation.

She observes that people in the United States generally report high levels of intrinsic motivation, while it is lower in East Asia. Interestingly, intrinsic motivation levels in Latin America are even higher than in the United States. This suggests that the phenomenon of moralizing intrinsic motivation is not limited to one specific culture but may be prevalent in various regions around the world.

Implications for Managers and Leaders

Based on her findings, Kwon offers several recommendations for managers and leaders.

Firstly, she advises acknowledging and validating different reasons why employees work. Leaders should share personal stories that highlight the various benefits of their job, such as flexibility, to validate diverse motivations.

Secondly, Kwon suggests creating an environment that sustains and cultivates intrinsic motivation rather than emphasizing it directly. This can be achieved by providing low-risk learning opportunities and practicing transformative leadership to inspire employees.

Lastly, she emphasizes the importance of having clear guidelines for performance appraisal to avoid subjective value judgments. This helps ensure that employees are not left guessing about how they will be evaluated or feeling pressured to work excessive hours to demonstrate their passion.

The Role of Purpose in Organizations

Soren and Kwon discuss the increasing emphasis on purpose in organizations, particularly through initiatives such as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) priorities, and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

While these efforts are generally seen as positive, Kwon cautions that they can also lead to the moralization of intrinsic motivation, which may have unintended negative consequences.

Kwon notes that in nonprofit organizations, where employees are often intrinsically motivated and paid less, there is a higher likelihood of moralizing intrinsic motivation. This can result in difficulties finding equally passionate colleagues and may lead to feelings of frustration and isolation among employees.

Diversity of Motivations in the Workplace

One key takeaway from the conversation is the importance of recognizing and valuing a diversity of motivations in the workplace. Soren and Kwon agree that having employees with different motivations, including those driven by utilitarian reasons, can create a stronger and more balanced team. Such diversity can help maintain boundaries and ensure employees do not become overly consumed by their work.

Kwon also mentions that organizations that emphasize both financial success and broader social goals tend to attract more employees. When employees know that the profits of a company will directly benefit them or other stakeholders, they are more likely to feel a sense of reciprocity and be motivated to contribute to the organization's success.

Final Thoughts

While intrinsic motivation can lead to greater engagement and satisfaction, moralizing it can negatively affect individuals and organizations. Managers and leaders should strive to create an inclusive work environment that acknowledges and values diverse motivations while providing clear performance guidelines and fostering a sense of purpose that benefits all stakeholders.

References

For more information on the topics discussed in this podcast episode, you can visit the following links:

• Mijeong Kwon's Personal Website

• University of Colorado Denver Business School

• Connect with Mijeong Kwon on LinkedIn

Work, Well-Being, and Community in Māori Tradition: Lessons from Ella Henry

In this episode of Meaningful Work Matters, Andrew Soren spoke with Ella Henry, a professor of entrepreneurship at Auckland University of Technology.

Henry has primarily focused her research, teaching, and advocacy on Māori media and business development. She has used her own heritage to better understand meaningful work through the ideas of calling and vocation.

Māori Culture and Meaningful Work

According to Henry, the Māori tend to use different language when discussing their work. In a traditional society, the elders would have assessed the skills of the young people in the tribe and raised them to train toward a specific calling. Even though that is not generally the way that society works anymore, the Māori still try to do work that is not just meaningful for themselves, but for their people.

Henry reflects on learning value from her father, who had a heart attack when she was young and was unable to continue working on the factory floor. Her father instead began working at the coffee cart at the factory, though his job change was somewhat embarrassing for Henry. She says her father reminded her that it’s a privilege to be able to choose one’s career, and that his meaning came from his energy and vitality, not the service he was performing.

Whare Tapa Whā

Henry draws on Sir Mason Durie's model of "whare tapa whā" to inform her perspective on wellbeing. The concept describes health as a holistic balance across physical, emotional, spiritual, and family dimensions. Henry stresses the interconnectedness of these aspects and their role in achieving fulfillment and purpose.

The Māori people believe that one’s strengths, community, and environment all play a part in guiding their path — meaning that one’s calling is not just connected to the work that they do.

Henry critiques Western individualism and capitalist structures, advocating for a return to communal values and relational leadership models rooted in indigenous traditions.

Looking Beyond Financial Wealth

Western culture links one’s work to their wealth. However, Henry points out how indigenous perspectives believe in various forms of capital beyond financial wealth.She explores social capital, cultural capital, and spiritual capital, highlighting their importance in fostering wellbeing and resilience within indigenous communities.

Henry also believes that shifting one’s attention away from financial wealth is the way to make the human race a “truly sustainable, connected species.” She stresses the importance of shifting focus from individualism to community-centered approaches, emphasizing the benefits of synergy and collective well-being.

“To be able to be part of a community that has that sense that it doesn't matter if you're the bus driver, or the mayor, or the property developer, because you're all doing these things for the same reason, which is the betterment of the community… that's my hope for us as a species,” she says.

Avoiding Burnout In Meaningful Work

The more aligned someone’s values are with their work, the more meaning they are likely to find from it. However, as someone becomes more connected to their work, they also put their boundaries around work at risk. This can lead quickly to burnout, Henry warns.

Henry relates this line of thinking back to the Māori people who seek work that relates to their own experiences, especially those who are attracted to work in health or social service. They are attracted to it because they have their own backgrounds of trauma, Henry explains. While one’s own experiences can be an asset in this type of work, it can also quickly become detrimental.

Henry emphasizes the importance of strong community support and mentorship in navigating these challenges.

Final Thoughts

Henry has focused her work on “rebuilding the worldview” of the Māori people, acknowledging the amount of information and knowledge that indigenous people have lost due to settlers. Her work has not always been met with open arms, either. She highlights the challenges faced in reclaiming indigenous knowledge, including resistance from mainstream academia and shifting political landscapes.

Henry ends by discussing the idea of combining indigenous knowledge and thought processes with those of the settler perspective. While she remains committed to promoting Māori science and culture, she also sees a value in weaving together diverse perspectives to create a new, holistic worldview.

