You can be dependable, hardworking, and successful at what you do… and still feel unseen. You keep delivering. Keep saying yes. Keep chasing the next goal, the next bit of recognition, or the next sign that your work matters.
But when does meaningful work become chasing approval? And what does that cost you as a leader?
My special guest today is Justin Jones-Fosu and he’s simplifying how to stop chasing & start creating at work.
We’ll talk about why managers shape the meaning people find in their work, often more than the organization’s mission. Justin will also share how to apply his Create Meaning Cycle of Choose, Commit, and Cultivate with your team.
And if you’re already stretched thin and thinking, “I cannot add one more thing,” we’ll explore the small shifts you can make to create more meaning in the work your team is already doing.
The Create Meaning Cycle:
- Choose: Take ownership of how you lead and the meaning you create with your team.
- Commit: Build consistency through small, intentional habits that help people feel seen.
- Cultivate: Regularly reflect on what’s working, what isn’t, and what needs to change.
Because creating more meaning at work doesn’t require another big initiative. It starts with how you recognize people, connect their work to its impact, and protect the meaningful work that may not deliver an immediate, visible result.
What’s catching my eye this week:
- 3 hours of (free) focus music for deep concentration - Quiet Quest - Study Music
- Mary’s book is out now! Buy Squash the Sunday Scaries: A Modern Playbook to Rebuild Trust, Transform Culture, and Reignite Your Workforce on Amazon now or your favorite bookstore!
- Hire Mary Baird, PHR to help you run a 30-day Employee Experience Accelerator to listen better to your workforce, rebuild trust in your senior leadership and improve culture at work - The Simplifiers
- 50 powerful questions to help you reflect - The Institute of You
My challenge for you this week:
Where might you or your team be chasing approval, visibility, or busyness instead of creating meaning?
Choose one small change you can make this week. Recognize someone’s contribution. Connect a task to the bigger impact. Or ask your team what part of their work feels most meaningful right now.
Then, send me a DM over on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/thesimplifiers and tell me what you chose.
Episode sponsored in part by Goodboy Agency, providing employer branding redesigns for busy HR Teams:
This episode is brought to you in part by Goodboy, helping HR teams compete for top talent. Goodboy helps midsize companies strengthen their employer brand, attract better candidates, and fill open roles faster. From redesigning your careers page to running targeted recruitment campaigns, they’ll help your company stand out in a crowded talent market. Visit www.goodboyagency.com/simplifiers to learn more.
Links, books and apps mentioned:
Book: Stop Chasing, Start Creating: A Timeless Fable on Mindset, Resilience, and Meaningful Work - Justin Jones-Fosu
Book: I Respectfully Disagree: How to Have Difficult Conversations in a Divided World - Justin Jones-Fosu
Book: Your WHY Matters NOW: How Some Achieve More and Others Don’t - Justin Jones-Fosu
Video: Stop Chasing Meaning. Create It in the Middle of the Mess - Justin Jones-Fosu at TEDxAsheville
Resource: Learn more about Work.Meaningful
Resource: Learn more about the Work Meaningful Foundation
Podcast: How to master the art of executive storytelling, featuring Libby Magliolo - The Simplifiers Podcast
Podcast: How to squash the Sunday Scaries (guided visualization) - The Simplifiers Podcast
Mary’s new book is out NOW on Amazon!
My new book, Squash the Sunday Scaries: A Modern Playbook to Rebuild Trust, Transform Culture, and Reignite Your Workforce, is out now — and you can buy it today on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or your favorite independent bookstore. It’s written for HR leaders, people managers, and anyone ready to make work better in a practical, human way. If you’ve been looking for simple tools to improve employee experience, rebuild trust, and create better results for your people and your business, this book is for you. Learn more, visit: https://www.thesimplifiers.com/book
About Justin Jones-Fosu:
Justin Jones-Fosu is a philanthropist and CEO of Work.Meaningful, a firm focused on workplace engagement and meaningful work.
He is the founder of the Work Meaningful Foundation, advancing education-driven impact in communities locally and globally.
A global speaker and trainer, Justin delivers 40 to 50 keynotes and workshops each year. He is known for connecting with audiences in a down-to-earth, humorous, and deeply human way.
Justin is the author of Stop Chasing, Start Creating, I Respectfully Disagree, and Your WHY Matters NOW. He is also the author of the Meaningful Work in America National Study.
Where Justin hangs out online:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iworkmeaningful
Website: https://workmeaningful.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iworkmeaningful
Foundation: https://workmeaningfulfoundation.org
Justin’s vote for the perfect guest on The Simplifiers Podcast:
Marcey Rader - She is a Certified Speaking Professional®, TEDx speaker, five-time author, and founder of RaderCo. She teaches leaders and teams how to do the right things first through relentless prioritization, clearer focus, and sustainable work habits. Marcey has worked with audiences across five continents, helping people reduce meeting overload, make faster decisions, and protect their energy. She is the author of The Right Things First: A Pocket Guide to Relentless Prioritization.
