We all are looking for a sense ofpurpose.
One of the top three motivators is that we feel an attachment, we feelpersonal meaning to the work we’re doing.
We feel like we’re making a difference.
And so what we want to be careful of is just assigning routine work that doesn’thave that meaning to it, so even though you’re assigning this, you might beassigning this piece of a project you absolutely want to attach it to a highergoal and one of the most inspirational stories that I think really articulatesthis is going back years years and years to NASA and legend hasit John F.
Kennedy, the President at the time, was touring NASA, walking around,introducing himself to people and finding out what their role was at NASA.
So, he comes across a janitor who is changing a lightbulb and he says to thejanitor, “What’s your name and what is your job here?” and instead of saying “My job is to keep the place clean and to keep the lights working,”the janitor says, you know, “My name is so-and-so and my job is to put a man onthe moon.
” And I love that greater sense of purpose.
So, you absolutely knowthat that individual was going to go to the nth degree with his job andthat’s what we’re trying to bring to our team, that greater sense of purpose sothat when they work on something they’re able to make better decisions, they’reable to invest more of their discretionary energy, so thatcollectively as a team we all benefit.
People are more engaged when they have a sense of attachment to the work.
Now how are you going to know what ignites a firewithin them? The key obviously is to ask and a great question is to consider WIFM or in other words: “What’s in it for me?” Of course, it’s helpful to share what our goal is but we also want to consider what theirgoal is and ideally look for a mutual goal and that’s when we’re going to reallyhave the magic.
Now, I remember years and years ago when I was very newto delegating and I was asking a team member to help me with something and Isaid, I said to her, “Can you take this off my hands because I really hate this typeof work and I’m so busy that I just can’t get this done – so can you help meout?” And so that is a great example of what not to do.
It was very muchself-serving, very much aligned to my goal and she very appropriately calledme on it and I view, you know, there’s moments in your life where there arereal learning opportunities and this was a real learning opportunity for me.
She said, Ann, if you had really appealed to what you knew about me, which was thatshe really enjoyed this kind of work, it landed right in her sweet spot and itcollectively would help us to achieve a higher level goal, then I’m going to havemuch more success delegating.
So, great lesson for me.
Sometimes you do have tohave these stumbles in order to learn.
So, the key is to consider what’sin it for me, put yourself in the other person’s shoes, what’s in it for me,the WIFM.
Source: Youtube
