Man's Search for Meaning
In his seminal book, "Man's Search for Meaning", Dr. Viktor Frankl, a survivor of the Holocaust, presented the principles of "Logotherapy." Logotherapy is a psychology practice that is based on the belief that what we are all struggling for is meaning in our existence. According to logotherapy, each of us is searching for an understanding of what our life is really all about. This endeavor is challenging because of the various sitmuli we encounter, which seem to "pull" or "point" us in different directions. However, the fundamental difference between human beings and the rest of reality is our ability to choose. And while we don't always have the ability to choose our circumstances or the external events over which we may not have control, we always have the ability to choose our response and our attitude toward our existence. Fundamentally, we can choose to find meaning within our circumstances (and thus rise above them) or we can choose to interpret our circumstances as without meaning at all, which is the beginning of our spiritual death.
What does all this have to do with work? I believe it relates in several important ways. First, I agree with Dr. Frankl's premise that individuals are searching for meaning in their lives. This is why most employees find more satisfaction in praise in acknowledging a job well done and the connection to the company's larger purpose than they do in reward systems that are based solely on money (this is not to discount the value of such reward systems, it's only to suggest that they do not have they same type of long-lasting, positive impact; once the monetary stimulus is gone, behavior generally reverts back to its former state).
Second, because we all spend so much of our waking lives at work, we are all looking to understand the deeper connection between what we do at work and the larger purpose of the enterprise. If an individual views his or her work merely as a "job" or a "paycheck", chances are quite good that this individual may not be giving his or her "all" at work and that he or she would likely leave the employer for any other job that pays even slightly more in wages. On the other hand, individuals who feel the connection between their specific task(s) and the larger purpose of the organization are much more likely to feel pride in their individual performance and loyalty to their employer (or at least to the specific type of employment in which they are engaged).
What all this means for employers is that they should recognize, both in themselves and in their co-workers, the fundamental need we all have in understanding the meaning in our lives in through our work. Developing a deep understanding of meaning at work should be a constant focus for those in management. This goes well beyond crafting a nicely worded Mission Statement. That exercise, while useful, is usually a "one-time" event that may help create meaning for a short while but soon becomes merely "words on paper" that is given no thought or effect in actual practice.
Rather, employers should move beyond the traditional "Mission Statement" to a more thorough, ongoing analysis of what it means to be engaged in "this" kind of work (whatever "this" is). A well thought out Mission Statement is valuable in this sense, but only if the principles embodied in the Mission Statement are constantly reviewed for their relevance in connection with the deeper purpose of the enterprise. What does this business do to benefit the world? The local economy? What opportunities does this business give to its customers? It's employees? How does this enterprise "give back" to the community? How does every job within the organization contribute positively to the answers to the preceding questions? How should employees exercise their power of choice to identify the deeper meaning in what they are doing at work?
Connection. Connection. Connection. People are looking for connection to something bigger and more meaningful. Employers should create an atmosphere in which individuals can develop this type of connection at work. Doing so will create powerful, long-term dividends for everyone associated with the organization.
What does all this have to do with work? I believe it relates in several important ways. First, I agree with Dr. Frankl's premise that individuals are searching for meaning in their lives. This is why most employees find more satisfaction in praise in acknowledging a job well done and the connection to the company's larger purpose than they do in reward systems that are based solely on money (this is not to discount the value of such reward systems, it's only to suggest that they do not have they same type of long-lasting, positive impact; once the monetary stimulus is gone, behavior generally reverts back to its former state).
Second, because we all spend so much of our waking lives at work, we are all looking to understand the deeper connection between what we do at work and the larger purpose of the enterprise. If an individual views his or her work merely as a "job" or a "paycheck", chances are quite good that this individual may not be giving his or her "all" at work and that he or she would likely leave the employer for any other job that pays even slightly more in wages. On the other hand, individuals who feel the connection between their specific task(s) and the larger purpose of the organization are much more likely to feel pride in their individual performance and loyalty to their employer (or at least to the specific type of employment in which they are engaged).
What all this means for employers is that they should recognize, both in themselves and in their co-workers, the fundamental need we all have in understanding the meaning in our lives in through our work. Developing a deep understanding of meaning at work should be a constant focus for those in management. This goes well beyond crafting a nicely worded Mission Statement. That exercise, while useful, is usually a "one-time" event that may help create meaning for a short while but soon becomes merely "words on paper" that is given no thought or effect in actual practice.
Rather, employers should move beyond the traditional "Mission Statement" to a more thorough, ongoing analysis of what it means to be engaged in "this" kind of work (whatever "this" is). A well thought out Mission Statement is valuable in this sense, but only if the principles embodied in the Mission Statement are constantly reviewed for their relevance in connection with the deeper purpose of the enterprise. What does this business do to benefit the world? The local economy? What opportunities does this business give to its customers? It's employees? How does this enterprise "give back" to the community? How does every job within the organization contribute positively to the answers to the preceding questions? How should employees exercise their power of choice to identify the deeper meaning in what they are doing at work?
Connection. Connection. Connection. People are looking for connection to something bigger and more meaningful. Employers should create an atmosphere in which individuals can develop this type of connection at work. Doing so will create powerful, long-term dividends for everyone associated with the organization.
posted by Chris Kenny at
7:47 AM