In order to do that, society must put resources into preserving indigenous cultures and their world views.

Designing Meaningful Experiences at Work: Lessons with Mat Duerden

In this episode of Meaningful Work Matters, Andrew Soren spoke with Mat Duerden, a professor of experience, design and management in the Marriott School of Business at Brigham Young University.

Duerden’s work in both research and teaching focuses on making experiences more impactful, particularly infusing meaning through designed experiences. He is passionate about finding meaning in every facet of life and designing experiences to help individuals do so.

Experience Design

Most moments, according to Duerden, will be ordinary and will likely be fleeting. This is because most of our day is defined by a continuous stream of consciousness, allowing the brain to operate efficiently without conscious effort.

Experience design is all about creating extraordinary experiences, which Duerden says generally fall into one or more of these categories: memorable, meaningful, and transformative. Each extraordinary experience involves  varying degrees of emotional response, personal insight, and behavioral change.

Memorable experiences are triggered by emotional reactions that prompt the brain to acknowledge the moment and imprint it for future recollection. Meaningful experiences involve emotional reactions leading to personal insights or reflections that alter one's perception of themselves or the world. Transformative experiences go a step further, encompassing emotional reactions, personal insights, and significant changes in behavior or outlook.

Duerden also highlights the temporal aspect of experiences, noting that the impact of an experience may not be immediately apparent but can evolve over time through reflection

Duerden highlights that experience design finds much of its inspiration from the theater, particularly the idea of staging concepts to elicit a specific feeling or outcome. He draws parallels between theater terminology and experience design, mentioning concepts like staging experiences, audience versus actor participation, and front stage versus backstage contributors.

Duerden’s ongoing research focuses on designing experiences that create intentional flows of ordinary and extraordinary moments. This intentional orchestration aims to optimize attention and engagement, ultimately shaping individuals' perceptions and behaviors.

Brilliant at the Basics

Duerden breaks down the types of extraordinary experiences even further, providing details about what these would look like within the context of a work environment. He introduces the concept of experience maps, also known as journey or touchpoint maps, as a powerful tool for experience design.

These maps break down experiences into individual touchpoints, highlighting significant shifts in attention or experience. In a workday, these touchpoints would include everything from the commute to work to interactions with coworkers to actual tasks. Identifying the reactions one has to each of these touchpoints can understand why they are having the experience that they are during their workday.

In a work environment, Duerden says it is important to understand employees' daily experiences and suggests collaborative efforts to map out current experiences to identify areas for improvement.

But, before trying to create an extraordinary experience, Duerden says that a manager must become adept at the basics of the employee experience, underscoring the need for empathy and attention to detail in experience design.

Duerden also introduces the concept of experiential competencies in the workplace, such as storytelling and reflection, as essential skills for deriving meaning from experiences. He suggests that organizations can promote reflection through intentional nudges and help employees develop competencies to unpack and derive meaning from their experiences effectively.

Meaning is Learning

Duerden explains that meaning is inherently connected to learning, as meaningful experiences involve a connection with one's identity or worldview that either reinforces or challenges existing beliefs or values. He draws from philosophical perspectives, discussing the oscillation between existential anxiety and authenticity in life and how designing experiences can offer opportunities for individuals to confront or resolve these states.

In a work environment, Duerden encourages managers to move beyond mere compliance, where employees perform tasks due to external rewards or threats, and lean towards intrinsic motivation driven by a deeper sense of meaning.

Co-Creation of Work Experiences

Duerden also reflects on the co-creation of experiences, emphasizing the importance of human-centered design and collaborative problem-solving in creating meaningful work experiences. Managers should be focused on increasing employee voice and sense of control within organizations for enhancing well-being.

He suggests that co-creation of the work experience itself is a powerful way to achieve this, as it fosters autonomy, competence, and relatedness among employees. Duerden advocates for a needs-based approach to experience design, suggesting that organizations should engage in ongoing conversations with employees to better understand their unique perspectives and preferences.

For Duerden, there are many parallels between storytelling and experience design, because of the importance of grounding stories in compelling needs for effective communication and problem-solving.

Overall, experience design hinges on the idea of humanity, as it requires the understanding of individual needs and the value of curiosity in driving meaningful experiences.

More Resources on Experience Design

For those looking to learn more about experience design, Duerden suggests his book Designing Experiences, along with other texts like Idea Flow and The Power of Moments.

Why Character is Contagious: Lessons from Gerard Seijts and Kim Milani

In this episode of Meaningful Work Matters, Andrew Soren spoke with Gerard Seijts and Kimberley Young Milani, professors in the Ivey Business School at Western University, Canada.

Kimberley Young Milani directs the Ian O. Ihnatowycz Institute for Leadership. Previously, she led The Circle Women’s Centre at Brescia University College and co-founded its Institute for Women in Leadership. She contributes to practitioner articles on leadership and also speaks and conducts workshops on character and women’s leadership in Canada and the US.

Gerard Seijts is a professor at Ivey Business School and specializes in organizational behavior. He also served as the first head of the Ian O. Ihnatowycz Institute for Leadership. Seijts is known for his books on leadership, which are published widely in top management journals, and has led executive education programs globally for various sectors.

Exploring the Significance of Character in Leadership

Seijts and Milani discuss the significance of character in leadership and its connection to meaningful work. They delve into the origins of their research on character, its dimensions, and its impact on organizational dynamics and individual fulfillment. This essay will analyze their insights and arguments, highlighting the importance of character in leadership and its implications for fostering meaningful work environments.

Character, as defined by Seijts and Milani, encompasses a set of behavioral patterns or virtues that contribute to individual and societal well-being. Drawing from Aristotle as well as Chris Peterson and Martin Seligman’s work on Character Strengths and Virtues, Seijts and Milani identify eleven dimensions of character, including accountability, courage, integrity, and justice. These dimensions form the foundation of effective leadership, influencing decision-making and organizational culture.

Character and Decision-Making

At the core of leadership lies judgment, shaped by one's character. Competencies may define what a leader can do, but character determines their actions. Leaders with strong character exhibit consistent and sound judgment, leading to performance excellence within organizations. Moreover, character influences decision-making at all levels of an organization, fostering a culture of integrity, fairness, and accountability.

