Last week, I was at a conference, and the keynote speaker shared a simple question that really resonated with me. He said he dreaded being asked, “What do you do?” because he had a hard time describing what he does for a living. While at a dinner party, his seatmate turned to him, and, expecting the dreaded question, he was surprised. Instead of asking the standard, “What do you do?” She asked, “What do you love about what you do?”
That simple question shifted the conversation from the mundane to a rich and meaningful dialogue. It allowed him to speak from the heart and reveal his connection to purpose.
“What do you do?” is a question about your job. The response is usually as prosaic as a job description.
Asking, “What do you love about your work?” gets to the heart of one’s purpose. It zeroes in on what you’re passionate about. Typically, a rich dialog follows.
Curious about how the question would land, I asked it during one of my group coaching sessions this week. Instead of talking about techniques for connecting to purpose, I asked the group what they loved. A lively, enthusiastic, and heartfelt conversation ensued, leaving everyone focused on the positive aspects of their work.
Several group members said they planned to start asking this question as a part of their stay interviews.
One simple question can make all the difference. You can’t go wrong by asking people what they love. Try it, and listen carefully to the response. You might just get inspired.
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Tags: connection to purpose, culture, purpose
