The power of work you love

Global researcher Marcus Buckingham has a new book called Love + Work (out 5 April, 2022). In it he rages against our education systems for standardising and testing our children, without digging deeply into their uniqueness and the things that they really love.

He has personal reasons to feel very strongly about this subject; his ex-wife was convicted in the US college admissions scandal for trying to get their son into the right college, having bribed someone to improve his test results. He describes the trauma of these events—of which he was unaware until she was arrested by the FBI—in such a way that you half wish there was another book about that experience.

Marcus links the incident to recent data which suggests that only 16% of us—that’s just 4 in every 25 people—are fully engaged at work. The rest of us are turning up for the money or, maybe these days, staying at home for it.

This week’s vlog explores his research findings. For those interested, these are the questions he asks to help people identify their red threads. These are the specific things we love that, if we do them at work, will make us happier and more productive.

When was the last time you. . .

⏰. . . lost track of time?

🙋‍♀️. . . instinctively volunteered for something?

🔔. . . someone had to tear you away from what you were doing?

🕹. . . felt completely in control of what you were doing . . . and surprised yourself by how well you did?

⭐️. . . were singled out for praise?

👁. . . were the only person to notice something?

🎈. . . found yourself actively looking forward to work?

💡. . . came up with a new way of doing things?

⏲. . . wanted the activity to never end?

It reminds me that one of my red threads is my nosiness, the reason I love research to much!

Next week 

I’m looking at how hybrid work is impacting on 20-somethings.

It’s a subject I am keen to explore more, so if your organisation is interested in sponsoring a deeper dive into it, let me know.

Christine