The rich man... is always sold to the institution which makes him rich…
Why should we be in such desperate haste to succeed and in such desperate enterprises?  If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer: Let him step to the music he hears, however measured or far away. (Henry David Thoreau)

Welcome to our first ‘Significant’ Careers Blog.

Significant Executive Careers is a partner organisation to On-Purpose Partners Pty Ltd and Gifford Coaching Services Pty Ltd.

In our coaching practice we noticed that most clients sought something ‘more’ out of life and their careers.  This elusive ‘more’ always seemed to come back to a search for meaning and Purpose. Leaving a legacy beyond the material and a moving from the lure and addiction of success towards significance and meaning became more important to them.

We are not denigrating success.  Success (often gauged in terms of position, prestige, power and the accompanying material rewards) is not bad.  It is generally good to have worked hard and accomplished much and we need successful people in all areas of life. The desire for success and to be successful in careers is normal, healthy and desirable. In fact why would anyone choose not be successful and produce top performance in their chosen profession? 

So while embracing career success, an examination into what happens in the course of many people’s careers can give insight and perspective.  For many of us, success is a positive motivator. Like all good things, however, it can turn into a toxic addiction. We can become possessed by our possessions.  Those who have achieved a high level of success whether it be financial, vocational, sporting or otherwise, can get caught up in the unquestioning and unexamined thrill of the chase, the pressure of deadlines and the exhilaration of doing important things for seemingly high stakes. 

It is important to recognise that the desire and ‘mindset’ to view a career in terms of significance is not a criticism of success but the recognition that success is a ‘season’ in many peoples lives and careers.

‘Meaningful work’ may be considered a new buzz phrase worth exploring in the employment and careers industry.  It seems fuelled by works such as Malcolm Gladwell’s  Outliers, through Eckhart Tolle’s A New Earth, through the reported number (39%) of professionals wanting to downshift and through various business blogs and magazines. 

However, we have noticed that this is not a new phenomenon and that the general theme of extolling the virtues of meaningful rewards in lieu of pay, has been increasingly prominent over the past twenty years.  

People are looking for more meaning in their work lives. Throw in the recent recession, a few corporate scandals, and fear generated by terrorism and you will find people questioning their reason for living and what they should be doing with their lives. That is no surprise. What is surprising is that so many people say they are disconnected in the workplace despite being content with their salary and benefits. 

The 2009 SEEK Survey of Employee Satisfaction and Motivation in Australia paints a bleak picture of the country's workplace satisfaction.  The survey revealed that 53% of employees were unhappy or very unhappy, compared to just 22% who were happy or very happy and 23% who were neutral.  This means that approximately 70% Australian employees say they are unhappy or have no feelings either way about their work!

Why is this so? According to the report while the quality of management and leadership (25%) is the most ‘hated’ aspect of people’s jobs, high stress levels (23%) a lack of feedback and appreciation (21%) and little opportunity for career development (18%) are the other major reasons affecting job satisfaction.

Over 6/10 Australians want to leave their job in the next 12 months. The quality of leaders and management is the cited key reason for this but 32 % want to leave because of a lack of appreciation and recognition. 30% are looking for a new challenge and 23% are bored. In other words, employers are failing to engage their workforce in a way that fosters significance and belonging.

Interestingly, when we ask our clients what they ‘want’ from work, ‘money’ usually emerges as priority #6 or #7 and not #1!   No matter what response is given, answers always break into two broad categories – Significance and Belonging.  People want to know that what they do makes a difference.  They want to contribute meaningfully in the workplace, and to know that their contribution is appreciated and valued.  We call this the Purpose Principle where the Purpose of the person is aligned with the Purpose of the organisation (Pp↔Po).

According to Paul Fairlie, of Paul Fairlie Consulting, “Meaningful work includes anything that helps you fulfil a life Purpose, makes you happy, and that you would gladly do for no pay. Meaningful work also gives variety, control, feedback, recognition, and makes you do good for the world.”

If success has to do with getting and gaining, learning and earning, significance has to do with yearning.

Typically our clients come to a point in their career when they begin to experience a heightened sense of self-awareness, begin to dig deeper into what they are looking for and begin to ask searching questions of themselves. Something inside of them says, ‘You cannot keep doing what you do!’ or   ‘Enough of this!’ or ‘I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired!’

Success and significance are not mutually exclusive nor are they linear or necessarily hierarchical.  It is not about choosing another career that you hope will give you more meaning and Purpose and then getting on with it.  This would just be a continuation of the same behaviour and mindset.

Finding a meaningful career and engaging in meaningful work involves a change in your entire mindset.  It is often very hard to make the transition from a success driven career to one in which the primary motivation is significance and service. This change of mindset comes with discovering your Life Purpose or by unlocking the single greatest motivating force in your life and aligning your career to it.

Not only is alignment of Purpose essential but meaningful careers and work will also be enhanced where there is alignment of values.  It also comes from a deeper understanding of what it means to be human and the nature of human choice. 

After this, aligning and applying your special gifts and strengths, your passion, your highly developed abilities and transferable skills, your career ‘anchors’ (after Edgar Shine),  your unique personal style and your vast array of experience, come into play.

So what is Significant Executive Careers all about?  Our core motivation is to inspire and foster success, significance and service.  We exist to foster the success of clients seeking fulfilment and meaning in their career path whether transitioning or on-boarding to their new position.  We also offer a fully integrated and holistic solution to clients wanting to improve the connections between professional success, personal well-being and between those they interact with in life and work so they can have rich, full and meaningful lives and careers.

Edward Gifford PhD SEC Career Coach	Angela Gifford MEd SEC Career Coach