Meaning Work: Meaning Work: Making Meaning in Making Meaning in

Low Structure SituationsLow Structure Situations

Sue AshfordSue Ashford

Ruth BlattRuth Blatt

Our Questions to YouOur Questions to You

Where does what we’re saying seem Where does what we’re saying seem interesting or new? interesting or new?

What conversation does this contribute to?What conversation does this contribute to? Where could we be more clear?Where could we be more clear? Relevant literatures we need to take into Relevant literatures we need to take into

account?account?

The Meaning of Work – The Meaning of Work – A ConfusionA Confusion

Work as a life domain – what does it mean to a Work as a life domain – what does it mean to a person? person? Ruiz-Quintanilla & England, WrzesniewskiRuiz-Quintanilla & England, Wrzesniewski

Work as an activity – what is its content how is it Work as an activity – what is its content how is it evaluated? evaluated? Wrzesniewski, Dutton & DebebeWrzesniewski, Dutton & Debebe

When does work have meaning? When does work have meaning? Pratt & AshforthPratt & Ashforth

Derived from the fit of what I’m doing and who I amDerived from the fit of what I’m doing and who I am Derived from fit of where I’m belonging and who I amDerived from fit of where I’m belonging and who I am

Us: How do people create and use meaning in Us: How do people create and use meaning in work in service of outcomes?work in service of outcomes?

Meaning and WorkMeaning and Work

Organizations help sustain contribution from their Organizations help sustain contribution from their members by granting meaningmembers by granting meaning Division of labor & role definition set the premises for Division of labor & role definition set the premises for

decision-making – what do I do? decision-making – what do I do? (March & Simon; Katz & Kahn)(March & Simon; Katz & Kahn) Symbolic actions by leaders define a sense of purpose Symbolic actions by leaders define a sense of purpose

– why am I doing it? – why am I doing it? (Barnard)(Barnard) Culture, history, rituals, symbols define what is Culture, history, rituals, symbols define what is

appropriate – how should I do it? appropriate – how should I do it? (O’Reilly & Chatman)(O’Reilly & Chatman) Organizational membership increases positive identity at Organizational membership increases positive identity at

work – who am I? work – who am I? (Pratt & Ashforth; Dutton et al., Tyler)(Pratt & Ashforth; Dutton et al., Tyler) Collective sensemaking about the work in reduces Collective sensemaking about the work in reduces

ambiguity and uncertainty – what do events mean? ambiguity and uncertainty – what do events mean? (Weick, (Weick,

Maitlis)Maitlis)

But what if meaning is not granted?But what if meaning is not granted?

No role to followNo role to follow No leaders to grant meaningNo leaders to grant meaning No organization to feel a part ofNo organization to feel a part of No norms to adhere toNo norms to adhere to No colleagues with whom to make senseNo colleagues with whom to make sense

The ambiguity and lack of structure often raises the most basic of existential questions – do I matter? - and a host ofmore specific meaning questions as the work is engaged.

Our StudyOur Study

41 individuals performing work outside of 41 individuals performing work outside of organizationsorganizations

90-minute interviews about their day-today 90-minute interviews about their day-today liveslives

We hope to draw implications for other We hope to draw implications for other low-structure situations, such as low-structure situations, such as entrepreneurship, virtual work, design entrepreneurship, virtual work, design work and research work.work and research work.

SampleSample

N = 41N = 41 What do they do:What do they do:

Artist Artist 88 Writer Writer 77 Graphic Designer Graphic Designer 66 ConsultantConsultant 99 Hi TechHi Tech 66 OtherOther 55

SampleSample

What is their life situation?What is their life situation? Married/PartnerMarried/Partner 70%70% Kids?Kids? 40%40% Male/FemaleMale/Female 51/49%51/49%

Years of experienceYears of experience 14+14+ 29%29% 3-83-8 39%39% <3<3 32%32%

SampleSample

Financial SuccessFinancial Success High – 35%High – 35% Med – 41% Low – 24%Med – 41% Low – 24%

Dependence on IncomeDependence on Income High – 49%High – 49% Med – 29% Low – 22%Med – 29% Low – 22%

In this by choice?In this by choice? 90% had high degree of choice90% had high degree of choice

For a NS worker, you need to make For a NS worker, you need to make meaning yourselfmeaning yourself

However, you have lots of data to use in However, you have lots of data to use in meaning making because in NS work, your meaning making because in NS work, your actions are self-implicatingactions are self-implicating Your choices tell you about youYour choices tell you about you Your reactions and emotions are important Your reactions and emotions are important

information about your functioninginformation about your functioning These realities push you to self examination – to These realities push you to self examination – to

clarify what matters mostclarify what matters most And can engage pressures to preserve a And can engage pressures to preserve a

positive self-concept (which may need to be positive self-concept (which may need to be guarded against at times)guarded against at times)

You need to figure out:You need to figure out:

Who am I? Who am I? What do I do?What do I do? How can I do it in a way that How can I do it in a way that

is right for me?is right for me? Why am I doing it?Why am I doing it? What do various events What do various events

mean?mean?

