People tend to feel loyal to managers and companies who support them in their career and life ambitions.   They feel seen, appreciated, and on purpose.

Our featured article, by Harvard Business Review author Kristi Hedges, outlines 5 areas of questioning to develop that appreciation. Question like ‘What are you good at?’ and ‘What do you enjoy?’ point people  to where they are using their Strengths.  For example, if you have the Strength of Communication, you might enjoy public speaking or writing.  Other questions ask, ‘What feels most useful?’, ‘How do you create a sense of momentum?’ and ‘How do you relate to others?’

Try answering these questions for yourself, and see if it helps you reframe your current experience.   We want you to love what you do.

How can leaders help employees find meaning at work?

Organizations spend considerable resources on corporate values and mission statements, but even the most inspiring of these — from Volvo’s commitment to safety to Facebook’s desire to connect people — tend to fade into the background during the daily bustle of the work day.

What workers really need, to feel engaged in and satisfied by their jobs, is an inner sense of purpose. As Deloitte found in a 2016 study, people feel loyal to companies that support their own career and life ambitions — in other words, what’s meaningful to them. And, although that research focused on millennials, in the decade I’ve spent coaching seasoned executives, I’ve found that it’s a common attitude across generations. No matter one’s level, industry or career, we all need to find a personal sense of meaning in what we do.