This week’s blog posts are going to be about the importance of being aligned with and connected to your work. I have seen many examples of people who are aligned with what they do and of those who are not aligned. It makes a huge difference in the way work is accomplished as well as how it impacts those we work and interact with.
When I say, “being aligned to your work”, I mean being connected to something that is meaningful to you, which aligns with your values and allows you to fulfill your desire to make a difference through your work. I coach many leaders who sometimes struggle in their roles and have behaviors that need to change or “developmental opportunities”. We all have areas to grow and develop but if the developmental opportunity is not aligned with something that is meaningful to you or gives your work purpose, you will likely struggle to develop in that area. If you lead from a place that is aligned to your values and from your place of purpose and making a difference, leading becomes very easy. In fact, people will want to follow you because they see how connected you are to what you are doing. Not only that, but doing your job also becomes very easy when you are aligned in this manner.
To find out if you are aligned with what you do, take some time to think about your values and motivators. What do you value? Does your work allow you to focus on what you value? What motivates you to get up in the morning? Does your work motivate you to get up in the morning? If you answer “no” to these questions too many times in a row, you may want to reconsider what it is you are doing for work, or look to discover how you can shift what you are doing in small ways so that it is more aligned with your values and motivators.
