Guides are skilled, empathetic professionals trained to use the Map of Meaning to help you uncover what really matters in your worklife.
How would it feel to be truly listened to—by someone who won’t judge and whose only goal is to support you in your quest for greater fulfillment at work? That’s what it’s like to work with a MeaningSphere Guide. In this article, the first of a multi-part series, we’ll explore who Guides are and what they can offer.
So, who are these Guides?
The short answer? MeaningSphere Guides are skilled, empathetic professionals who are trained to use a framework called the Map of Meaning to help individuals uncover what really matters to them in their worklives. They do this through a one-on-one virtual session called a Guided Discussion–and if you don’t know what that is, don’t worry, we’ll go into greater detail about what to expect in a Guided Discussion in Part 2 of this series.
Now, for the longer answer.
Guides come from many different walks of life and occupational backgrounds. They share an interest in understanding what moves people, hearing their stories, and learning what brings people meaning in their worklives. Additionally, Guides bring their professional success and a wide range of skill sets to the table. They pair their experiences as coaches, business leaders, consultants, artists, and teachers with their skills in active listening and their training in the Map of Meaning.
What can MeaningSphere Guides offer?
In their one-on-one sessions with individuals, Guides use this (visual-learner-friendly!) framework and the helpful language it provides to inspire new insights and unlock new perspectives on the role of work. Over the course of an hour, you can expect to learn about the Map of Meaning, unpack your assessment results, and develop a “Stop, Start, Continue” plan focused on experiencing greater meaning at work.
By design, a Guided Discussion involves a little bit of pre-work, but it’s the kind you’ll likely find rewarding and enjoyable. Before you can book time with a Guide, you’ll need to complete the Meaningful Work Inventory, a 31-item personal assessment based on the Map of Meaning, and download your report. Prior to your session, you’ll also be asked to identify five to seven items from the Inventory that you most want to discuss with a Guide. Equipped with your report and these items, your Guide will be well positioned to use the hour effectively. They’ll focus on asking the right questions and work with you to create a “Stop, Start, Continue” action plan so you’ll be empowered to make positive changes in your work right away.
Guides won’t shy away from asking you honest questions or inviting you to examine work experiences with a fresh perspective. However, they remain open and accept you without conditions. This is far rarer than it may sound.
The value of a safe sounding board
Outside of a therapy session, many working people don’t get the opportunity to discuss work issues honestly and objectively. In the workplace, it may not be wise to share our true feelings. 😬 And sure, we might be able to share more openly with our partners, family, friends, and perhaps a few trusted colleagues–but although these listeners may care about us very deeply, they are often too personally invested in our decisions to be objective. Your parents might want you to follow a career path they think is respectable. Your spouse or partner may be concerned about how your work choices will impact your relationship or your shared financial stability. Your friends are probably supportive of your professional development as long as it doesn’t mean you’ll have less time to spend with them—and your close colleagues may feel similarly.
Knowing that people close to us may have a personal stake in our choices can make it harder to have honest conversations about what’s not working anymore in our professional lives, and what new possibilities and interests we might want to explore. The role of a Guide, then, is that of a thoughtful listener with no such “conflicts of interest.” One anonymous testimonial put it this way: “I decided to meet with a guide after receiving my report and I’m so glad I did. It’s rare I get to talk to someone about work who is truly unbiased and just wants me to make the best choice for me.”
A regular practice of reflecting honestly on life experiences helps you gain better self-awareness and can foster personal and professional development. With a Guide, you’ll have the benefit of a safe sounding board and a confidential space where you can explore what really matters to you at work (and identify what doesn’t).
What don’t Guides offer?
It’s important to note that Guides don’t perform the same functions as a therapist, career counselor, or even a coach. Though some of our Guides come from backgrounds in these areas, they won’t be acting in any of these capacities during a Guided Discussion.
Our Guides are there to support you in your quest for meaning at work, but they don’t do this by reviewing your resume or giving you job interview tips. They won’t offer you specific career advice–nor are they equipped to provide mental health services.
With a Guide, the topics you’ll explore run a little deeper than “How do I grow my business?” or “Should I change careers?” What you’ll discuss with a Guide is beneath the surface of these kinds of dilemmas. With a Guide, you’ll discuss questions like “What key elements bring me meaning, and what can I do to protect these sources of meaning in my specific worklife?”
Lastly, while Guide Services can be a great help during a career transition, our Guides won’t pressure you into embarking on a transition you’re not ready for. There's a common assumption that individuals who participate in a Guide Discussion might make a discovery along the lines of, “Oh no, my work is meaningless!” and come away from a session ready to call it quits at work. Quite often, as our Guides can attest, the opposite scenario occurs: Individuals may arrive thinking they need a new job or career, and leave realizing that, actually, a few minor changes could mean a world of difference in the degree of purpose and fulfillment they find at work.
For example, before taking the inventory, you may have a general sense that something is missing at work. Then, your Inventory results may show that connection with others is very important to you—but that at your current job, you are isolated and only interact with colleagues at a superficial level. A Guide can help you turn this insight into action by prompting you to think creatively about how you might change these circumstances to enjoy more positive interaction with others in your worklife.
Self-reflection for professional development
You will recognize an uplifting feeling when you’ve really enjoyed your workday–or at least parts of it. And we all know how work that isn’t meaningful can drain our energy, leaving us feeling depleted even after we’ve left the office or closed up shop for the day. To create better workdays and to truly enjoy your career, it’s necessary to check in with yourself and explore what really matters to you.
However, this self-exploration can be challenging: We can easily get stuck in our usual patterns and mindsets. Our Guides listen carefully, ask questions, and invite you to look at your experiences from a fresh perspective, one that leverages the intrinsic drivers of meaningful work as outlined in the Map of Meaning. They create a setting and a safe space to explore as you seek to answer the question, “What makes work meaningful to me?” Finally, once you have a clear answer to that question, they help you make an actionable plan to move forward.
In Part 2 of this series, we’ll take a deep dive into the Guided Discussion itself: How to prepare, what to expect of the format, and some real-life positive outcomes of this offering. Until then, stay tuned!
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