“Why do you do what you do?” is a question that catches many of us off guard, leaving us stumbling through our words to come up with a coherent answer. But our why is the reason we exist and thus a vital part of our success.
Jim Cross, the founder of CrossGroup, and I are kindred spirits in the what and how of what we do. We both believe in discovery and active participation learning. We both desire to create a learning environment where professionals can choose change and transformation for themselves and those they work for and with.
Our journeys intersected more than 20 years ago, but our career paths to that point were very different. For Jim, it was a personal epiphany that influenced his decision to join a facilitation team training future leaders at IBM. For me, it was a gradual realization through education, observation, and practical experience. Nonetheless, we were drawn together by the profound reasons for our professional lives.
Whether by means of personal epiphany like Jim or gradual realization like me, discovering your why is an important step toward personal and professional fulfillment. Here are our four reasons for our professional lives. We hope they help you to find your why.
Optimism About People & Change
Some believe people rarely ever change; the die is cast, and we are who we are. Those people often say things like, “It is what it is,” or “I am what I am.” But to find your why means to believe that people can change when they work hard and want to change.
Jim and I have been fortunate to observe real transformation among those with whom we have worked. Does it happen with everyone? No, but it happens often enough that we are optimistic. Is it easy? No, but for those who are willing to put in the work, it’s always worthwhile!
Change From the Inside Out
At CrossGroup, we build training that leads to personal discovery. We ask questions that require people to dig deep and think about themselves and the people within their organizations. After all, you won’t find your why superficially, so we do our best to not settle for surface answers.
Our case studies are designed to help us all see ourselves in the story. Our personal applications are designed to be behavior-based while understanding that real follow-through and change are carried out from the heart and changed perspective.
We work with design professionals in technical fields, many of whom long for innovation. Some enjoy collaboration with clients and co-workers while others prefer to be technical experts. Either way, if you want to find your why, then at the heart level, you must long to be a better person and effective leader (formally or informally) within your organization.
Prioritize Personal Resolve: Find your Why
To truly change takes hard work. It can be difficult to look in the mirror of personal awareness and decide to move forward with tenacity. But you’ll need to push past empty promises (like new year’s resolutions), excuses, and complacency to find the answers and make the meaningful changes needed to find your why.
We are fortunate to have worked with individuals who have shown the resolve to create permanent change. Ultimately, their co-workers, employees, and organizations are the benefactors of their determination. Ownership is attractive and inspires others to follow in their footsteps.
Remember: We Are All in the People Business
Professionals sometimes forget that without people, there is no business at all. We lead professionals to see their co-workers and clients as humanly as possible and seek to instill a desire to invest in others.
Once you find your why and carefully keep it in clear focus, the how and what will follow. A natural curiosity and persistent desire to improve can help you stay on top of your why to ensure you’re always working toward your professional and personal realization.
Why do you do what you do? Let us know how CrossGroup can better support you on your journey to find your why.