Others retire earlier or are in transition because their job is no longer needed. We use words like downsizing and rightsizing to mask the reality that people lose jobs for reasons other than performance. In fact, it has been suggested that we now live in a post-job world. In this new world of work we have found that people want to contribute to a cause, not just earn a living. When we create alignment between the mission of the firm and the cause of its people, we unleash a creative power that results in quality service to the customer and the growth and development of the people who do the serving.
People find meaning in their work.
The mission becomes an organizing principle of effectiveness. While we work with many accomplished people seeking new ways to contribute, we also have many workers coming to us with little or no formal training, social skills, or understanding of standards of civility. The distinctions we once made between going to school during part of our life and then working for the other part are no longer meaningful. For all people, the lines between school and work are blurring. As we recognize the importance of dealing with the whole person, we seek to link the performance of the task with the development of the person, and to assume responsibility for what happens to the person in the process.