Character in the Workplace

Everyone brings their unique character to the workplace, influencing organizational dynamics and culture. While competencies are often emphasized in hiring processes, character plays a crucial role in determining long-term success and organizational health. Leaders who prioritize character contribute to enlivening organizational purpose, cultivating a positive work culture, and promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion.

The relationship between character and meaningful work is profound. Character traits such as humility, compassion, and collaboration contribute to a sense of purpose and fulfillment in individuals. By fostering an environment where character is valued, leaders enable employees to find meaning in their work beyond task completion. This alignment between character and meaningful work enhances employee engagement, satisfaction, and well-being.

Returning to Peterson and Seligman and their work on the VIA Inventory of Character Strengths and Virtues, Seijts acknowledges the foundational importance of this but also emphasizes that VIA is geared towards the general population. He discusses the challenge of translating this language into actionable insights for executive audiences, underscoring the need to expand upon existing frameworks to align with the context and priorities of businesses and leaders.

Character Is Unique

Each person has their own signature character traits. As Milani points out, understanding one’s character requires a level of deliberate reflection and introspection across the entirety of one’s life. Milani also highlights the role of feedback from peers and mentors in gaining insight into one's character strengths and areas for growth.

When it comes to the workplace, fostering balanced leadership requires each individual to understand their character deep enough to create a holistic team. Seijts illustrates how character virtues complement each other, preventing the pitfalls of excessive or deficient behaviors.

The Potential of Character

Fostering balanced leadership with self-awareness can have a ripple effect throughout an organization. An individual's character can influence the experience of meaningful work for them and those around them, impacting morale and productivity.

Prioritizing character development is the only way to unleash its transformative power. Organizations should view character development as fundamental to leadership training and organizational culture. Seijts emphasizes how cultivating character virtues can lead to personal growth, enhanced well-being, and organizational success.

Final Thoughts

Seijts and Milani provide a comprehensive exploration of character in leadership, emphasizing its importance, development, and practical application in fostering meaningful work and organizational success.

By prioritizing character development and fostering a culture that values integrity, empathy, and collaboration, organizations can create environments where individuals thrive, decisions are guided by sound judgment, and meaningful work becomes a shared reality for all stakeholders.

For Further Exploration…

• Leader Character Framework

• The Effective Leader Framework (3 Cs)

• “Character: What Contemporary Leaders Can Teach Us about Building a More Just, Prosperous, and Sustainable Future”

Mapping Meaningful Work: Lessons from Marjolein Lips-Wiersma

In this episode of Meaningful Work Matters, Andrew sat down with Marjo Lips-Wiersma, New Zealand-based academic whose work centers on ethics, meaningful work, and sustainability.

Currently a full Professor of Ethics and Sustainability at the Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand, Lips-Wiersma has studied the intersection of meaningful work, hope, and sustainability for decades. She is also the co-director of Map of Meaning International, a non-profit organization and global community dedicated to deepening the understanding of meaning.

Meaning in the Workplace

Lips-Wiersma delineates four primary dimensions of meaning in the workplace, each encompassing a diverse array of experiences and needs. These dimensions include:

• Contribution to others

• Expression of personal potential

• Cultivation of quality relationships

• Integrity or authenticity

All of these intersect and influence individuals' perceptions of meaning within their professional lives.

Meaningful work is difficult to discuss in workplace settings despite how much the two overlap.

Lips-Wiersma identifies several reasons why discussing meaningful work is challenging, including the discomfort of uncertainty, the pressure to have definitive answers, and the perception that meaningful work discussions lack boundaries.

However, Lips-Wiersma also suggests that the uncertainty inherent in exploring meaning conflicts with workplace norms that prioritize certainty and productivity. She argues that ignoring discussions of meaning overlooks a fundamental aspect of human experience and perpetuates a narrow understanding of work.

Handling Workplace Complaints

Workplace complaints are often a catalyst for deeper discussions about how employees are interacting with their environment. Leadership should always pay attention to these grievances, as they indicate a misalignment between organizational values and individual integrity, prompting individuals to seek resolution and alignment with their personal sense of purpose.

Lips-Wiersma advocates for a proactive and constructive approach to addressing complaints, emphasizing the importance of listening to employees' concerns and collaboratively identifying solutions. She suggests reframing complaints as opportunities for meaningful dialogue and problem-solving rather than viewing them solely as negative feedback. She also underscores the significance of ongoing engagement and dialogue within organizations to cultivate a culture of openness, trust, and accountability.

Implications For Organizational Success

The workplace is full of opportunities for meaningful growth and collaboration, but often, there is also a tension between ambitious organizational goals and the pragmatic realities of day-to-day operations.

Lips-Wiersma expands on this idea by using examples from sustainability-focused companies like Interface Carpet, illustrating how organizations can articulate bold visions while implementing practical steps toward achieving them.

She emphasizes the need for meaningful action aligned with organizational values, highlighting the role of leadership in fostering a sense of purpose and direction among employees. Furthermore, Lips-Wiersma encourages leadership to ensure that discussions about meaning in the workplace are grounded in both inspiration and reality, highlighting the interconnectedness of hope and pragmatism in shaping an individual’s sense of purpose and fulfillment at work.

Map of Meaning

The Map of Meaning

The "map of meaning” is a tool co-created by Lips-Wiersma to help organizations talk about and create meaningful work.

In short, the tool is used to externalize and visualize the diverse dimensions of meaning within organizations. It serves as a shared framework for individuals and teams to articulate their personal beliefs, values, and goals collectively. Unlike a management tool or a predefined template, the map of meaning does not dictate what is meaningful but rather facilitates self-expression and reflection.

Individuals are encouraged to fill in the map with their own words and experiences, allowing for personalization and authenticity. By placing the map in a visible location within the organization, such as on walls, individuals are prompted to engage in conversations about meaning, thereby fostering a culture of openness and dialogue.

