“Todd calls out what many feel: That time is slipping, eaten away to a large degree by work. If you’re someone who sees work-life balance as an unattainable luxury, then Todd says you’re blinded and denying yourself happiness and a higher sense of purpose. Taking it back is the trick….
Todd’s advice is clear. Start thinking and planning. Build meaning back into your life. First, because if you do so you’ll be happier and that renewed feeling will inevitably feed its way back through the organization to positively infect others. And second, because the job will end. And when it does, you want to be ready with a life plan that elevates your thinking, keeps you moving, and drives you towards the thing that all of us as humans are most in need of – a sense of purpose….
“Purpose” as a business operating principle, has been elevated as a key priority for hundreds, if not thousands of organizations worldwide. The idea that all stakeholders are important, and not just shareholders is a new, novel, and some say, notorious concept. Convincing people within an organization to change the way they think, plan, and work is no easy task. Even so, that’s what purpose-driven organizations are trying to do – lifting their game in order to better serve people and planet.
But what happens if executives tasked with developing and delivering Corporate Purpose are experiencing their own existential crises? Many have built careers by toeing the party line, delivering results, and mastering corporate politics. Achieveing career goals carries some satisfaction, no doubt. But you have to ask: To what end? For those of you who’ve been in the game for a while, chances are you’ve made your company richer, more efficient, or even better liked. That’s great. But how do you feel…you know…personally?
“Tired,” said one senior executive who I recently spoke with. “It was hard enough to keep everyone happy before Covid. Now it’s even harder,” he told me.
My guest this episode, Todd Miller is someone who’s reflected on the challenges of modern corporate life. He knows first-hand that failure to address the yearnings of the soul – if not taken seriously – can alter your outlook on life, curtail job satisfaction, and leave you searching for answers in far away places. Here’s my conversation with Todd.”
— Steve Stine, Host – Inside Asia