“Do what you love, love what you do.”

Your job does not have to be a job.

First, it’s common to “take” direction from your team and leadership. Doing a good job means meeting their expectations.

But what if you, as an individual, found ways to “give” to your team and leadership?

What would it look like to connect with leaders across other teams and ask them “what keeps you up at night?”

You may discover opportunities that are aligned to you and your goals, and provide them with value based on what empowers you.

Second, if you’re managing a team, you don’t have to wait for your teammates to see this as an opportunity.

I’ve found it helpful to connect with others and take the time to understand what lights them up by asking questions like:

- What outside hobbies do you have that you’re enthusiastic about?
- What puts you in a state of flow?
- Where do you want to see yourself in 5 years?
- What opportunities can we create where we can make your strengths seen?

Try going deeper and look for clues where passion and drive exist. Then, align them with opportunities where that person and their impact can be seen.

The opportunity to empower and enable an individual to do their best is incredibly underrated.

So what’s the difference between the space of “taking” vs the space of “giving”? It’s as simple as doing things from a place of want, rather than doing things out of obligation.