Organize for joy and purpose
And have some delicious croissants ready!
⚡ It’s time to take intelligent action. Send a signal. Discover 13 big, unusual questions below!
But first, here is the problem!
Traditional, large-scale corporations are often organized for efficiency. And sometimes consistency. A fear-based culture makes sure that we keep doing our jobs according to the goals and rules set by management. Day by day. Year by year.
In most of these organizations, change is never met with joy. Some people reluctantly asked questions. At most, people grow in terms of acquiring new tactical and operational hard skills that support their role.
Now, disruption has become their biggest threat. True learning and inner personal growth, as opposed to education, are neither encouraged nor seen as an asset.
So far, it seems, that in the business space deliberately developing us, as human beings, and therefore adult growth is not so clearly seen as a chance to keep up with the ever-accelerating pace of our world. However, there is a need to become future-proof.
Fair enough. OK.
Making a Chicken McNugget for .00001 cents less isn't going to boost your profit a whole lot. - Seth Godin
The problem with this mindset is that as you approach the asymptote of maximum efficiency, there is not a lot of room left for innovation, growth and purpose. Both, on an organizational level and on a personal level. You are going to get disrupted!
What hurts most is the nature of work, which gets inherently unremarkable. Completely dry, like a piece of leftover bread that sat for 3 weeks in a paper bag in your kitchen drawer. With some blue mould.
Do we really want this? What might help?
People who work for these organizations will try to find quick-fix solutions. They patch problems. People resist systemic change for a good reason: They were trained to follow the rules for many years. Joy is not something to be experienced at the workplace. You gonna do your work and work hard!
So yes, some of us will rarely experience joy, strive for inner growth and feel fulfilled by disrupting the status quo at our workplace. They would never dare to ask: What is my purpose and how am I going to fulfil it? BUT: more and more we feel burned down, empty and disconnected.
Also Agile won't help as much as promised. Squeezing the lemon harder to get more juice out of it in less time?
Hm...
And yet some smart colleagues in these organizations ask: how do we increase employee engagement and satisfaction? How do we attract the top talent of the future? Should we offer Mindfulness Training and invest in Corporate Well-being?
These questions are a good starter.
The better question is: How do we grow our people so our business grows too?
And then, suddenly, you realise: oh, we are not in the efficiency-maximizing business anymore. We landed in the people-growing business!
So therefore, the alternative, it seems, is to allow and enable people to disrupt themselves, to outgrow their current roles and shift from organizing for efficiency to organizing for joy and purpose.
People will start co-creating. They will connect the dots, take intelligent action and surprise. They will work with these organizations which embrace an authentic human being, who dares to make a difference because he or she wants to creatively express and contribute to something bigger.
⚡ So there are two shifts that need to happen simultaneously: start shifting from efficiency and fear to joy on the organizational level and do the same on your personal level.
Give it a go. Take intelligent action. Here is a list of 13 big, unusual questions. Dig into the unknown and re-discover joy for yourself, within your team or together with your partner. And make sure to have some delicious croissants ready. We don’t want leftover, mouldy bread.
What activity in your life lights you up with joy?
What is something you always love doing, even when you are tired or rushed? Why?
When was the last time to took a meaningful pause from the constant hustle? And what was the value of those pauses?
What role has formal education played in your life and how do you feel about it?
How does the value of education compare to learning, inner growth and development for you in your job-related context?
Do you believe your destiny is pre-determined or in your hands to shape however you wish?
What do you believe is possible for you?
How does your being here in the universe change humanity for the better?
What is your biggest self-limiting belief?
What is something that is true for you no matter what?
What is one failure (or negatively co-notated experience) that you have turned into your greatest lesson?
What role does gratitude play in your life?
Which critical skill is it that I need to learn now to live my life in a more meaningful way?
Hope this signal leaves a ✨spark of insight on your mind and heart! If not, I would love to hear your opinion!
With love,
💬 Please share your feedback. Hit reply to this email to let me know or leave a comment with your thoughts.