Chris Meroff - Align: Four Simple Steps for Leaders to Create Employee Fulfillment

CHRIS MEROFF

ALIGN

Four Simple Steps
for Leaders to
Create Employee
Engagement

Fulfillment

NEW YORK

LONDONNASHVILLEMELBOURNEVANCOUVER

Align

Four Simple Steps for Leaders to Create Employee Engagement Fulfillment

2021 Chris Meroff

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or otherexcept for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Published in New York, New York, by Morgan James Publishing. Morgan James is a trademark of Morgan James, LLC. www.MorganJamesPublishing.com

ISBN 9781642799941 paperback

ISBN 9781642799958 eBook

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020930827

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For my kids: May your workplace experience be shaped by the principles in this book and may they help you use your God-given gifts and talents to their fullest.

As I write the foreword to this book, the entire globe is right in the middle of a global pandemic caused by COVID-19. I mention this at the outset because no matter who you are or what time in history you are reading this book, you will be aware of this event. It is so significant that it either has or will impact every human being on the planet in some way, shape, or form. It is the first time in my lifetime that the entire globe has had one common goal, to flatten the curve. All of humanity is trying to fight the coronavirus and stop the spread. It is a noble goal and an important one because it affects all of us, and it is a matter of life and death.

Similarly, all of humanity, at some point in their lives, comes into contact with some employment, work, job, or task. Most of us will spend the vast majority of our waking adult hours tied up in some employment. All of us, whether we are willing to accept it or not, can shape that experience for ourselves and others to either be a positive or negative experience. Unfortunately, the statistics show that the vast majority of people who come into contact with work dont enjoy what they do and dont find fulfillment. The dissatisfaction often comes from their work environment, not the work they do. Many factors play into this, but with the curve of unfulfilled workers being so high, I think we should all make it our goal to flatten the curve of employee dissatisfaction in our lifetime. To stop the spread of being dissatisfied with our work and workplaces. All of us can stop the trend no matter what your role is in the organization where you work. The fact that you are reading this book suggests that you may have a desire to see that curve flatten for yourself and others. But just like coronavirus, you cant blame others for the spread. You have to take responsibility for your part and lead, starting with yourself. Thankfully you dont have to figure out how to flatten the curve of employee dissatisfaction on your own. My friend, Chris Meroff, has put together an incredible guide for you on how to do it. As you read this book, you will discover that it starts with you first before you can help others.

I first met Chris Meroff in the Summer of 2002 in the tiny coastal town of Machiasport, Maine, USA. Eventually, I went to work for his familys business two years later, and we worked together for more than a decade. The stories of adventure I experienced in working with Chris are so many it would fill more than a dozen books of this size. As I write this from tropical Queensland, Australia, I am laughing out loud as I recall some of those adventures. From the very beginning of my relationship with Chris, I experienced two of his most exceptional qualities as a leader, his generosity and loyalty. His care for people shines through in these qualities, which I have experienced time and time again. Once, on a flight from Boise, Idaho to Denver, Colorado, I had a medical emergency. The next twenty-four hours would be one of the scariest and most unsettling times in my life. Chris was a loyal and generous friend throughout the whole experience. For the next nine months in the workplace, as I was trying to figure out what was wrong with me physically, his generosity and loyalty never stopped. It is no surprise to me that he has developed a personal mission to eliminate employee dissatisfaction from the workplaces where he leads. It is his generous spirit that motivates him to pass this on to others for their benefit also. Chris has not stumbled upon these truths easily; in fact, quite the contrary. I know it was through much trial, error, heartache, and victory that these truths developed. Chris would be the first to tell you much of this book has been written out of failure and finally some success. It is because of the road he has traveled that I believe Chris is so rightly positioned to share these insights with you, the reader.

If you are anything like me, you may pick up this book with the need for a slight perspective adjustment, so may I give you a word of warning before you begin reading. My wife, Kristin, and I once read a parenting book that transformed our family. When we first set out to read the book, we thought the author was going to give us all of the things we could change about our children. What we quickly discovered was that the most significant change that needed to take place was with us. So it is with leadership and employee fulfillment. You may be thinking this book will help you radically change the way your employees feel about your workplace. This statement is true to some extent; however, as you will discover, that will most likely come through your transformation, not theirs. I hope you are willing to journey through this process. I think you are up to it, and I am confident that you will be glad you went on the journey. The practical applications in this book is what sets it apart from other leadership books I have read. I would suggest working through the content with others in your organization, whether paid or unpaid team members. Dont head out on the journey alone! Align is not just a book about leadership theories. It is a practical, hands-on approach to revolutionizing your workplace culture. It is filled with great questions to ask of yourself and your organization, along with a reallife case study on how these principles can impact a life.

Writer Annie Dillard famously said, How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. For many of us, a large portion of our days are at work; in fact, the average person will spend 90,000 hours at work over a lifetime. Its safe to say then; your job can make a significant impact on your quality of life. Thats why the principles written by my friend Chris Meroff are so timely and essential no matter who you are and when you are reading this book. Here is my hope and prayer for you as you read this book: that it will transform both your journey to employee fulfillment and the lives of everyone you have the privilege of working alongside. Thats been my experience, and I believe it can be yours too.

Cheers,
Jason Perko Perkins

Fulfillment

Fulfillment is a deep satisfaction in accomplishment through the development of your inherent character.