‘Summertime, when the living is easy…’ So sang Clara in Gershwin’s ‘Porgy and Bess’ and although we might not use the word ‘easy’ certainly the summertime is easier for many of us and consequently an opportunity for reflection. We also find ourselves in the economic ‘spring time’ with many companies reporting significant increases in profits from last year’s results giving most the sense that working life is on the up.

It is during such times (calendar summers and economic springs) that many workers take time to reflect on the ‘why’ of their job and life. These moments are times of great opportunity as well as high risk for companies and their leaders, for the answers to these questions can have significant results. Often in coaching conversations individuals speak of an ‘incongruence’ between their role/job and their aspirations for life and the sense of purpose they hunger for.

Some leaders respond to such issues by asserting that they just need to ‘suck it up’ – their view would be that individuals are paid good money for the job they do and they just need to get on with it. Others, we would suggest the ‘wiser’ ones, take a different view. They recognise the need to help their talent feel connected to a sense of meaningful purpose in their work and try and assist them to find ‘congruency’.

It has dawned on these wise ones that it won’t take long for individuals to work out that their life’s purpose amounts to more than lining the pockets of owners and shareholders. They know that the most valuable asset their company has, walks out of the door between 5pm and 6pm most days and so are motivated to address this issue.

Studies have shown that money is only part of the picture for talented individuals. One study of business school graduates tracked the careers of 1,500 people from 1960 to 1980. From the beginning, the graduates were grouped into two categories. Category A consisted of people who said they wanted to make money first so that they could do what they really wanted to do later – after they had taken care of their financial concerns. Those in category B pursued their true interests first, sure that the money eventually would follow.

Of the 1,500 graduates in the survey, the ‘money-now’ category As comprised 93 percent, or 1,245 people. Category B ‘risk-takers’ made up 17 percent, or 255 graduates. After twenty years there were 101 millionaires in the group. One came from category A, 100 from category B.1

So how do leaders help create such ‘congruency’ for their people?

• Corporate Culture – this seems to be a key dynamic for people. I spoke recently with a new hire in a company who said, ‘This is the kind of environment that I have been looking for all my working life’. Great corporate cultures enable people to ‘find something of themselves’ in their work environment. A place that has strong defining values which are celebrated regularly, as well as open and relational environments are best suited to the task.
• Intentional Encouragement – The Mobile Phone retailer, the Carphone Warehouse, recognises the importance of providing space for people to create congruency through their ‘Challenge Yourself’ programme. This is a company sponsored programme encouraging individuals to stretch themselves to new inspiring physical and emotional limits. Some may feel this distracting for the job, but the reality is that if the company doesn’t affirm and encourage it, they will do it any way, much better for the company to facilitate the inevitable.
• Philanthropic Engagement – Most organisations have some kind of charitable outlet. As well as being tax efficient and helping to tick the CSR box, it also has huge capacity for enabling this congruence. Sadly, the bigger Corps have much of their charitable stuff tucked away in bureaucratic structures that leave most employees disenfranchised. Open it up to involvement, help people to be proud of where they work. Mako Global, a city derivatives firm, has sponsored the Dealing For Donation Day (www.dealingfordonation.co.uk) and has tied their core competency into such an endeavour.
• Model It – People who witness leaders living lives that are about more than the ‘bottom line’ are inspired to do the same and can find a degree of congruency within that relationship. Such models create rapport with this aspect of people’s aspirations and thus can increase commitment to the corporation they represent.

There are no easy answers to these questions but in our contemporary zeitgeist where increasing numbers of talented executives are considering downsizing or ‘pro-tiring’ in their 30’s and 40’s, we ignore them at our peril. As individuals consider their lot during the summer months it is the wise leader that will find a way to help them answer the congruency question, and they could do a lot worse than starting with themselves.

‘The trouble with life in the fast lane is that you get to the other end in an awful hurry’
John Jensen

Phil Wall
CEO

1 Making a Life, Making a Living, Mark Albion, Warner Books, pp17