One question project: Tamara Myles

If you could embed one question into every leadership meeting across the globe, to inspire more intentional and impactful work, what would that question be — and why?

Questions are powerful because they shape what we pay attention to. They not only reflect, but also shape our priorities. If I could embed one question into every leadership meeting across the globe, it would be this: “How are we helping our people feel connected, valued, and stretched?

It’s a deceptively simple question, but it captures the essence of what makes work meaningful. In our research, we identified three core elements of meaningful work—what we call the Three C’s: Community, Contribution, and Challenge. 

• Community is a sense of belonging, of connection with the people we work with. It’s feeling like we matter. 

• Contribution is knowing that we make a difference, that what we do matters.

• The challenge is feeling that we are learning and growing; that we are reaching our full potential. 

Meaningful work is the single most powerful lever leaders have to unlock performance, well-being, and retention. And yet, it’s often overlooked in the rush to hit metrics and solve immediate problems.

This question invites leaders to zoom out and think upstream. It prompts them to reflect on whether their decisions are helping people feel a sense of community, a sense of contribution, and a sense of challenge. And if enough leaders ask it, we can make work more meaningful for everyone. 

About Tamara:

Tamara Myles is a speaker, author, and professor specialising in the science of human flourishing at work. She helps leaders and organizations like Microsoft, KPMG, and MassMutual unlock the power of meaningful work to drive peak performance, innovation, and resilience. A faculty member at Boston College and a researcher and instructor at the University of Pennsylvania, Tamara’s work challenges assumptions about work, showing that when leaders make work meaningful, they create thriving teams and lasting impact.

If you want to be part of this project or know someone who would, please go here.