Where ya’ headed? Easy to answer as long as the destination could be located by a GPS system. A little harder when we are talking about finding meaning in work and in life. Knowing what motivates you, and in most cases finding the right balance among multiple motivations, helps you tie your daily work to outcomes you care about: the visions that call to you, the laurel wreaths you find rewarding, the relationships you count on, and the ideas that enthrall you.
Leaders help employees find meaning when they facilitate employees learning what drives and motivates them. Then, when a leader can embed personal motivation into an organizational context or, when the organization vision ties to an employees’ personal aspiration, the employee finds more meaning at work. Leaders as meaning makers help employees figure out where they are going and link personal direction to organization vision.
The process of linking employee to organization purpose often begins with the employee.
Who comes to mind when you think of someone who really seems to find his or her work meaningful and abundant? What seems to motivate them? Wendy Ulrich and I noted in The Why of Work that most of what people find motivating can be lumped into one of four categories: 1 – Achievement, 2 – Relationships, 3 – Empowerment, and 4 – Insight.
