Meaning isn't built with slogans. It's created through daily experiences, and it can fuel results. In this episode of Beyond the Class, Misty Janks, Organizational Psychologist and CEO of the Chapman Foundation for Caring Communities, challenges a common misconception: that meaning lives in mission statements or motivational language. Instead, she reframes meaning as something employees either experience—or don't—through everyday interactions, conversations, and leadership behaviors. Misty positions meaning not as an abstract concept, but as a practical leadership responsibility. Research shows that employees who have a deeper sense of meaning at work and connect to something larger than themselves, persist through challenges, grow in their field, and are more likely to stay with the organization. From there, she introduces a practical set of behaviors leaders can use immediately. Six Practices for Strengthening Meaning at Work Keep the human impact front and center. Name how each role connects to the larger mission. Create intentional space for reflection in one-on-one conversations. Recognize behaviors that align with values. Use purpose as a decision-making lens. Build moments of pause to reconnect to why the work matters. These practices continue to drive home the point that meaning isn't created through major initiatives but is built through small, repeated actions that reconnect people to purpose. LEVEL UP OPPORTUNITY First, answer one simple question before your next meeting: Why does this work matter today? Then say it out loud to your team. RELATED RESOURCES Continue building this capability through the resources below: Our Community Listens – https://www.chapmancommunities.org/learn-to-connect/ Our Community Serves – https://www.chapmancommunities.org/learn-to-connect/ Caring Workplaces – https://www.chapmancommunities.org/partner/ Beyond The Class – Dissecting Top Secret FBI Statements - https://www.chapmancommunities.org/pod-103/ Roundtable - Clear is Kind: Mastering the Art of Clear and Transparent Communication - https://reg.learningstream.com/reg/event_page.aspx?ek=0063-0031-ef2e1f239ab940f68ec215e34139664f Roundtable - Three Moves to Tackle Annoyance: Turning Frustration into Action – https://reg.learningstream.com/reg/event_page.aspx?ek=0063-0031-67671968a42d4da28e49205952999ee9 CHAPTER MARKERS 1 - 00:00 – Why Meaning Matters: Stats + framing the importance 2 - 02:39 – Meaning as a Lived Experience: Not a slogan, a daily reality 3 - 03:06 – When Work Becomes Transactional: Performance without connection 4 - 04:43 – Making Meaning Visible: Linking work to impact + results 5 - 06:22 – The Power of Values: Personal and leadership alignment 6 - 08:39 – The Ripple Effect Beyond Work: Impact on life and relationships 7 - 12:33 – Six Practices to Build Meaning: Practical leadership actions 8 - 18:56 – Key Takeaways + One Simple Action: "Why does this work matter today?" KEY TAKEAWAYS Meaning is not only in a message—it is a felt, daily experience. Transactional environments weaken connection, even in high-performing teams. Leaders make meaning visible through repeated behaviors and conversations. Personal values act as a compass for motivation, resilience, and alignment. Meaning strengthens engagement, retention, and organizational performance. The impact of meaningful work extends beyond the workplace into life and relationships.