The map of meaning helps individuals recognize commonalities and differences in their interpretations of meaning, promoting understanding and empathy among team members. It also allows for identifying imbalances in how time and resources are allocated, highlighting areas where meaning may be lacking or in excess.

Final Thoughts

Managing meaningful work can be complicated, especially because it often extends beyond individual fulfillment to encompass broader societal and environmental goals. Sometimes, this means that the pursuit of meaningful work may be at odds with the company's more basic operational goals.

However, when those two processes are integrated successfully, the result can be transformative for both the individual and the company. Using the map of meaning, anyone can create discussions around meaningful work for themselves and others.

Lips-Wiersma also points out the success of the map of meaning throughout many different organizations, not just traditional companies. The tool has been used in prisons, community gardens, schools, charities, and more. Learning to ask the questions presented within the map of meaning will provide value to any person or organization willing to use them.

Discovering Your Calling: Lessons from Jeffery Thompson

In this episode of Meaningful Work Matters, Andrew Soren spoke with Jeff Thompson, Director of the Sorensen Center for Moral and Ethical Leadership at BYU, where he has also been a professor for over 20 years. Jeff’s calling in life is to assist people in discovering and pursuing their own sense of calling, and his work focuses on meaningful work, particularly in health care.

Thompson has spent his career researching how individuals discover a sense of calling in their work, which he came to through his work helping to make physicians feel valued at work, as well as understanding why medical professionals struggle to work for corporate entities. Ultimately, he is passionate about ensuring that organizations feel safe and that people can express their values at work.

Discovering a Calling

Thompson offers a nuanced definition of a calling, describing it as the intersection of one's natural talents, passions, and a sense of purpose that beckons them. He emphasizes the importance of passion, purpose, and place in defining a calling, drawing parallels to eudaimonic theories of meaningful work.

The idea of a calling can be traced throughout history, finding its roots with Martin Luther in the Protestant Reformation. Prior to Luther's time, work was often viewed as mundane or even burdensome, but Luther introduced the notion that work could be a noble endeavor, a partnership with God to bless humanity. This transformed the perception of work, imbuing it with a sense of purpose and dignity. The term "calling" emerged from this religious context but has since become secularized, with individuals from diverse backgrounds seeking meaningful work experiences.

There are some contemporary challenges with the idea of a calling, as Thompson explains, noting that while there is a widespread desire for meaningful work, there is often ambiguity about who or what is doing the calling. This ambiguity may lead to a sense of entitlement to a fulfilling career without a clear understanding of its origins or implications.

The Popularity of Meaningful Work

In recent years, Thompson says, there has been a surge in interest in meaningful work and finding a calling, especially among students. Thompson explains that, as an educator, he has observed a shift in  students' aspirations towards finding meaningful work. He notes a growing desire among individuals to feel valued and make a meaningful contribution, reflecting an inherent human urge to matter in society.

Transcendent Calling

Thompson also explores the idea of a "transcendent calling," as discussed in a recent article he co-authored with Stuart Bunderson.

Drawing inspiration from Abraham Maslow's theory of self-transcendence, the idea proposes that a transcendent calling occurs when an individual's inner passion aligns with an external purpose or societal need. This alignment represents the pinnacle of motivation and fulfillment, bridging personal fulfillment with broader societal contribution.

Thompson’s own studies reflect this theory, particularly one on zookeepers, which challenged stereotypes about their profession. Despite low pay and challenging working conditions, zookeepers expressed a profound sense of calling and dedication to their work. This dedication stemmed from their passion for animals and their belief in the importance of their role in conservation efforts.

Exploitation in the Workplace

Through this research, Thompson also discovered the idea of “commitment camouflaging”, where employees hide their dedication to avoid exploitation by management.

Thompson says that many people will find value in their work, despite challenging circumstances. Even the jobs that seem the most menial can be imbued with purpose and meaning.

Teachers are among those professionals who often face significant exploitation in the workplace, but many remain committed to their calling due to the importance of their work. According to Thompson, individuals may be able to mitigate the negative effects of such exploitation if they feel a profound sense of calling.

Leadership and a Sense of Calling

Thompson emphasizes the concept of dignity, which highlights the infinite worth of individuals and the importance of recognizing their contributions, especially in the workplace. He suggests that leaders should remain aware of their employees’ desire to find a calling, and they should view that quest as noble.

Therefore, they should strive to honor, reward, and respect that endeavor accordingly for all employees.

Thompson provides a number of ways to put this into practice, including expressing gratitude, offering opportunities for initiative and growth, and fostering a sense of community among like-minded individuals.

Final Thoughts

All employees should feel that their work is respected and their desire for a greater purpose is understood. For anyone who feels their calling is not recognized, Thompson advises seeking support from peers.

He also urges every person to understand that there are risks to the search for a calling, as leaning too far into that desire can cause a severe moral burden that is hard to emerge from.

Meaning is inherently existential in nature and, therefore, it can be difficult to find. It is likely an ongoing quest that will last a lifetime.

Building a "We Culture": Lessons from Dr. Isaac Prilleltensky

In this episode of Meaningful Work Matters, Andrew Soren spoke with Dr. Isaac Prilleltensky, Mautner Endowed Chair in Community Well-Being and Professor of Educational and Psychological Studies at the University of Miami.

Prilleltensky has led work climate as a dean and vice provost for institutional culture, and his research explores, in part, the topic of mattering.

Meaning vs. Mattering

According to Prilleltensky, there are two key components to mattering: feeling valued and adding value. Feeling valued involves being seen, recognized, respected, and appreciated, while adding value entails contributing to oneself, the workplace, family, or the community.

He aligns his beliefs with the Quest for Significance theory proposed by social psychologist Ira Kurzban, which suggests that many of our actions are driven by a desire for significance and mattering. In that vein, Prilleltensky explains that meaning is essentially a belief, behavior, or commitment in service of mattering. Meaningful activities, such as contributing to a social cause or personal development, provide individuals with a sense of significance and purpose, fostering engagement and a feeling of being alive.

Can Mattering Prevent Burnout?

