015-How Meaningful Work Powers Performance
From Beyond The Class: From Knowledge To Action by Chapman Foundation for Caring Communities
May 26, 2026 · 21 min · Season 2 · Episode 15
About this episode
Misty Janks discusses how meaningful work is created through daily experiences rather than mission statements, and shares practical leadership behaviors to enhance meaning at work.
Meaning isn't built with slogan s . It's created through daily experiences, and it can fuel results. In this episode of Beyond the Class , Misty Janks, Organizational Psychologist and CEO of the Chapman Foundation for Caring Communities, challenges a common misconception: that meaning lives in mission statements or motivational language. Instead, she reframes meaning as something employees either experience—or don't —through everyday interactions, conversations, and leadership behaviors. Misty positions meaning not as an abstract concept, but as a practical leadership responsibility . R esearch shows that employees who have a deeper sense of meaning at work and connect to something larger than themselves, persist through challenges, grow in their field, and are more likely to stay with the organiza tion. From there, she introduces a practical set of behaviors leaders can use immediately . Six Practices for Strengthening Meaning at Work Keep the human impact front and center. Name how each role connects to the larger mission. Create intentional space for reflection in one-on-one conversations. Recognize behaviors that align with values. Use purpose as a decision-making lens. Build…
People in this episode
Guest: Misty Janks
Topics covered
- meaningful work
- employee engagement
- leadership
- organizational psychology
- workplace culture
Keywords
- meaningful work
- leadership responsibility
- employee retention
- organizational behavior
- workplace meaning
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Chapman Foundation for Caring Communities
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