A511.6.3_SeabournBeau

Reflect on what you have read and viewed and what it means when we say that leaders must create a “cause” or "meaning." Relate this to the theory of leading change. Use examples and apply the work of others where necessary.

This week I took some time to reflect on what I thought of the article and how a cause or meaning might effect my happiness and ability in the workplace. I found myself asking the age old question "am I doing what I love"? After all, isn't that how most of us selected what we are doing? I think there has been a shift away from what we might love to do and more toward the "what job pays me the most" culture. With that in mind, it was easy for me to understand why someone in a leadership role might have to come up with creative ways to engage their employees and to give them some incentive. I came up with a small idea that might be feasible for a manager. Let's use "Wendy". A manager could inspire meaning in Wendy by giving her some incentive on a weekly, monthly, and annual level. The leader could tell her that for maintaining her clients happiness and loyalty, she can gain a weekly early shove from work and monthly, she can gain one extra day off. If Wendy is able to do that for 10/12 months, she will receive a bonus at the year's end. That way Wendy understands that the company needs her help and that she is important to them. I think sometimes there is a systematic breakdown in the company letting the worker feel important and needed. This could solve that issue. A source I reviewed put that idea this way "This can be important in instances where areas that need improvement have been pointed out previously, such as during a performance appraisal. Positive reinforcement lets the employee know she is making progress and that management is recognizing her efforts (Joesph, 2013). The small details can pay the biggest rewards.

Secondly, there has to be some idea of leadership change in an atmosphere that has been deprived of quality work and worker dedication to their position. When a leader starts work in at a new company, they have to use strategic methods of change and motivation that fit the need of the employee, the company, and the overall mission of the job. With that being said, the employee has to have a sense of attachment or motivation. In another article I read, they talk about love in the workplace. They focus their attention on the happiness of someone at work. They state "Within the management domain, the word 'love' evokes this concept of this soft, fuzzy thing that you really can't take seriously at work," she said. "But companionate love is one of the basic emotions of human experience. Given how much time we spend at work, it's actually ignorant to think it wouldn't be a part of our work lives" (Huppke, 2014). I found that to be interesting. It wasn't the love of the individuals job that they were focused on, it was the focus of loving the company and the overall general direction the company was going. Motivation and cause are important in keeping the workforce happy and driven. That ability to help people find purpose is the main assertion of any good leader. To do that would mean success at your management level.


Huppke, R. (2014, January 20). Don't be afraid of love in the workplace. Chicago Tribune.

Joesph, C. (2013, January 1). Why Is Positive Reinforcement Important in the Workplace?. Small Business. Retrieved July 9, 2014, from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/positive-reinforcement-important-workplace-11566.html