More companies are embracing the idea that they might have a purpose that goes beyond their balance sheet, one that makes the world a better place in some way. Perhaps you’re proud to count your firm as one of them. But a noble corporate mission can feel quite distant from the realities of everyday working life. How are we supposed to feel a higher sense of purpose amid the daily scrum, as we wade through tedious meetings and endless to-do lists — perhaps with less-than-inspirational managers breathing down our necks?
It turns out that a lot of executives are wondering the same thing.
Luckily, behavioral science research suggests that it really doesn’t take much for each of us to reconnect to our sense of purpose — and reap the benefits of doing so. Many studies have found that even a brief moment of reflection on a “personal why” can help us rise to a challenge by immediately boosting our performance and resilience.
Experiments have shown that when people are asked simple questions that invite them to reflect on their own view of the bigger picture, they can become less stressed and more productive. And that’s something each of us can do for ourselves and our teams, whether or not we’re hearing clear messages from senior colleagues about the way our company might be a force for good. For example:
— If you’re facing a challenging or important task, lift your performance and confidence by reminding yourself of the noble reason behind the thing you’re about to do. Ask: “Who else (apart from myself) is going to benefit from what I’m doing?”
— If you’re in the middle of a high-stress situation, help yourself rise calmly above it all by reminding yourself of your values. Ask: “What really matters most to me? What does that suggest I should do now?”
— If someone has dumped a task on you, make it feel just a tad more personally meaningful by connecting it with something that matters to you. Ask: “If I get this task done well, what bigger aspiration or value of mine will it support?”
Sometimes your first answers can be a little sarcastic if you’re not having the best day. But if you stay with the question for a moment longer, you can usually dig to find something to give yourself a boost.
Of course, this might all sound trivial if you’re concerned with the important question of how businesses can create positive social impact or investment returns. But imagine if we were all having these sorts of simple conversations with our colleagues, talking about why we do what we do. It would be a practical first step toward creating a more satisfying and thoughtful working world.
