It's time to change the way we work.
I don't mean a revolutionary time management system, or a productivity breakthrough. I'm talking about integrating purpose into the workplace.
While "finding your purpose" may sound like a nebulous buzzword, it's actually a viable way to revolutionize organizations and the workforce that powers them.
What Does "Finding Purpose at Work" Mean?
Finding purpose at work doesn't mean you have to work in the rainforests of the Amazon protecting endangered wildlife. Purpose can be found in any position, because it has to do with how you approach a job, not the specific nature of the job.
To learn more about this new approach to work, let's look at Imperative, an organization started by Aaron Hurst that is committed to changing the nature of work by deeply interlacing purpose with work. Imperative believes purpose at work can be found in three categories:
- Creating a positive impact: Make concrete near and long term impact on the world
If leaders focus on creating an organizational culture that fosters these three things, the employees, the organization, and the leaders all benefit. So where could you start?
How Can Leaders Start Integrating Purpose Into Their Organizations?
On a basic level, leaders can first define their personal values, then, move on to clarifying the values and purpose of their organization, and finally look at the organization as a whole through this lens of attracting, hiring and retaining their talent. Leaders must make purpose a fundamental piece of each step of their own, and their team's, talent life cycle.
But What Can Leaders Do Beyond the Basics?
I had the opportunity to take a more in-depth look at how leaders can integrate purpose into their organizations, when Imperative hosted a summit at Steelcase's NYC WorkLife center with 50 researchers and leaders. The objective was to design work that better serves people, organizations and society.
I was honored to be one of the 50 summit attendees. Together, we explored tangible ways that leaders can create a purpose-driven organization. Here are four of those ideas; ideas, which I believe, can really transform an organization.
Four Ways to Create a Purpose Driven Organization
- Create a "purpose review" in addition to a performance review, to help the organization know if the employee still feels purposeful at work.
To explore this topic more, take a look at the valuable report Imperative released after the summit, Purpose at Work: 50 Leaders Creating a New Vision For Work. I recommend the report to every leader who embarks on transforming the lives of those they lead.
To kick-start your journey toward living and leading with purpose, I challenge you to answer this question thoughtfully: What gives YOU purpose?
I'm really looking forward to reading your answers. If you'd like to share, please leave a comment below, send me an email, or find me on Twitter.
Anne Loehr is a sought after keynote speaker, writer, consultant, and trainer. She helps leaders in large organizations connect their everyday decisions today to the future workplace. Her end goal is to help organizations retain their top talent and not only survive, but thrive. To learn more about Anne, check out www.anneloehr.com or follow her on Twitter.