Recently I spent months training for a century bike ride. During some of my training rides I felt like I was “in the zone”- the place where my pedaling was effortless and I could easily exceed my distance. Everything was in synch. Sports psychologists talk about the importance of the mind-body connection and the need to train the mind with the same discipline as one trains his or her body. Both are necessary to get “in the zone.”
So what about work? Is it possible to motivate and empower team members to the point where they work with high levels of energy, productivity and self-confidence?
I believe there are four keys that drive meaning at work. These keys also lead to higher engagement and productivity by team members.
1. Clarity
It’s important for team members to be clear on their roles and the responsibilities needed to accomplish their jobs. In addition, they need access to the tools, resources and knowledge necessary to get the job done. Without these, meaning is lost and confusion increases.
2. Core Values
It’s critical that there is alignment between the core values that the organization holds dear and those of team members. These values generate cohesiveness among team members. In his book, The Advantage, Patrick Lencioni says that “dysfunction and lack of cohesion…inevitably leads to a lack of health throughout” the organization. Core values rally team members and unify them around a common purpose.
3. Trust
A number of articles and books, including research done by McKinsey and Company, talk about the quality of interactions as one of the keys. In its interview of more than 5,000 executives in workshops over a 10-year period, respondents highlight “a baseline of trust and respect, constructive conflict, a sense of humor, a general feeling that ‘we’re in this together’ and the ability to collaborate effectively.” At the cornerstone of all of this is trust. Without it, none of the other factors can exist. Trust creates a safe environment, which leads to the pursuit of challenging goals in a collaborative context.
4. Meaning
While clarity, core values and trust are conditions necessary to lead to peak performance, these alone are not enough. Numerous studies have shown that human beings want to make a difference beyond just a paycheck. They want to work for something that matters. Organizations that have a purpose beyond making a profit find team members have an exponential increase in excitement, are willing to take on big challenges and operate ‘in the zone’ much more frequently than team members in organizations that don’t find their work meaningful.
Share Your Thoughts: As you look at these four keys that drive meaning at work, how would you rate your organization on each? What needs to happen to develop a purpose that’s deeper than just making a profit? If all four keys were evident in your organization, how do you think productivity would increase?