At first, it may seem as if work that matters is outward facing and possibly even objective.
We can all agree that some work matters objectively, right? When asked, you might say something like teaching, medicine, social work, policing, green energy, defense/military, politics, farming, truck driving, DEI, or firefighting.
Ah, but that’s the rub, isn’t it? You probably found some work in that list that you agree matters and some that you don’t.
Because work that matters isn’t objective, nor does it have to be outward facing. Any work can be work that matters.
It’s all about what you bring with you to the work.
As a leader, your role isn’t just to guide and direct. It’s also to connect. To empathize. To understand each team member’s ‘why’. What drives them? What motivates them? What do they value? Why does their work matter to them?
In the new work paradigm, a leader doesn’t impose meaning. You unearth it. You create an environment where everyone can see their own work as work that matters.