In short, yes. Prilleltensky highlights Julie Haizlip’s research, which indicates that people often enter fields with high burnout rates, like teaching or nursing, due to their meaningful nature. However, they stay only if they feel valued and can add value. In fact, neglect and devaluation are primary reasons for burnout and turnover in various professions.

Prilleltensky also touches on some practical ways to make employees actually feel valued. He delineates between “me cultures” and “we cultures” within organizations, contrasting focus on individual advancement and happiness in "me cultures" with the collective responsibility and sense of belonging in "we cultures."

It is important to recognize and value the contributions of all employees, promoting a culture where everyone feels they have the opportunity to add something to the organization. This will make employees feel valued and prevent burnout.

Me Culture vs. We Culture

Prilleltensky points out that most people view work as a vehicle for their own advancement, paying little attention to others. That is defined as a “me culture,” driven by a more self-serving approach to the workplace. One is concerned about their own desire to feel valued, but they have little concern about whether anyone else does.

In a “we culture,” Prilleltensky says that one believes we all have the right to feel valued and appreciated. That puts everyone responsible for looking out for and caring for each other. That means not only looking for ways to feel valued but also looking for ways to add value to someone else’s work experience.

When he was Vice Provost at the University of Miami, Prilleltensky says there were faculty councils but no opportunity for staff to come together. So, he created a staff council. They met monthly to discuss any concerns and ensure they felt they were cared for. He also ran workshops where he would ask faculty and staff from across the university to explain how they add value. It allowed them to speak highly of themselves and feel responsible for something greater.

“Give them a chance to speak. Give them a chance to shine. As the asker, you will be rewarded tenfold by the recognition you will get for giving recognition to other people,” he says.

Fairness and Wellbeing

Prilleltensky believes "there's no wellness without fairness.” He explains that justice, experienced as fairness and respect, is crucial for well-being. It influences how individuals feel valued and add value in their personal and professional lives.

Justice profoundly impacts psychological experiences and well-being, suggesting that fostering fairness is essential for promoting individual and societal wellness.

From a practical standpoint, Prilleltensky suggests values clarification exercises, recognition programs, and creating platforms for staff to voice their concerns and contributions. These can have a transformative impact of shifting from a focus on individual happiness to collective well-being and fairness in organizational culture.

Final Thoughts

Prilleltensky encourages everyone to think of one thing they can do when they return to work to feel like they matter and to help others feel like they matter.

He gives an example and emphasizes the impact that one can have by simply gifting one's ear to someone so they can feel seen and heard. He says to ask some open-ended, nonjudgmental questions. Be curious. Invest time in learning about one’s colleagues. All of this will help them feel appreciated, respected, and valued. In turn, it will make you feel rewarded.

Unlocking Gifts, Strengths, and Potential: Lessons from Dr. Evgenia Lysova

In this episode of Meaningful Work Matters, Andrew Soren spoke with Dr. Evgenia Lysova, the Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior at the Department of Management and Organization, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.

Lysova has spent more than a decade researching what makes employees feel their work is meaningful, how people can pursue meaningful careers, and how organizations can aid this process. Her most recent research focuses on the roles that Corporate Social Responsibility and the Future of Work play in the experience of meaningful work.

Meaningful Work, Defined

As Lysova points out, meaningful work can be described in many ways, but she prefers to view it through the lens of subjectivity - as something that anyone can find in their careers.

“So, it's about personal significance, it's about feeling worthwhile in what you're doing and also valued,” she explains.

Within meaningful work, Lysova also touches on the idea of a calling, which is a bit more controversial among scholars. She refers to it as an “extreme way” of looking at meaningfulness because it stems from the belief that an individual feels it is their destiny to do something specific. However, Lysova doesn’t believe this draws one toward a specific career. Instead, she believes a calling encourages someone to use their skills or gifts in a specific way, regardless of their field.

Meaningfulness in Work vs. Meaningfulness at Work

Although these two concepts may sound the same, Lysova points out an important distinction between them based on the research of scholars Michael Pratt and Blake Ashworth.

Essentially, meaningfulness in work arises from the actual role an individual is doing. Lysova uses nurses as an example because their job requires caring for others, which yields an important and meaningful result — saving a life.

Meaningfulness at work is based on the sense of satisfaction or belonging one feels at their job, regardless of the job they are doing. For example, Lysova says one’s company could have some extraordinary social responsibilities that help someone feel they belong at the organization.

Lysova suggests an individual should search for both to find a more holistic version of meaningfulness.

Gifts vs. Strengths

Lysova distinguishes between gifts and strengths, particularly regarding meaningful work and relationships in organizations. She describes gifts as innate qualities individuals are born with or discover over time, while strengths are developed through experience.

This is one area where organizations play a key role in helping individuals find meaning at work. According to Lysova, in order for employees to contribute their gifts and strengths effectively, they need to feel valued and safe at work.

The Framework for Meaningful Work

Lysova’s work has developed a comprehensive framework encompassing various levels of analysis, ranging from individual characteristics to societal influences, to provide a holistic understanding of what constitutes meaningful work.

Individual characteristics - Lysova explains that personal characteristics such as values, beliefs, and needs shape a person’s perception of meaningful work. Not everyone will experience meaning in the same ways, and we need to start here to find the right person-work fit.

Work environments - An individual does not exist in a bubble at work, and therefore, their personal characteristics will always exist within the context of the work environment. This includes job-related factors, such as autonomy and job design, and organizational elements, such as leadership style and organizational culture.

While individuals are ultimately responsible for finding meaning in their work, Lysova says that organizations bear the duty of ensuring a supportive and ethical work environment that is conducive to meaningful experiences.

AI and the Future of Work

As the way humans work changes rapidly with the introduction of new technology, especially artificial intelligence, Lysova expects this will significantly impact social connections within organizations.

As the work landscape changes, Lysova highlights the importance of self-awareness, explaining that individuals should be cognizant of both internal and external factors that contribute to meaningful work experiences. Mindfulness practices and reflective dialogues are helpful means to enhance awareness and foster meaningfulness despite technological advancements.

