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H o w t o m a ke w o r k mo r e me a ningf u l fo r y o ur em p lo y ee s
I f y o u w e r e a s ked fo r e x a m p le s of “ me a ningf u l w o r k ,” w h a t come s t o mind ? R ole s like p a r a medic , t e a che r , o r h u m a ni t a r i a n a id w o r ke r migh t be s ome common a n sw e rs . B ut y o u don ’ t need t o be s a v ing li v e s fo r w o r k t o be me a ningf u l . I n f a c t , ne a r l y a ll w o r k c a n hold me a ning fo r t he p e rs on doing i t . I n M e a ningf u l W o r k : H o w t o I gni t e Pa ss ion a nd P e r fo r m a nce in E v e ry E m p lo y ee , Ta m a r a M y le s a nd W e s A d a m s e xp l a in ho w me a ning h a s t h r ee c ru ci a l ing r edien ts : comm u ni ty , o r feeling connec t ed t o y o ur colle a g u e s a nd o r g a ni z a t ion ; con tr ib ut ion , o r u nde rst a nding t he p o s i t i v e im p a c t y o ur w o r k h a s on o t he rs ; a nd ch a llenge , o r t he feeling of g r o w ing p e rs on a ll y a nd pr ofe ss ion a ll y t h r o u gh y o ur w o r k . I n t he book , Ta m a r a a nd W e s s h a r e conc r e t e str a t egie s le a de rs c a n us e t o b u ild me a ning fo r t hei r p eo p le .“ O v e r t he l a st s e v e r a l y e a rs , w e ’ v e w o r ked t o em p i r ic a ll y v a lid a t e sp ecific le a de rs hi p pr a c t ice s a nd o r g a ni z a t ion a l stru c tur e s t h a t inc r e a s e me a ning ,” Ta m a r a e xp l a in s . “ A lo t of t he s e t hing s a r en ’ t v e ry com p lic a t ed . T he y ’ r e no t nece ss a r il y e a sy , b ut t he y ’ r e s im p le , sp ecific , a nd me a sur a ble ,” s he con t in u e s .
“ T he t h a nk y o u f r om a colle a g u e , t h a t le a de r w ho s a ys t he y belie v e in y o u , t he st o r ie s f r om a c ust ome r w ho s e life y o u ’ v e m a de e a s ie r – a ll t he s e momen ts a dd up t o m a ke w o r k me a ningf u l .” “ A lo t of t he s e t hing s a r en ’ t v e ry com p lic a t ed . T he y ’ r e no t nece ss a r il y e a sy , b ut t he y ’ r e s im p le , sp ecific , a nd me a sur a ble ,” s he con t in u e s .“ T he t h a nk y o u f r om a colle a g u e , t h a t le a de r w ho s a ys t he y belie v e in y o u , t he st o r ie s f r om a c ust ome r w ho s e life y o u ’ v e m a de e a s ie r – a ll t he s e momen ts a dd up t o m a ke w o r k me a ningf u l .”
Pa ge 18 I H OSP I T A L I TY N E WS A PR
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