Connection is absolutely necessary for success. When your team members feel connected and engaged, they approach their work with a sense of ownership. They don’t just care about checking off obligatory tasks. Instead, they care about the outcomes. In many ways, the same applies to you.
When you are connected to your work, you are a better leader and innovator. You’re also going to experience more resilience in the face of setbacks. Unfortunately, in addition to the usual workplace challenges, you also face the stress of leadership and ownership. This can damage the connection you once had with the work you do.
Call it burnout or lack of passion — this disconnection is a real problem. It stops you from performing at your best. Also, your connection to your work influences company culture.
So how do you get back on track? These four steps will help restore the connection you once felt.
Rethink Hustle Culture
Hustle culture is a prevalent mindset that success requires near-constant labor and very little rest. It is characterized by:
Unfortunately, all of these things can lead to burnout that saps whatever connection you had to your work. Worse, as an entrepreneur, you may already be driven to push yourself too hard without giving yourself room to rest and restore.
Build a Team that Complements Your Energy
It’s impossible to eliminate every single task that you find draining or frustrating. Still, you should try to focus your energy on doing the things you do best and which allow you to maximize your talents. To do that, you need to surround yourself with a team with passions and interests that complement yours.
For example, imagine that you thrive when you focus your energy on sales. Conversely, you find logistics to be absolutely miserable. In that case, you’d want a detail-oriented team member with great interpersonal skills who views logistics as a rewarding challenge. This sounds like common sense, but it’s something that many leaders struggle with. They often hire people who are very similar to themselves instead of working with people who have characteristics that provide balance to theirs. Instead, hire and develop teams that allow you to work to your talents.
Start a New Project
It’s easy to disconnect from what you do if you aren’t very involved in your company’s core mission anymore. Unfortunately, that is precisely what happens to entrepreneurs much of the time. They become deeply involved with administration and less involved with the products or services they were once passionate about.
One way to reconnect is to start a new project. Take the lead on a new product development campaign, or go hands-on with the conception of an exciting marketing initiative. You have to do the work that motivated you to start a business if you want to continue to feel a sense of excitement about what you do.
Connect with People
There is an undeniable relationship between your ability to connect with your work and your bond with the people you work with. The truth is that people who feel engaged in the workplace have one thing in common. They feel connection, trust, and camaraderie with the people they work with.
If your role as a leader has created a disconnect from your team, work to reestablish those relationships. Communicate with your team more often. Be present. You’ll feel more connected, and so will they.