Final Thoughts

Believe it or not, there is such a thing as looking for too much meaning, Lysova says. Excessive emphasis on finding meaning may lead to adverse effects, which Lysova says organizations must cultivate supportive environments where individuals feel comfortable sharing their experiences without fear of judgment. She also emphasizes the importance of openness and collaboration in creating a conducive environment for meaningfulness, where individuals can share diverse experiences and perspectives.

Lysova says she is still pondering ways to sustain meaningfulness at work over time. While awareness is a key component, she continues her research to uncover more about this topic. As research from Katie Bailey describes, Lysova also agrees there is a temporal aspect to meaningfulness, which can change over time through one’s life and career.

She stresses that sustaining meaningfulness may not necessarily mean consistently high levels but finding ways to navigate fluctuations and return to a satisfactory level.

Work-Family Interface: Lessons from Joe Grzywacz

In this episode of Meaningful Work Matters, Andrew Soren spoke with Joe Grzywacz, the Associate Dean of Research and Faculty Development at San Jose State University in the College of Health and Sciences. His research expertise lies at the intersection of work and family life and their profound impact on health and well-being.

Grzywacz recognized early in his career that work can be a challenge to push through, but at other times, it can be a place to flourish and do well. The key difference is how work is designed and positioned to achieve the latter.

Midlife in the United States (MIDUS)

Grzywacz has been deeply involved in a landmark research project called Midlife Development in the U.S. (MIDUS). Since it started in 1995, this national longitudinal study of health and wellbeing has aimed to understand successful aging. MIDUS is unique because it measures social, biological, economic, and psychological factors across disciplines. Today, it is one of the largest studies of its kind, funded by the National Institute on Health.

Grzywacz oversees all areas related to the topic of work within the study - a critical factor for understanding health and well-being, given that the average person spends more time at work than just about anywhere else across the lifespan.

The Design of Work

There are different ways to think about the design of work. The National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety, for example, looks at job characteristics, which, boiled down, include buckets like:

• What are the opportunities workers have on the job to exercise control or decision-making regarding their work?

• How much external pressure or demand is put on workers?

• Is what I am doing meaningful, or does what I am doing matter in a lasting way?

• Am I treated fairly and equitably?

Grzywacz notes that these job characteristics are often very different for black and brown individuals, for younger workers compared to older workers, for men compared to women, etc. The job market is segregated in many ways that tend to benefit some people and not others.

The Impact on Psychological Well-Being

Based on about 40+ years of research, there are substantial consequences when these fundamental characteristics are unmet. These characteristics are tied to a concept called cognitive reserve. If you think of your mind as a muscle, the more you use it, the longer it will stay robust and healthy.

Likewise, many of these job characteristics are linked to how well your cognitive functioning holds up later in life and how physical health plays out in the face of chronic disease.

To Grzywacz, it’s crystal clear that work underlies our health and well-being, even if it takes a bit to catch up to us.

The Work-Family Interface

The work-family interface is all about how our jobs and families intersect. Grzywacz highlights that the two influence each other in various ways - sometimes good, sometimes bad.

On the one hand, we are caretakers and loved ones within a family structure, and on the other, we are operating in an economy that likely requires us also to be a worker. We are often splitting our time to satisfy both roles.

Finding a balance between these two important roles can be a challenge for all of us at one point or another. However, as Grzywacz explains, the synergy between work and life can also be enriching. In the Western world, this works very well. For example, for those who earn a living wage, or even a climbing wage, that’s a form of work-family enrichment because our work life ends up benefitting our family life.

Those with a synergistic or enriching work and family life have higher levels of well-being - and that is associated with less chronic conditions and lower stress levels, etc. A positive work-life interface benefits individuals, their families, organizations, and society.

Cross-Cultural Differences

According to Grzywacz, the research shows that job characteristics are relatively universal across cultural contexts.

By contrast, there are distinctive cultural differences when combining work and family. In the US, we’ve lived a ‘segmented reality’ throughout the industrial area. This means we spend 8 hours a day at work, then come home and attend to home life. In the US, work tends to be viewed as a different space than our family life.

The US is relatively unique in this separation. Other parts of the world see work and family as more integrated. For example, one might say they work for their family, and their commitment to their family is reflected in their work.

The Research on Alienation

Another area of Grzywacz’s research is alienation. This refers to when a worker is separated or alienated from the more significant impact, meaning, or context of their work AND the other individuals who are part of the final product.

The evidence tells us that alienated work is linked to a variety of mental health including depression. We have only recently connected this concept to the biology of successful aging. People with higher levels of alienated work show more wear and tear on their bodies at an organ and tissue level than those who experience less alienation at work.

Final Thoughts

In wrapping up, Grzywacz offers a reflection on pursuing meaningful work. He urges listeners to consider the balance between seeking meaning in work and finding contentment with what they have. He posits that while meaningful work is important, the constant chase for the 'perfect' job can lead to dissatisfaction and overlook the value of other life domains.

For further exploration:

• Mid-Life in the United States - link

Humans First, Workers Second: Lessons from Sara Steffens

This Meaningful Work Matters episode features Sara Steffens, Director of the Worker Power Coalition. Steffens is a longtime unionist who has built her life and career around employee activism. She organized her ‘home union,’ Communications Worker of America, in 2008 and has continued to advocate for worker’s rights, decency, and dignity.

All Work Has Dignity

In the context of labor relations, Steffens believes every job is meaningful and important, and all work has dignity. However, not every workplace treats its workers as though their jobs are important and meaningful.

She points out a common disconnect between workers who care deeply about what they do and employers who do not ‘match’ this commitment with decency. A decent workplace, according to the UN’s International Labour Organization, fosters freedom, equity, security, and dignity at work.

Steffens feels this complicated divide is often what unions attempt to bridge through organizing.

Meaningfulness In The Absence of Decency

Should we even talk about meaning if we don’t have decency?

Steffens urges us to remember that most people still care about their work and integrity, even when decency is absent. When there is a high level of decency, meaningfulness may be what work adds to your life, such as role modeling for your children, a connection to the community, or flexibility in caring for a parent or partner.

