This week’s Resource Recommendation: The Why of Work by Dave and Wendy Ulrich.
Human beings need meaning to be happiest and most productive. And while this has been known individually and collectively for a long time, leaders often struggle trying to help people – and entire organizations – capture, create or find meaning in their work.
That is the focus of this book written by a married couple – Dave, a professor of business, author and more, and Wendy, a practicing psychologist. This “marriage” brings a unique and valuable perspective to a book on an important topic.
I had a bit of trouble getting started in the book (even though I care deeply about the topic); however, it was worth the early personal struggle because the book provides a seven part framework for leaders and individuals to look at the totality of meaning plus how to understand and create it.
As with any complex topic, pulling it apart into component pieces and looking at those pieces individually helps you understand it more completely. The Ulrich’s understand this and extended their framework with a chapter on each of the pieces.
It is a well constructed and well thought out book. If you are struggling with work/life balance, looking for greater meaning at work, or wonder why you don’t see what others see, this book will help you.
As a leader it will help you even more as you sort out the complexities that surround creating more effective organizations by creating greater meaning.
If either of these things describes you, I highly recommend this book.
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