The Management Tip of the Day

Read online

December 12, 2018 You Can Find Meaning Even in Tasks You Don't Enjoy Doing We all have parts of our jobs that aren't fun. But even an unpleasant task can have meaning if you search for it. Try this exercise. Think about an activity that you don't always enjoy doing — delivering performance reviews, for example. Now ask yourself why you do it, but ask four times. The first time you ask "Why do I do this?" you might answer, "Because I have to" or "I want to let my people know where they stand." Then ask a second time: "Why do I want to let my people know where they stand?" The answer here might not be inspiring: "Because it's part of my job." But the answer might also start to sound more meaningful: "So that people can know how they can reach their career goals." Then ask a third time: "Why do I care if people know how to reach their career goals?" Continue for one more iteration. By the fourth round, you're likely to uncover a meaningful reason behind the activity — and a motivation for doing it well. Adapted from "The Most Powerful Lesson My Cancer Taught Me About Life and Work," by Dan Cable

ADVERTISEMENT

BEST SELLERS HBR's 10 Must Reads: The Essentials | HBR's 10 Must Reads Boxed Set | HBR Guide to Persuasive Presentations | HBR Guide to Better Business Writing | HBR Guide to Getting the Right Work Done

FEATURED PRODUCT HBR's 10 Must Reads 2019 Harvard Business Review HBR's 10 Must Reads 2019 brings the most current and important management conversations of the year right to your fingertips, with authors from Thomas Davenport to Michael Porter and company examples from Facebook to DHL. This book will inspire you to: Make stronger connections and build greater trust among teams Engage customers and employees alike with the help of artificial intelligence Channel your outrage about sexual harassment in the workplace into effective action Consider how CEO activism can generate goodwill for your company—and weigh its risks Pair data with qualitative research to increase diversity in your organization Remain competitive in a hub economy by using your company's assets and capabilities differently. $34.95 Buy Now

FEATURED PRODUCT Self-Awareness (HBR Emotional Intelligence Series) Harvard Business Review, Daniel Goleman, Robert Steven Kaplan, and Susan David Self-awareness, the bedrock of emotional intelligence, enables you to see your talents, shortcomings, and potential. Learn how to understand your thoughts and emotions, how to persuade colleagues to share what they really think of you, and why self-awareness will spark more productive and rewarding relationships with your employees and bosses. $19.99 Buy Now

HBR.ORG | TOPICS | THE MAGAZINE | BOOKS | CASES | STORE | SUBSCRIBE TO HBR UNSUBSCRIBE | MANAGE NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIPTIONS | NEWSLETTERS PRIVACY POLICY | CONTACT Copyright © 2018 Harvard Business School Publishing, an affiliate of Harvard Business School. All rights reserved. Harvard Business Publishing 60 Harvard Way Boston, MA 02163 CUSTOMER SERVICE: 800-988-0886 (US/Canada) 1-617-783-7500 (outside the U.S. and Canada)