Harness collective intelligence

“You’ll never work a day in your life if you love what you do.”

This quote is about chasing perfection, and in the truest sense — these utopian expectations have too many variables to be met completely.

Today, people are unpredictable, and technology is unreliable. In simple terms, it’s hard to keep up with the speed of change. If there isn’t a clear vision or purpose, something larger than yourself, it’s nearly impossible to stay committed or resilient in times of resistance.

When you find meaning in what you do, nothing can bring you down.

Take a graphic designer, for instance: if they’re left to their own devices and told to design without a concept or purpose, or direction, they can find themselves going in circles battling cycles of low motivation and a lack of inspiration which ends up reflecting in their work output.

It’s difficult to feel pride in your work or a sense of contribution when you can’t see how your day-to-day work is creating a positive impact. If the organization, its employees and its customers don’t have a shared goal or outlook, you fall short, and the only choice left to compete with others is price.

How can an organization seek to change this? At a task level: by focussing on encouraging a growth mindset and supporting learning opportunities. If someone is struggling, that is an opportunity to try something else; look for benchmarks or role models that inspire or lead to a better way. Document what changes you implemented and what your learnings were, then share them with others so that you can populate these learnings across the company. Gaining from experience and not being afraid to fail is the way to go.

At a role level, a company should document purpose and integrate it into the organization with a template. Define the role and the responsibilities aligned with that role, and let purpose guide this documentation. Ensure these align with the company’s goal, mission and vision.

For the company, a clearly defined mission and vision can help it attract and retain the right people. A clear position can help it understand who the ideal customer is and isn’t. The courage and commitment to serve the right customers, and not accept the wrong customers, demonstrate the values and ethics of a business, which further contributes to clarity and consistency. Productivity and a boost in morale are the byproducts of the above practices.

If the company’s purpose isn’t defined just yet, the ideal way to start is to find meaning in something and then build on it, one little piece at a time.

If your boss isn’t giving it to you, be proactive and define what gives your role, projects, and tasks meaning for yourself. This will make you happier at your job — or make you realize you’re in the wrong one. If a company was full of people finding meaning in their own job, I’d hate to be their competitor.