Plan positive - Pillar 3

Make sure you have something you can look forward to in the week. An interesting piece of work, or maybe a meeting with an individual or group that will make you feel good and give you purpose.

Dan Pink’s ‘Autonomy, mastery and purpose framework’ and Simon Sink’s ‘Finding your purpose’ show that individuals with a strong sense of purpose are more engaged, more motivated and report higher levels of mjob satisfaction. If we know how our work is making an impact, especially the more mundane aspects of our job, this gives us drive and creates a positive feeling about what we are doing.

Easy? Yes, and No. To some extent these actions can be controlled by you. But in order for them to be sustainable there is a reliance on the organisation’s culture and environment.

Organisational culture is a big concept and can feel totally overwhealming when you’re grappling with how to influence it and where to start. For me, I break it down. Your culture is, at it’s most basic level, about the four or five people people you work closely with.Whether you work for a large corporation, a medium sized organisation or you run your own business, typically you work closely with a small group of people who set your ways of working, feeling and being. We all know how one person’s energy or behaviour in a small group can have a ripple effect on those around them!

One person that is likely to have the most influence on your day and way of working is your manager. So - to all the managers and leaders out there today, remember that you have a great responsibility and opportunity to make change!

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