I can have strange thoughts at times. They often come from my travels, exposure to new environments, and ways of life.
These days, for whatever reason, I can’t stop thinking about why the Roman Empire collapsed!
If you read about it, you’ll find that the over-expansion of the Empire and the surge of other civilizations led to a weakening of Rome, its military defeats, and barbarian invasions.
That’s probably true. But even more interesting is that Romans had become lazy and negligent. They forgot the rules that led them to success. They became too self-centered, and their leaders spent more time enjoying orgies than truly helping society.
You might wonder why I am talking about the Roman Empire in a business and leadership article.
Here’s the thing. Coming back from a trip to Europe, I just realized there’s a phenomenon that impacts many people on both sides of the Atlantic.
Work – and its associated creation of value – is being questioned.
More of us prioritize our families, the protection of the environment, and our personal accomplishments over our professional ambitions.
In theory, there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s quite a good approach that can help us find a better balance. Especially after the abuse seen in the corporate world and how it consumed – if not destroyed – lives.
In practice, though, I can see the growth of quiet quitters and the devaluation of work are impacting the creation of value.
And here’s the issue. If we stop creating value, we’re doomed and will end up like the Roman Empire.
I know many jobs can seem pretty dull, and it’s sometimes hard to see work as an enabler of personal development and value creation.
But that’s where authentic leadership comes into play. If you aspire to be a strong leader, you need to see and explain the value everyone in your team brings to the whole thing.
Each of us has a role to play in constructing a better tomorrow.
Yet, too many of us have a hard time seeing the exact value we’re bringing and the impact we truly have. We lack a sense of purpose.
So, what should we do differently as leaders? I can see at least the following three imperatives:
Help your team connect with the bigger picture.
Let them appreciate the end game and how their work contributes to it. Keep distilling your vision and mission and how it all connects.
Recognize and reward truly positive attitudes.
Toxic behaviors are destructive and have no place in our lives. That’s true at home and at work too. So, keep educating the non-believers on how worth their contributions genuinely are. Help them see the impact they have and be decisive in eliminating toxic attitudes.
Remove obstacles to value creation.
Work should be all about creating value. So, ensure you address and reduce to a strict minimum anything that hinders it. Pay attention to over-bloated processes, too much focus on strategy vs. execution, and lack of experimentation.
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In other words, help everyone build a stronger sense of purpose at work.
We’re all part of something bigger than ourselves. Once you get it, you can stop being so self-centered, see what can be accomplished, and find a better balance.
And if we all make a bit of progress in this collective endeavor, we might avoid the ill fate of the Roman Empire!
Good luck!