Do you like to travel?

I love it. And, I’ve had the good fortune of working in many countries –– Australia, Italy, Singapore, New Zealand, Mexico and Portugal, to name a few.

Seeing simple things that are different from my life back home stirs my creativity –– things as simple as a post box.

Ever notice how different they are in each country? They share the same purpose, and yet their designs are unique.

The other thing I’ve noticed from my work travels is that people, regardless of where they live, share a desire for purpose. Generational studies tend to assign “purpose” to the millennials. I’ve learned that it’s ubiquitous across all generations.

We regularly conduct culture audits for our clients that we call Culture Conversations. This qualitative research is a one-on-one, confidential approach that provides deep insight into the unique strengths of an organization’s culture, while candidly revealing areas of misalignment.

Twelve years into our journey as a culture activation firm, we have completed many of these audits. As a result, we can see trends. One of those is that everyone, regardless of the generational bucket they find themselves in, desires a sense of purpose. It seems we just express that need differently.

There's no doubt that significant differences exist between generations. But the one thing that is shared by all is purpose.

How are you tapping into your employees’ sense of purpose? (For a thought-starter, take a look at last month's newsletter.)

So, if you find yourself traveling for one of the many holiday traditions over the next few months, take the time to notice the post box and ask people what gives them a sense of purpose.

Thanks for being involved today,

Tim McCleary
Managing Director
The Involvement Practice

Purpose: Post boxes and people.