However, Steffens adds that workers will struggle when there is meaningfulness but not decency because work affects us as humans. In this way, decency must be in place.

When Meaningfulness is Exploitative

There are countless positives to meaningful work: higher commitment, better performance, corporate citizenship, higher retention, less absenteeism, more creativity, and others.

We also know there is a dark side. When there is a high moral stake in one’s work, our passion for work can become an obsession, and the boundaries between work and life disappear. Organizations. In these contexts, employees are prepared to work harder and will do so for less because the work in and of itself is so important. Deliberately or not, organizations have been shown to turn this passion into exploitation.

Steffens reflects on her experience as a former journalist, her passion for her work, and how she felt exploited based on her commitment. This ultimately led her to organize her workplace, which has been the story for many other unions.

Enabling Conditions For Meaningful Work

Unions are often skeptical of consulting firms (like Eudaimonic by Design) that offer well-being and resilience programming. When not positioned correctly - telling an employee that it’s their responsibility to maintain their well-being or resilience in the face of workplace challenges can be tantamount to gaslighting or blaming employees for their own burnout.

Steffens emphasizes that for these types of well-being initiatives to be successful, there should be a baseline level of decency and respect toward workers. These programs can and should extend the employer’s commitment to caring for its workforce.

A ‘Both And’ Situation

The boom of mindfulness and well-being apps being leveraged by employers may be an opportunity to question why we may need these tools at work. While personal resources are essential, employees should also have enabling conditions so they don’t have to manage such things. It shouldn't be an ‘either-or’ but a ‘both and.’

Steffens says there are too many instances where workers are not initiating mindfulness or well-being measures. While these offerings are meaningful, if they are not what employees want or need, then how meaningful are they? Steffens feels this would be better received if workers organized (through a union, ERG, committee, etc.) and spoke to leadership about what they know would be helpful.

The Pandemic’s Impact on Well-Being

Steffens feels the pandemic was a clarifying moment for many workers. Particularly for those on the front lines, it was made clear that they were ‘just dollars and cents’, and this realization cannot be unseen.

There has been a fundamental shift in what people will ‘put up with for money’. Steffens doesn’t feel workers will ever go back to certain practices and that employers who’ve tried to return to the way things were are met with much more resistance.

Lastly, there’s a new acknowledgment of employees’ humanity. We’ve now seen our colleagues as real people managing a household - our ‘work-life’ and ‘personal life’ can coexist. Steffens feels this is a good thing for all of us, as ignoring our personhood at work was never helpful.

The Role of Policy and Meaningful Work

For Steffens, the most significant role of the US government in this context is to set standards for decency and dignity at work that our capitalist system will not. In the past, this looked like safety standards and child labor laws.

Today, it also includes the One Fair Wage movement and preventing harassment and discrimination. Steffens also touches on policies that legally protect workers' right to organize, form unions, collectively bargain, and strike if needed.

The Case for Employee Activism

Steffens reflects on her experience of organizing her workplace as a highly positive personal experience. She developed close relationships with her co-workers, adding meaning to her work, and referred to them as ‘like a family’.

Organized workplaces tend to band together and support each other meaningfully. Standing up for policy and integrating activism at work fosters a sense of purpose and collective commitment based on Steffens’s experience.

When union organizing works, it’s rooted in respecting people’s dignity. Every job is valuable, even for those who may not consider the work as particularly meaningful. We undervalue many jobs as a society, but they all contribute to our global connection as humans.

Further resources to explore:

• The Mindfulness Conspiracy by Ronald Purser, of The Guardian (2019)

• Learn more about One Fair Wage

People Over Perfection: Lessons from Steve Leventhal

This Meaningful Work Matters episode features Steve Leventhal, founder and CEO of WorldBeing. Leventhal shares his perspective on the role of meaningful work within a global social impact organization.

Before pursuing this work, Leventhal had survived a near-fatal car crash, which shifted his perspective on work and his purpose in life. He founded WorldBeing, which he runs alongside his wife, Kate Sachs Leventhal, to empower under-served adolescent youth, especially girls and young women, to help them unleash their inner potential and thrive despite adversity and conflict.

In 2019, Leventhal received the ‘Outstanding Practitioner Award’ at the 2019 World Congress of Positive Psychology for advancing positive psychology practices in ethical and evidence-based ways.

Operationalizing Organizational Values

Leventhal discusses WorldBeing's unique approach, which focuses on developing internal skills and empowering individuals from the inside out. Their programs aim to reimagine self-identity and build emotional intelligence, communication skills, goal-setting abilities, and more. This contrasts with traditional international development approaches that focus more on external infrastructure development.

Leventhal and his organization have built internal training programs that mirror those facilitated externally to foster a deeper connection between the beneficiaries of WorldBeing and its facilitators and ensure the authentic adoption of values within the organization.

The Dark Side of Meaningful Work

Leventhal shares that he has seen the ‘dark side’ of meaningful work due to the challenges and issues his organization aims to address, which are pervasive and devastating to witness. He notices a difference between people who can approach the work from a place of love versus anger. While the anger is justified, it’s an unsustainable resource. Love, connection, and empathy have a more inexhaustible energy to put towards the work. That’s where Leventhal feels the approach to meaningful work must remain intentional and mindful, or else it can easily ‘take you over’.

What The Research Says

There are numerous positives to engaging in deeply meaningful work from a retention, engagement, and performance perspective. However, when the work has a very high moral stake, there is a higher likelihood that people will ‘give it their all’. As Bob Vallerand would describe it, they can go into ‘obsessive passion’ mode. That effort can open them up to work harder and for less, leading to burnout, compassion fatigue, empathy overload, etc.

Carrie Oelberger, who has studied the dark side of meaningful work, particularly for those who work in international aid. The mediating factor that Oelberger uncovered is a concept called ‘boundary inhibition’. This is when meaningful work takes over one’s life and annihilates the boundaries between work and life. The exception is when there is a deep values alignment between the worker and their closest personal relationships. In some ways, the values alignment can make the work even more meaningful and enjoyable.

