Meaningful Work: How to Ignite Passion and Performance in Every Employee - Hardcover

by Wes Adams (Author), Tamara Myles (Author)

"A timely, clear, and actionable book" (Adam Grant) that makes the powerful case that meaning at work drives employee well-being, high performance, and even profit

Named A Best Book of the Year by Fast Company and Next Big Idea Club

We're in the middle of the most significant transformation in work in over a century. Whether it's remote work, the rise of burnout and "quiet quitting," or the changing values and priorities of employees, leading an organization has never been more complex. But through all this, a single factor remains the core driver of fulfilled, high-performing teams--their belief that their work has meaning.

In Meaningful Work, Wes Adams and Tamara Myles, advisers to some of the world's most successful companies, leverage the science of positive psychology to show leaders why and how to make meaning the cornerstone of leadership practice. It is a practical playbook based on decades of research, including their own groundbreaking multi-year study of meaning at work, and stories from leaders you already admire and others that will surprise and inspire you.

The book reveals that high engagement, happiness, productivity, and financial performance from employees are all outcomes of helping them find meaning at work. And that every job can be meaningful when leaders create a workplace culture that focuses on the three Cs: Community, Contribution, and Challenge.

Whether you lead a team of call center workers, care professionals, cycling instructors, or corporate executives, this book will show you how to take small actions each day to inspire passion and performance in every employee.

Back Jacket

"A timely, clear, and actionable book about the science and practice of making work more worthwhile."
--Adam Grant, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of Think Again

"Meaningful Work is a remarkable guide to more passion, meaning, and greater contribution to the world! If you want to challenge yourself to do more for others, start here!"
--Tom Rath, author of StrengthsFinder 2.0

"Adams and Myles masterfully blend compelling real-world stories with the latest insights from positive psychology to offer a roadmap for transforming organizational culture. This book is a must-read for leaders who want to move beyond traditional management and foster workplaces where employees feel valued, inspired, and driven to achieve their best."
--Dr. Marshall Goldsmith, New York Times-bestselling author of What Got You Here Won't Get You There

"Adams and Myles have tapped into something profound, reminding us that meaning at work matters more than anything else, not only because it unleashes each of our deepest motivations, but also drives long-term impact for an organization. With plenty of useful examples and tools, Meaningful Work gives us a comprehensive roadmap to take action."
--Tina Mylon, chief talent and diversity officer, Schneider Electric

"Every leader today should know the 3 Cs of meaningful work. A must-read for anyone who wants to create a workplace that thrives."
--Dan Heath, #1 New York Times-bestselling coauthor of Switch

"Read Meaningful Work today, and watch the morale in your company improve."
--Arthur C. Brooks, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of Build the Life You Want

Author Biography

Wes Adams is founder and CEO of SV Consulting Group. He has led teams that were recognized as one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Brands, won multiple Webby Awards, and received two James Beard Award nominations. He lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

Tamara Myles is a consultant and international speaker with over two decades of experience helping leaders improve business performance. She is a professor at Boston College, an instructor at the University of Pennsylvania, and author of The Secret to Peak Productivity. She lives in Concord, Massachusetts.