Stan the salesman was not engaged in his work. He felt isolated, lost, and flat-out miserable.
(Just wait, this story has a happier ending).
Stan is not unlike many workers these days. For many, work lacks meaning, it lacks a feeling of true responsibility and purpose.
So, what to do, when we could bury our heads in motivation theory or simply wish there was a quick fix.
Brilliant and experienced management consultant, Suzy Norman, wants you to consider these two questions:
1. How much do you feel needed, and that you matter to your community?
2. Do you feel in control of your future?
For Stan, he’d probably tell you, “not much”.
There is a shift that takes place for us when we feel like our work and just being who we are makes a difference – that we can do something no one else can. That powerful feeling of being needed resonates for us at a human level, and not just at work. Furthermore, not only does it boost our self-esteem, but I’d argue it also allows us to feel more control over that scary word: future.
The next time you feel like Stan, check-in with these two questions.