Leventhal leads WorldBeing alongside his wife, and expresses immense gratitude and appreciation for participating in this work with his partner. The research rings true!

Co-Creating A Shared Values System

Leventhal reflects on the early days of founding his nonprofit and walking a fine line between pushing his envisioned values and listening to what his staff wanted to emulate and foster. At the time, his staff did not have the experience of working for an organization that asked the questions he did, such as: What kind of place do you want this to be?

They mutually landed on values like authenticity, deep listening, forgiveness, and empathy while insisting on accountability. The culture at WorldBeing is a living and breathing result of Leventhal’s vision that also reflects his workforce's genuine aspirations and sentiments.

Leventhal leaves us with two of his organization’s guiding principles: every moment is a choice between love and fear, and perfection is not an option.

For those seeking further exploration:

The Dark Side of Deeply Meaningful Work - Carrie R. Oelberger

The Two Faces of Persistence - Robert J. Vallerand, Tanya Chichekian, Jeremie Verner-Filion, and Jocelyn J. Belanger

Donate to WorldBeing here!

Leading Meaningful Work: Lessons from Wes Adams and Tamara Myles

In this episode of Meaningful Work Matters, Andrew speaks with Tamara Myles and Wes Adams. Myles and Adams discuss impact potential, recruiting for values, and fostering personal connections. They point out that adopting these behaviors can make workplaces more harmonious and productive.

Myles and Adams have been researching and working with organizations and leaders to understand how to bring meaningful work to life for decades. They believe meaningful work is essential for career well-being and that enjoying what we do daily contributes most to our overall well-being. When we know how what we do matters and that we matter, we are more productive, motivated, and happier in both our work and personal lives.

What is Meaningful Work?

According to Adams and Myles, meaningful work refers to work that is not just personally fulfilling but also positively impacts others and contributes to a greater sense of purpose or mission.

Myles explains, "When we spend half of our waking lives working, there's no reason why that work shouldn't be meaningful. When we know how what we do matters and that we matter, we experience a greater sense of meaning in life. Meaningful work contributes not only to our well-being and happiness but also to productivity and motivation at work."

Adams adds that meaningful work is not just about having a strong sense of purpose or mission but also about having a sense of autonomy, mastery, and connection to others in the workplace.

The Role of Leaders in Creating Meaningful Work

Myles and Adams believe leaders are crucial in creating meaningful work within their organizations. The top six leadership practices correlating to employees experiencing meaningfulness at work are focusing on impact, recognizing and nurturing potential, values-aligned hiring, acting with integrity, exercising a growth mindset, and fostering personal connections.

The Importance of Self-Awareness in Finding Meaningful Work

While leaders are essential in creating a culture that fosters meaningful work, Adams and Myles also emphasize the importance of self-awareness in finding meaningful work. Adams explains, "We all have unique strengths, values, and interests that shape what we find meaningful and fulfilling in our work. That's why it's so important to take the time to reflect on what's important to us and what we want to achieve in our careers."

Myles adds that self-awareness also involves honesty about what we're willing to tolerate in our work. "Sometimes we may find ourselves in a job that's not aligned with our values, or that doesn't allow us to use our strengths. In those cases, we need to be honest with ourselves about whether we're willing to make changes to find greater meaning and purpose in our work."

Tips for Finding Meaningful Work

Based on their research and experience, Adams and Myles offer actionable guidance for finding meaningful work:

1. Reflect on your values, strengths, and interests. Take the time to identify what's truly important to you and what you're passionate about. Look for ways to incorporate those values, strengths, and interests into your work.

2. Seek out opportunities for growth and development. Look for ways to develop your skills and expertise through training programs, mentorship, or on-the-job learning opportunities.

3. Connect with others in the workplace. Foster relationships with colleagues and seek out opportunities for collaboration and teamwork.

4. Be willing to take risks and make changes. Sometimes, finding meaningful work requires taking a leap of faith or changing your career path. Be open to new opportunities and be willing to take risks to find a career that aligns with your values and interests.

5. Advocate for yourself. Don't be afraid to speak up and advocate for what you need to find greater meaning and purpose in your work; whether asking for more autonomy or seeking out a new role that better aligns with your strengths, advocating for yourself is essential to finding meaningful work.

Conclusion

Myles and Adams believe that finding meaning in one's work is essential for well-being and happiness. They suggest leaders can create meaningful work within their organizations by providing autonomy, mastery, purpose, connection, and progress opportunities. By doing so, leaders can help employees feel valued and connected to the organization's mission and motivated and engaged in their work.

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Guest Bios

Wes Adams is a seasoned organizational transformation expert who collaborates with high-performing companies, guiding leaders in developing skills that enhance team performance.

With two decades of experience in successful ventures and consulting for Fortune 500s, startups, and NGOs, Adams has worked with notable clients such as Microsoft, KPMG, and the United Nations. His impactful work has been featured in major publications like the New York Times and Forbes.

As a Master Facilitator for the Penn Resilience Program and a featured speaker at South by Southwest Interactive, Adams is dedicated to fostering cultures that enable employees to find meaning and purpose in their work.

His passion for social impact is evident in his production of HBO's documentary The Out List and his book of interviews on the climate crisis, I Am EcoWarrior.

Tamara Myles is a highly accomplished consultant, trainer, and international speaker with over two decades of experience specializing in elevating business performance. She focuses on productivity and meaningful work, helping leaders cultivate thriving team cultures and drive organizational growth.

Myles's client roster includes Best Buy, BlackRock, Google, KPMG, Microsoft, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Unilever. She is also the author of The Secret to Peak Productivity, a guide based on her proprietary Peak Productivity Pyramid™ system, translated into several languages.

Her impactful work has been featured in major media outlets such as USA Today, SUCCESS, Business Insider, Forbes, and the New York Post.

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For those seeking further exploration

• The book Drive by Daniel Pink explores the role of autonomy, mastery, and purpose in motivation and engagement at work.

• Adams and Myles co-run a consulting practice called, ‘Make Work Meaningful’: makeworkmeaningful.co