GIVE THEM PURPOSE!

[Dear readers – wow – we are one year in, and this newsletter is now reaching over 16,000 people and growing.??Thank you!]

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Most employers give people jobs.??That’s good, but they’re missing the point.??To create all of the outcomes we dream of (strong productivity, morale, profits, etc.) you have to give them more.??You must give them purpose.??

Say it with me:??purpose over paycheck!??Sure, compensation really does matter, but it’s never the best motivator.?

Sadly, most employees don’t experience much purpose.??They do a task and receive their pay.??Work is just a transaction.??What a shame.??When employees feel real purpose, you get more than just lower turnover and absenteeism.??You get more than better productivity.??You get more commitment, creativity, and resilience in the face of challenges.??What’s that worth?

There are three ways you can help your employees experience more purpose.????

First, draw attention at least monthly to the higher purpose they serve.??Why is the group’s work so righteous???Because they help families find homes, they make cars people need to get to work, they maintain a fleet of trucks that deliver valuable products to help keep the economy moving, they keep the community clean, etc.??Connect them to the work’s higher purpose.

Next, help them individually find fit.??Fit refers to how well a person is matched to their role.??Based on their interests, skills, and personality, how can the role shift, or how can you help them in the long-term find a professional home that really works for them???Higher fit always means a feeling of stronger purpose.

Finally, consciously cultivate and maintain great relationships.??The key to long term success isn’t task competency.??That’s required, but it’s the easy part.??What moves them past mere competency towards embracing change and improvement is the quality of the relationships that surround them every day.??When their immediate context is defined by helpfulness, kindness, and a sense of knowing that others have your back – that means you’re doing more than just completing tasks.??You’re taking part in a real team.??That’s purpose.

A funny thing happens when they feel more purpose:??they stop obsessing quite as much on the paycheck!?

TODD’S TIPS

The Zs are coming!??So many generations are now present at work.??Values are shifting.??Some are embracing the change and prospering.??Others face The Great Resignation.??So, how do you successfully craft a workplace that makes Zs want to stay???It’s time to move past platitudes into practice.??The things listed on the recruiting ads must be lived daily by every manager in the organization.??What are those things the Zs so desperately want???Give them voice in decisions.??Give them an opportunity to stretch, grow, and be flexible.??Give them fairness and transparency.??Give them a genuinely positive culture.??Nail these and they just might experience a little joy and purpose.??They might stick around.??They might tell others about you too.??

WHAT’S UP WITH DR. D?

Course news:??Two more courses have been released in Japanese.??It’s on my bucket list to score a gig there!??Embracing Unexpected Change is here:?https://bit.ly/3qqhh8H, and Building Self-Confidence is here:??https://bit.ly/356ce5V.??One more new course to write and I’ll be ready to shoot a few more at the end of this month with my team – tell you about them soon!??Please don’t forget, LinkedIn has unlocked three of my well-being related courses which will remain free until May 9 (addressing stress, burnout, and embracing change).??Find them here:?https://bit.ly/3L2mj2P?and please share them with whoever might need them.???

Speaking:??Gigs coming up, yadda yadda (anyone remember that reference?).??Instead of talking about gigs, I wanted to mention a conversation I had with a user of one of my courses.??He wants to speak more effectively at work, especially when presenting at meetings.??He said he is not a good speaker at all and is afraid he does not have enough natural ability to ever get it right.??Here’s the truth I shared:??natural ability helps, but ultimately speaking is a skill you can learn.??Books, blogs, courses, coaches – there are many good resources out there.??No joke – you can do this.??One little skill at a time.??This month maybe you work on how to use your hands.??Next month it’s all about pacing your words.??Then pick another and keep going.??Anyone can become a reasonable and competent speaker if they are patient and persistent.

Dancing with Monsters:??A date is set for the book to be published – April 18, 2023 – let the countdown begin!??Also, a good editor really helps!??She asked a few important questions that prodded me to change a couple of small things that really help the book flow better.??Now in search of a good illustrator… Someone must bring these monsters to life!

Until next time – stay safe, go learn something, maybe help someone, or at least do something interesting!

All my links in one place:??https://linktr.ee/drdewett.?

All previous newsletters here:??https://bit.ly/3zbXVqa.