Page 179 - How Great Leaders Build Abundant Organizations That Win

THE WHY OF WORK

creativity and effective problem solving. This state of flow
is associated with high energy, engagement, and a sense of
doing something we love, thus finding meaning that leads
to abundance. Beyond the level of challenge, people want to
work at the type of challenge they care about and under the
conditions that make that challenge enjoyable. In previous
chapters we discussed how identity, direction/purpose, and
relationships increase the likelihood that we will find a type
of work that brings us a sense of meaning. In this chapter
we focus on the parameters of the work we do—the contexts
and conditions that shape a specific job.
We describe in this chapter several ways of categorizing
work that can help leaders home in on the type of work
that works for specific employees. For example, Wendy sees
herself as a healer (identity), and she finds abundance by
identifying insights that help her clients change (purpose
and direction). But how, where, and with whom she does her
work also matter to Wendy. Does she work autonomously
in a private practice or in a regulated health care system?
Does she work with a narrow or broad range of clients (dif-
ferentiated by age, marital status, or presenting problem)?
Does she deepen expertise in a single therapeutic method-
ology, or does she work from a large range of counseling
approaches? Does she value a consistent work schedule or
want flexible hours? Such questions address the nature of
her work and complement the abundance she finds from
the work itself. The way she goes about doing her work has
a big impact on how she feels about it.
Leaders personalize work for each employee by:

1. Understanding what outcomes matter to the employee
2. Creating a clear line of sight between what employees
do and the outcomes they desire
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