TLP198: Life's Great Question - with Tom Rath

Tom Rath is an author and researcher who has spent the past two decades studying how work can improve human health and well-being. Tom served 13 years at Gallup, where Tom led the organization's strengths, employee engagement, and leadership consulting worldwide. He is the author of 10 books and has sold more than 10 million copies. Tom's first book, How Full Is Your Bucket?, co-written with his grandfather during his last year of life, was an instant #1 New York Times bestseller and it is used in classrooms around the world. He is also the author of StrengthsFinder 2.0. Tom has two books out in 2020, Life's Great Question and It's Not About You. Key Takeaways [3:50] Tom shares the evolution of his literary work. [8:40] At Gallup, Tom asked people all over the world what a good life looked like for them. Relationships, what you're doing in your community, and your health came back to be the top most important things. [9:25] Tom shares what he believes a great life is... [12:10] Your life is better off and other people's lives are better off because of the work that you're doing. [15:00] In Tom's books, he encourages people to take a survey or a quiz at the end. He has learned that if you give people something to do after they've read your work, they're more likely to incorporate your lessons or principals into their lives. [18:40] What people really want from leaders is trust, compassion, stability, and hope. [20:25] Leaders need to push their efforts outward and think deeply about what the world needs. [22:55] It's in everybody's best interest to bring humanity back into the work. Human connection leads to better quality work. [28:45] We should challenge ourselves to be better strength-finders for other people. [31:20] Tom has noticed executive teams are woefully deficient in the area of building strong relationships. He believes there are not enough women on leadership teams. [33:10] It's human nature to surround yourself with people who act and think the same way. Tom believes it's important to get people to think about how they can uniquely contribute to making a difference in the business from day one. [39:15] When it comes to the future of work, Tom hopes we can develop ways where humans can find their work passions and meanings a lot faster. [41:40] Tom would like to be remembered as a very caring dad and husband, first. Second, he would like to leave a legacy that lives on for years to come. [42:15] Tom's challenge: What's one thing you can do today that will continue to grow in your absence? Quotable Quotes "What's one thing you can do today that will continue to grow in your absence?" The key to leadership is trust, compassion, stability, and hope. "So many times we're looking for answers in the wrong places and it seems counterintuitive to say look for happiness outside of you." "My hunch is that over the next 10–25 years, just standalone narrative books, especially in non-fiction, are going to be harder and harder for people to read through and apply that knowledge." "The part where we've fallen short in helping leaders is to turn a majority of their efforts outward and to think, not only about who they are, but what the world needs." "The more leaders can draw direct connections with the way their employee's daily work serves specific constituencies and needs, the more meaningful it makes the work and the better people feel about it, and the more likely they'll stick with it." "Life's most persistent and urgent question is what are you doing for others." — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Resources and Books Mentioned Tomrath.org Tom on LinkedIn Follow Tom on Twitter @Tomcrath Tom's Latest book: It's Not About You: A Brief Guide to a Meaningful Life How Full is Your Bucket? by Tom Rath & Donald Clifton Life's Great Question: Discover How You Contribute to the World, by Tom Rath Strengths Based Leadership, by Tom Rath and Barry Conchie Strengths Finder 2.0, by Tom Rath Creating the Good Life: Applying Aristotle's Wisdom to Find Meaning and Happiness, by James O'Toole Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, by Greg McKeown The Leadership Podcast is Sponsored by: Cultivate Grit. Amplify Action. The Self-Reliant Leadership® Manifesto reveals the Three Pillars of a Self-Reliant Leader, which encompass the character attributes, interpersonal skills, and levers required to lead today's workforce. Get your free copy HERE. 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