Leading Meaningful Work: Lessons from Wes Adams and Tamara Myles

In this episode of Meaningful Work Matters, Andrew speaks with Tamara Myles and Wes Adams. Myles and Adams discuss impact potential, recruiting for values, and fostering personal connections. They point out that adopting these behaviors can make workplaces more harmonious and productive.

Myles and Adams have been researching and working with organizations and leaders to understand how to bring meaningful work to life for decades. They believe meaningful work is essential for career well-being and that enjoying what we do daily contributes most to our overall well-being. When we know how what we do matters and that we matter, we are more productive, motivated, and happier in both our work and personal lives.

What is Meaningful Work?

According to Adams and Myles, meaningful work refers to work that is not just personally fulfilling but also positively impacts others and contributes to a greater sense of purpose or mission.

Myles explains, "When we spend half of our waking lives working, there's no reason why that work shouldn't be meaningful. When we know how what we do matters and that we matter, we experience a greater sense of meaning in life. Meaningful work contributes not only to our well-being and happiness but also to productivity and motivation at work."

Adams adds that meaningful work is not just about having a strong sense of purpose or mission but also about having a sense of autonomy, mastery, and connection to others in the workplace.

The Role of Leaders in Creating Meaningful Work

Myles and Adams believe leaders are crucial in creating meaningful work within their organizations. The top six leadership practices correlating to employees experiencing meaningfulness at work are focusing on impact, recognizing and nurturing potential, values-aligned hiring, acting with integrity, exercising a growth mindset, and fostering personal connections.

The Importance of Self-Awareness in Finding Meaningful Work

While leaders are essential in creating a culture that fosters meaningful work, Adams and Myles also emphasize the importance of self-awareness in finding meaningful work. Adams explains, "We all have unique strengths, values, and interests that shape what we find meaningful and fulfilling in our work. That's why it's so important to take the time to reflect on what's important to us and what we want to achieve in our careers."

Myles adds that self-awareness also involves honesty about what we're willing to tolerate in our work. "Sometimes we may find ourselves in a job that's not aligned with our values, or that doesn't allow us to use our strengths. In those cases, we need to be honest with ourselves about whether we're willing to make changes to find greater meaning and purpose in our work."

Tips for Finding Meaningful Work

Based on their research and experience, Adams and Myles offer actionable guidance for finding meaningful work:

  1. Reflect on your values, strengths, and interests. Take the time to identify what's truly important to you and what you're passionate about. Look for ways to incorporate those values, strengths, and interests into your work.

  2. Seek out opportunities for growth and development. Look for ways to develop your skills and expertise through training programs, mentorship, or on-the-job learning opportunities.

  3. Connect with others in the workplace. Foster relationships with colleagues and seek out opportunities for collaboration and teamwork.

  4. Be willing to take risks and make changes. Sometimes, finding meaningful work requires taking a leap of faith or changing your career path. Be open to new opportunities and be willing to take risks to find a career that aligns with your values and interests.

  5. Advocate for yourself. Don't be afraid to speak up and advocate for what you need to find greater meaning and purpose in your work; whether asking for more autonomy or seeking out a new role that better aligns with your strengths, advocating for yourself is essential to finding meaningful work.

Conclusion

Myles and Adams believe that finding meaning in one's work is essential for well-being and happiness. They suggest leaders can create meaningful work within their organizations by providing autonomy, mastery, purpose, connection, and progress opportunities. By doing so, leaders can help employees feel valued and connected to the organization's mission and motivated and engaged in their work.


Guest Bios

Wes Adams is a seasoned organizational transformation expert who collaborates with high-performing companies, guiding leaders in developing skills that enhance team performance.

With two decades of experience in successful ventures and consulting for Fortune 500s, startups, and NGOs, Adams has worked with notable clients such as Microsoft, KPMG, and the United Nations. His impactful work has been featured in major publications like the New York Times and Forbes.

As a Master Facilitator for the Penn Resilience Program and a featured speaker at South by Southwest Interactive, Adams is dedicated to fostering cultures that enable employees to find meaning and purpose in their work.

His passion for social impact is evident in his production of HBO's documentary The Out List and his book of interviews on the climate crisis, I Am EcoWarrior.

Tamara Myles is a highly accomplished consultant, trainer, and international speaker with over two decades of experience specializing in elevating business performance. She focuses on productivity and meaningful work, helping leaders cultivate thriving team cultures and drive organizational growth.

Myles's client roster includes Best Buy, BlackRock, Google, KPMG, Microsoft, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Unilever. She is also the author of The Secret to Peak Productivity, a guide based on her proprietary Peak Productivity Pyramid™ system, translated into several languages.

Her impactful work has been featured in major media outlets such as USA Today, SUCCESS, Business Insider, Forbes, and the New York Post.


For those seeking further exploration

  • The book Drive by Daniel Pink explores the role of autonomy, mastery, and purpose in motivation and engagement at work.

  • Adams and Myles co-run a consulting practice called, ‘Make Work Meaningful’: makeworkmeaningful.co