Meaning-Centered Leadership: Skills and Strategies for Increased Employee Well-Being and Organizational Success

by Barbara E Bartels, C Edward Jackson

Today’s multigenerational, fast-paced work environment is causing employees to rethink their work. Today it is less about the paycheck and more about seeking a meaningful and purpose-driven career. As we spend more time in the workplace, and technology makes working from anywhere more commonplace, it is more vital than ever to create a work environment that instills meaning, both in the workplace and in our lives. Research shows that the vast majority of employees (85% worldwide) are disengaged, which is killing employee happiness and satisfaction, and thereby affecting the bottom line. Meaning-Centered Leadership will inspire and incite readers to create meaning in their organizations so their employees have higher engagement and are more fulfilled. By creating meaning, we can turn employee engagement levels upside down, creating a powerful, more productive, and overall happier place to work. The 3Es of Meaning-Centered Leadership - Engagement, Empowerment, and Expertise - will provide leaders ways to develop behaviors and strategies that in turn will inspire employees to love their jobs and their lives! Happier employees lead to healthier work environments and higher engagement, positively impacting the bottom line.

194 pages, Paperback

Published January 15, 2021

Reviews

[Dave Manning · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick read, this book would be a valuable source for creating slides for L&OD presentations (lots of small sections and "here try this" nuggets). There were a few unapologetic references to religion that bothered me, though (eg, "as said in Proverbs blah blah blah"), as if that matters to me, which were a real turn-off. They also got Viktor Frankl's lifespan years wrong (he didn't die in the 1970s, he died in the 1990s), which for a book on meaning, is probably the one thing you want to get right. BUT, it's a book I'll keep rather than donate, and will use as a reference for leadership development ideas. If that's all you want to do, it's a good starting point and mentions dozens of other books for continued reading throughout. Technically speaking, I'd say the book focuses more on creating a healthy workplace rather than a meaning-centered one (for that I'd much more strongly encourage you to look into the Map of Meaningful Work), and isn't really research-based in the traditional academic sense as it is "we explored this concept" (though, this was far easier to read than the Map of Meaningful Work which desperately needs a revision to a more casual, readable voice). I'm glad this book exists, I'm thrilled people are shifting their focus to meaning as actually being important, and I hope the authors find success & fulfillment sharing their message.