Why do you do what you do?

December 3, 2021

Why do you work in healthcare?

Because it pays well? 

A sense of job security?

The respect and prestige of your title?

Sure, those things matter. But it’s not the first thing that comes to mind.

I believe that you chose to work in healthcare because you care about helping others. There’s great satisfaction in providing a service that has a clear purposeful outcome.

Now if I asked your office manager, would they say the same?

Let’s face it…not every job can be glamorous.

But every job can be purposeful. 

I once read a story about a janitor at NASA. When asked what his job was, he said, “Putting a man on the moon.” 

That kind of response is only possible with great leadership.

Your role as a leader includes fostering a clear sense of purpose at all levels within the organization.

Last week, I asked how you would feel if one of your key employees quit.

Now I ask you to consider why someone might leave in the first place. 

It’s easy to overlook purpose as a key factor in employee satisfaction. But it’s very real. 

Covid-19 highlighted purpose in the workplace. As a result, many people have reconsidered why they do what they do. I encounter this with clients every day.

Purpose at work makes us more productive, happier, healthier, more resilient, and dedicated.

In healthcare today, you can’t compete on price. Much of what the patients pay is fixed.  

You can’t compete with technology because it is easily duplicated.

The one thing you can compete on is culture. 

So what are you doing to create a purpose-driven culture with your team?