Leading With Meaning

In most organizations, leaders and managers focus on transactional activities and bottom-line results. Few are encouraged to consider how their contributions at work — how well they perform — have meaningful consequences for followers, their organizations, and society.

Does it matter whether or not people connect their work to their communities? If so, what role do leaders have in helping employees make these larger connections?

Research shows that a sense of meaning matters a great deal to leaders, followers, and organizations. Positive emotions broaden existing thought patterns and help people be more creative and make better decisions. Employees with a purposeful approach to work life tend to be more resilient in the face of uncertainty or stress. And leaders whose strong values are reflected in their actions show employees how to transcend self interest.

In this webinar, Smith School of Business professor Matthias Spitzmuller discusses how leaders can develop meaning within themselves and others. Drawing on his research into authenticity, Spitzmuller shows why positive emotions matter in the workplace and how they can be influenced by leaders and their followers.

In this 60-minute session, participants will learn about:

• The importance of meaning in a time of turbulence and change
• Authenticity as a starting point to develop meaning
• The role of positive emotions in the leadership process
• How leaders can create meaning by empowering employees and supporting their personal development