Ducks in a Row: 5 Ways to Create Meaning
by Miki Saxon
Over and over research has shown that money is no where near the top of what people want in their jobs.
Ask people what they want in a job, and meaningfulness looms large. For decades, Americans have ranked purpose as their top priority—above promotions, income, job security, and hours. (…) After more than 40 years of research, we know that people struggle to find meaning when they lack autonomy, variety, challenge, performance feedback, and the chance to work on a whole product or service from start to finish.
But even those aren’t enough to make it to the number one position.
First and foremost, what makes a job meaningful is doing something that has a “significant, lasting impact on other people.”
But what can you do if you work for a real-world pointy-haired boss and/or a company stuck in a Fifties mindset?
You need to take control, since changing jobs isn’t always an option.
How?
Try one or more of the following
- Don’t buy into your boss’ or your company’s view of you.
- Find what meaning you can in your work, even if it’s not the “change the world” kind or all that obvious.
- Add more meaning outside of work—you are not your career.
- Invest in a meaningful future by developing skills and/or contacts that will lead to the changes you desire.
- Hang out with meaningful people—as defined by you, not those around you or society in general.
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Be sure to click over to see the February 2014 Leadership Development Blog Carnival: What Great Leaders Do
Flickr image credit: Max Klingensmith
