The Why Of Work by Wendy And Dave Ulrich

“We have always known that heedless self-interest was bad morals. We know now that it is bad economics.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt

Don’t you just love Kiva. Without having an idea about the internals of the organization, in my opinion, their contribution to society is awesome. And it’s not just this micro-lending organization that is making a difference. There are many more organization where the purpose of their activities alone has a big attraction to employees.

It’s a recurring theme in my writings. Having a Big Hairy Audacious Goal, a Quest, doing something worthwhile, is essential to a project or organization to succeed. It motivates people, it puts a focus on people, it creates a tight pack of people.

In the words of Dave and Wendy Ulrich, it’s providing “meaning” into work. In their recent book “The Why Of Work” (affiliate link, disclaimer: I got a free review copy) they describe how leaders can create abundant organizations by paying attention to their own values and that of the organization.

Dave is a professor of business and Wendy a practicing psychologist. They define an abundant organization as “… a work setting in which individuals coordinate their aspirations and actions to create meaning for themselves, value for stakeholders, and hope for humanity at large.”

The logic is simple. Clarity, identity, team work, personal growth and commitment all add to the company bottom line. The authors argue that “… organizational capabilities more readily lead to lasting value when leaders promote meaning as well as making money.” One can have one with the other.

This book assists leaders align the needs of the individuals, organization and other stakeholders and create a vision that resonates. The content is centered around seven questions that drive abundance at a personal, interpersonal and organizational level:

1. What am I known for? (identity)
2. Where am I going? (purpose and motivation)
3. Whom do I travel with? (relationships and teamwork)
4. How do I build a positive work environment?
5. What challenges interest me?
6. How do I respond to disposability and change?
7. What delights me?

Dave and Wendy Ulrich guide you through each question with examples, background theory, checklist and questionnaires.

I recommend “The Why Of Work” (affiliate link) to everyone that wants to explore the relationship between identity, meaning, purpose and organizational capabilities.