Make sense with

Revise

time

Realm of Ongoing Action

Meaning Narrative (an plausible story of the self at work)

Make sense with

Revise

Interrupt Interrupt

Vocabularies of Action

Institutional society occupations organizations Economics

Self-knowing values choices self-concept

Pay attention

to

Make sense with

Make sense with

Create & elaborate

Pay attention

to

Make sense with

Make sense with

Create & elaborate

NarrativesNarratives

Meaning narratives are plausible stories about Meaning narratives are plausible stories about the self at work that answer the questions: who the self at work that answer the questions: who am I? and why am I doing what I am doing?am I? and why am I doing what I am doing?

Clear narratives provide:Clear narratives provide: A sense of stability in the face of fluxA sense of stability in the face of flux Direction in the moment and for the long-termDirection in the moment and for the long-term A framework for making sense of actions already A framework for making sense of actions already

takentaken MotivationMotivation ResilienceResilience Help in sustaining a positive self-concept Help in sustaining a positive self-concept An aesthetic An aesthetic

Invocation and creation of Invocation and creation of meanings in the everydaymeanings in the everyday

Meaning Functions. The created meanings help these Meaning Functions. The created meanings help these workers to:workers to:

Energize actionEnergize action Direct actionDirect action Cope with interruptsCope with interrupts Modify the narrativeModify the narrative

In everyday life, people in ambiguous situations use a In everyday life, people in ambiguous situations use a wide variety of resources to create meaning in service of wide variety of resources to create meaning in service of sustaining action:sustaining action:

Their narrativesTheir narratives Their experiencesTheir experiences Their reactions to their experiencesTheir reactions to their experiences Words pulled from various “vocabularies of action” to make Words pulled from various “vocabularies of action” to make

sense of experiencesense of experience

Vocabularies of ActionVocabularies of Action

Institutional vocabularies Institutional vocabularies Society (ideologies)Society (ideologies) Occupations (predecessors, norms)Occupations (predecessors, norms) Organizations (rules, roles, and structures)Organizations (rules, roles, and structures) Economics (profit, self-interest)Economics (profit, self-interest)

Self-knowing vocabulariesSelf-knowing vocabularies Values Values Choices Choices Self-concept Self-concept

Everyday Meaning Making Everyday Meaning Making is Created by and Creates is Created by and Creates

the Narrativethe Narrative

Make meaning

with

Revise

time

Realm of Ongoing Action

Meaning Narrative (an plausible story of the self at work)

Make meaning

with

Revise

Interrupt Interrupt

Vocabularies of Action

Institutional society occupations organizations Economics

Self-knowing values choices self-concept

Pay attention

to

Make sense with

Make sense with

Create & elaborate

Pay attention

to

Make sense with

Make sense with

Create & elaborate

InterruptsInterrupts

Occasions for meaning-making that happen Occasions for meaning-making that happen when something disrupts the narrative as a when something disrupts the narrative as a device for making sense of work and the self-device for making sense of work and the self-at-work.at-work.

Types of interruptsTypes of interrupts

No interruptNo interrupt Diversion Diversion

challengechallenge

Self-Self-expression expression challengechallenge

Ego Ego challengechallenge

TakenNot taken

Doesn’t feel valuable

Feels valuable

Others do not appear to value

Expectations Expectations challengechallenge

Authenticity Authenticity challengechallenge

Performance Performance challengechallenge

No interruptNo interrupt

Not taken Taken

Doesn’t feel valuable

Feels valuable

Others appear to value

Actions Actions

Self View

Other’s View

When is meaning-making When is meaning-making negative?negative?

No coherent narrativeNo coherent narrative Meaning-making becomes a diversion (e.g., Meaning-making becomes a diversion (e.g.,

nonprofit entrepreneur)nonprofit entrepreneur) Lack of resourcefulness in drawing from Lack of resourcefulness in drawing from

vocabularies of actionvocabularies of action Limited sensemaking constrains possible Limited sensemaking constrains possible

action (e.g., independent film producer)action (e.g., independent film producer)

PropositionsPropositions Sustaining effective action in a low-structure Sustaining effective action in a low-structure

situation is aided by the development of a situation is aided by the development of a meaning narrative of the self that is plausible to meaning narrative of the self that is plausible to the actor and answers: who am I? and Why am I the actor and answers: who am I? and Why am I doing what I’m doing? doing what I’m doing?

Meaning narratives help actors cope with and Meaning narratives help actors cope with and respond to interrupts in the ongoing flow of respond to interrupts in the ongoing flow of actionaction

Interrupts stem from discrepancies between Interrupts stem from discrepancies between actors’ own view of actions taken or not taken actors’ own view of actions taken or not taken and evidence they have of others’ views of these and evidence they have of others’ views of these actions.actions.

Propositions, cont.Propositions, cont.

Meaning-making in low structure situations is Meaning-making in low structure situations is aided by a competence at observing, analyzing, aided by a competence at observing, analyzing, and honoring the self in action.and honoring the self in action.

Meaning narratives are revised through time by Meaning narratives are revised through time by drawing upon meaning vocabularies in response drawing upon meaning vocabularies in response to interruptsto interrupts

The broader the meaning vocabularies created The broader the meaning vocabularies created and used, the better the ability to sustain actionand used, the better the ability to sustain action Expanding attention to external vocabulariesExpanding attention to external vocabularies Making usable a preoccupation with the self Making usable a preoccupation with the self