IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF EMPLOYEE WORK LIFE: HOW WE MAKE WORK MEANINGFUL!

Transcription

1 IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF EMPLOYEE WORK LIFE: HOW WE MAKE WORK MEANINGFUL! Dr. Nancy Red Carritte, Business Psychologist (503) Astoria, Oregon

2 MEANING IS NOT INHERENT IN EVENTS, IT IS MADE BY PEOPLE

3 HUMANS ARE MEANING-MAKING MACHINES We need meaning to explain why we do what we do

4 MAKING MEANING We need meaning to motivate us

5 MAKING MEANING We need meaning to understand and support our work activities

6 MAKING MEANING How you define an experience (how you make meaning) Determines the impact of the experience on you Influences how you think about it later Which impacts how you remember the past, And how you experience the present And how you plan or anticipate the future Do you describe the experience as Disaster? Failure? Boredom?

7 WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT OR DESCRIBE EXPERIENCES YOU VE HAD IN YOUR LIFE Do you think of it negatively? Do you describe the harm or the benefit of it?

8 WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT OR DESCRIBE EXPERIENCES YOU VE HAD IN YOUR COMPANY What spin do you put on it? Positive or negative? (based on feelings) By understanding the purpose or reason? By assigning intention or purpose to others?

9 MAKING MEANING: The meaning we make of an experience determines its impact upon us

10 DESCRIBE THIS

11 DESCRIBE THIS

12 DESCRIBE THIS

13 DESCRIBE THIS

14 MAKING MEANING By describing a bad situation in a positive manner, you can: Turn disaster into opportunity Turn loss into hope Turn failure into learning Turn boredom into reflection

15 WHY MAKING MEANING? We can make life feel rich and full regardless of our external circumstances by how we interpret our experiences.

16 THE OUTCOME/PAYOFF Your spin becomes everyone s spin Your interpretation of events or purposes becomes the employees understanding of it

17 MAKING MEANING Helps tie employees to the greater good!

18 MAKING MEANING PIXAR STYLE I create feelings in others that they themselves don t understand! -- Lightening McQueen, PIXAR Cars Movie

19 THE PYRAMID- HOW WORK FULFILLS US Self Actualization Self Esteem Social Needs

20 MEANINGFULNESS IN THE INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCE: FLOW Flow = losing track of time in an engrossing activity Result: energy, self confidence, feeling happier, more creative, more amiable.

21 HUMAN BEINGS ARE MEANING MAKING MACHINES---THEY FIND VALUE IN MAKING SENSE OUT OF LIFE.

22 MEANINGFUL WORK It satisfies It engages It can build self esteem

23 IT IS POSSIBLE To improve the quality of your life by investing your psychic energy in activities that produce Flow

24 RESEARCH SHOWS: EMPLOYEES WHO FIND MEANING IN THEIR WORK: Work harder, smarter, more passionately and creatively Learn and adapt Stay more connected to customers needs Stay longer on the job

25 MEANING AND PURPOSE Survey: What People Want in a job is: To Make a Difference!

26 WHY HELP EMPLOYEES MAKE MEANING IN THEIR JOBS?

27 REMEMBER: EMPLOYEE ATTITUDE = CUSTOMER ATTITUDE

28 STUDIES SHOW THAT: 50% OF THE MARKET VALUE OF PUBLICALLY TRADED FIRMS.. COMES FROM INTANGIBLES: LEADERSHIP, TALENT, INNOVATION, SKILL AND VISION EMPLOYEE COMPETENCE, COMMITMENT, AND PASSION OR ENERGY.

29 EMPLOYEES WHO AREN T MAKING MEANING OR FEELING DISENGAGED ARE: Dispassionate Disengaged Absent Poorer performers Uncooperative Careless Less committed Less productive Less creative

30 DATA ABOUT MAKING MEANING IN ORGANIZATIONS: Best companies to work for have a 6.8 stock appreciation vs. 1.0 % for the average firm Fortunes list of admired companies show double the market return of competitors

31 DATA ABOUT MAKING MEANING IN ORGANIZATIONS: Disengaged employees are ten times more likely to leave their companies within a year

32 HOW YOU AS A LEADER MAKE MEANING Talk about company purpose Talk about objectives of a job or function Tell stories that describe an event or experience Share your interpretation, reasoning, or most important elements or an issue

33 WHEN YOU DO MAKE MEANING, THE RESULTS ARE: You can influence how workers see their job importance, contribution You can motivate others by helping them feel good about what they do Your values, expectations, and goals are better understood by subordinates

34 HOW TO MAKE MEANING

35 HOW TO MAKE EES WORK MEANINGFUL Help them recognize what motivates them: achievement connection empowerment insight

36 HOW TO MAKE EES WORK MEANINGFUL Help them know what makes them happy in the long run

37 HOW TO MAKE EES WORK MEANINGFUL Help them know what they are good at, who they are, what they are known for

38 HOW TO MAKE EES WORK MEANINGFUL Help them know how to use their strengths to create value for the co.

39 HOW TO MAKE EES WORK MEANINGFUL Help them develop meaningful relationships for high performing teams and problem solving

40 HOW TO MAKE EES WORK MEANINGFUL Build a positive work environment; encourage self reflection and honest sharing

41 HELP OTHERS MAKE MEANING Help people find challenging work that helps them stretch and make personal contributions

42 HELP OTHERS MAKE MEANING Encourage celebrations, shared jokes and stories, complements etc.

43 HELP OTHERS MAKE MEANING Help people adapt and embrace goals by making them clear and personal

44 HELP OTHERS MAKE MEANING Help develop civility and delight by avoiding blame, shame, win-lose, rightwrong thinking

45 HELP OTHERS MAKE MEANING Help employees meld their personal strengths with organizational capabilities

46 TALK AND EXPLAIN. OFTEN! Discuss the purpose & contribution of your organization Talk about the organization s successes, fans, status, and unique contributions Talk about the individual contributions each person makes, the skills they bring, Give employees the opportunity to give feedback and appreciation to others

47 YOUR IMPACT ON YOUR EMPLOYEES Is very powerful Influences the organization s culture and success Creates people who model themselves after you

48 HELPING EMPLOYEES MAKE MEANING MAY BE THE MOST INFLUENTIAL THING YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION!

49 YOU ARE NOT HERE MERELY TO MAKE A LIVING. YOU ARE HERE IN ORDER TO ENABLE THE WORLD TO LIVE MORE AMPLY, WITH GREATER VISION, WITH A FINER SPIRIT OF HOPE AND ACHIEVEMENT. YOU ARE HERE TO ENRICH THE WORLD, AND YOU IMPOVERISH YOURSELF IF YOU FORGET THE ERRAND. -- WOODROW WILSON

50 Dr. Nancy Red Carritte, Business Psychologist Go Beyond Your Boundaries! Coaching Consulting - Key Note Speaking godoctorc@gmail.com (503) (909)