It’s not only about purpose!
What does it take for management consultants to experience their work as meaningful, and how can the profession’s leadership support the individual?
Purpose seems to be a popular term in today’s work settings (e.g. McKinsey & Company, 2021), potentially even further exaggerated by the current pandemic and related challenges of people rethinking their work.
Employees who retrieve purpose from their work, no matter in which profession, report on better outcomes of their work and even positive impact on one’s life compared to their peers, who do not see purpose in their work. Although purpose is being seen as an important element in today’s work settings, own research has shown (Dr. Sebastian Müller-Bellé, 2020), that purpose is only one element of many, which lead to the perception of meaningfulness in work and life.
The specifics of the profession of management consulting
Personal observations of individuals within the profession of management consulting have shown individuals cherishing their profession for its thought leadership and ability to quickly advance in one’s career, but at the same time struggling within the highly complex environment. This caused the concern that the individual’s view on and its development within this complex profession might not be adequately considered so far.
“To be honest I didn’t really know what to do after my studies. The essence was actually, that/ that I decided not to decide.”
“Well, I do not have anything like a five-year-plan nor do I know if next year I want to do this and that, but what I think is, that consulting does not involve much commitment as anywhere else, at least I feel this way.”
While the individual consultant seems under pressure, consulting firms suffer from a high employee turnover rate. Research in other areas indicates potential causes: the profession might be affected by more than just having to face high workload and stress, turning attention to the experience of meaningful work as a prerequisite for personal health and well-being.
“And I believe, if you work so hard then it needs to be meaningful somehow. Otherwise the point will be reached very quickly where you ask yourself, why am I doing this?”
In the following, this article outlines four pathways, which have an impact on the experience of meaningfulness in work. Each of the four pathways, individuation, contribution, self-connection and unification, provides mechanisms to perceive one’s work as meaningful. The four pathways result out of two different sources for meaningful work, self and others, as well as two mechanisms for meaningful work, being and doing.
It is thereby down to the individual to impact their personal perception of meaning. Organizations can support these sense-giving mechanisms, such as ensuring a proper work-role fit, but cannot predetermine the individual’s preferences and needs.
For all four pathways, questions are listed below, to help the reader to identify mechanisms, which are relevant for the own perception of meaningfulness of work within the profession of management consulting. In addition, each pathway lists some elements to be considered by people in the position to lead others, ultimately enabling the perception of meaningfulness in work for every consultant based on their individual needs.
First pathway: Individuation, perceiving meaning sourced from the self and one’s actions
The pathway individuation includes mechanisms which are sourced in the self and one’s actions, including the control over work, autonomy in work, own competencies, capabilities, and accomplishments.
In order to identify your personal view on the mechanisms of this pathway, think about the following questions, asking yourself if you enjoy…
- The flexibility how to confront tasks and related challenges, being giving a high level of personal autonomy and control?
- The freedom of making mistakes and learning from them?
- To experience a sense of adventure, being regularly confronted with new areas of expertise, extending one’s own mindset and development of the self?
- The possibility to change one’s focus within the same firm/ team, having control over my work and development?
- Being frequently challenged, and able to overcome these challenges utilizing my own competencies?
- Being rewarded and cherished for my accomplishments?
People engaged in leadership, should think about the following aspects when leading others, aiming to enable the mechanisms listed above:
- Appropriate level of personal freedom
- Balanced individual workload
- Aligned expectations towards the individual’s career, role etc.
- Transparent communication of goals and how individual assignments relate to them
Second pathway: Contribution, perceiving meaning from one’s actions in context of others
The pathway contribution includes mechanisms which are sourced in others and one’s actions, including the perceived impact of one’s work, purpose in the sense of the significance of one’s work, as well as the interconnection (with others) and self-abnegation.
In order to identify your personal view on the mechanisms of this pathway, think about the following questions, asking yourself if you enjoy…
- Achieving a dedicated result with and at the client and receiving positive client feedback and recognition?
- Achieving something substantial and tangible for the client?
- To ultimately change business and society for a greater good?
- Working as part of a larger team, across regions, capabilities etc.?
- To experience joint achievements of the entire team, being even more important compared to individual achievements?
- The work with others, helping to extend and broaden one’s individual range of knowledge?
People engaged in leadership, should think about the following aspects when leading others, aiming to enable the mechanisms listed above:
- Frequent feedback, also involving the client
- Tangibility of work and project outcomes
- Fostering team work
Third pathway: Self-connection, perceiving meaning from the self and the mechanism of being
The pathway self-connection includes mechanisms which are sourced in the self and the mechanism of being, including self-concordance, identity affirmation, personal engagement, as well as a sense of purpose based on directedness & intentionality.
In order to identify your personal view on the mechanisms of this pathway, think about the following questions, asking yourself if you enjoy…
- Learning more about myself and the way I act and react, e.g., in challenging situations?
- Better understanding what is important for myself?
- Being asked to continuously develop myself?
- Building-up my experience and developing my own profile and expertise on a continuous basis?
- Work assignments, which allow me to quickly advance into a leadership role?
People engaged in leadership, should think about the following aspects when leading others, aiming to enable the mechanisms listed above:
- Support of authentic behavior
- Consistent (career) development paths
- Support different types of personality and diversity
Fourth pathway: Unification, perceiving meaning from connecting with others
The pathway unification includes mechanisms which are sourced in others and the mechanism of being, including a sense of purpose through common value systems, social identification, and interpersonal connectedness.
In order to identify your personal view on the mechanisms of this pathway, think about the following questions, asking yourself if you enjoy…
- Sharing a similar mind-set and gaining the feeling of “sitting in the same boat”, nourishing a close colleagueship among project teams and communities outside of projects?
- Working with clients, allowing engagement on a personal level?
- Being confronted with the clients’ individual problems and fears?
- Acting as a model for other colleagues and the client?
- Sharing these values while leading others, e.g., in the context of projects and other communities?
- Acting as caretaker, while counselling and coaching others?
- Experiencing a sense of connectedness towards the consulting company and teams and related common goals?
- Building friendships within a community of like-minded people?
- Temporarily setting back one’s own needs if required?
People engaged in leadership, should think about the following aspects when leading others, aiming to enable the mechanisms listed above:
- Consistent (career) expectations
- Transparency in communication
- Ensuring a good team atmosphere
- Strong involvement of every individual
The questions listed above should give you a good starting point to think about and reflect on your daily work as management consultant, and to determine, what it actually takes to perceive your work as meaningful. Please be reminded, that you do not need to answer or agree to all of the questions listed above. In addition, this list should not be regarded as comprehensive. There might be further aspects, which are important for your individual perception.
I want to close this article with quotes from experienced management consultants, being asked how they have found long term motivation with their work as consultant.
“In this way, an entrepreneurial spirit has been nurtured. That you also, if you had an own idea, that you then/ that you then have the possibility to make something out of it and further develop it. You have also been able to very much act in an autonomous way within the projects.”
“But I recognize, that it now is the way, that I really get the feeling, that I, and even if just being tiny, can change something.”
“…here in the so-called first world there are enough situations where we can really achieve something for humanity and this is what drives me currently.”
This article is based on the research published under “In Pursuit of Meaningfulness in Work”. All quotes in this article are taken from personal interviews with management consultants, conducted as part of the study. Further articles are published at mgmtc.org on an ongoing basis.
The book can be purchased including the following locations: Amazon.de, Buecher.de, Thalia, Cuvillier (publisher).
Please reach out to me for further information or if you want to share you view, experiences, thoughts on this topic.
