Offering and Killing Meaning at Work: Lessons from Petra Kipfelsberger

In this episode of Meaningful Work Matters, Andrew sits down with Petra Kipfelsberger, Associate Professor for Leadership and Organizational Behaviour at BI Norwegian Business School. Andrew and Petra explore how leaders can inspire meaningful work through authentic communication and visionary leadership while avoiding behaviors that diminish employees' sense of purpose.

Key Takeaways:

• Leaders offer opportunities for meaning rather than creating it directly - employees must discover their own sense of purpose
• "Meaning killing" behaviors like ignoring contributions or failing to provide feedback can significantly undermine employees' sense of purpose
• Simple practices like timely acknowledgment and specific affirmation can make a significant difference in fostering meaning at work

About Petra Kipfelsberger:

Petra Kipfelsberger is an Associate Professor at BI Norwegian Business School with a PhD from the University of St. Gallen. Her research focuses on inspirational leadership, meaningful work, and how organizations thrive during uncertainty. She has been a Visiting Research Fellow at Boston College and IESE Business School, serves as a board member of IGNITE, and coaches global C-level executives.

Resources Mentioned:

• Viktor Frankl's work and life story
• Killing Me Softly With His/Her Song: How Leaders Dismantle Followers' Sense of Work Meaningfulness
• Developing Authenticity: A Quasi-Experimental Investigation