Disciplines:
BusinessRob Cross is the Edward A. Madden Professor of Global Leadership at Babson College. For almost twenty years, his research, teaching, and consulting have focused on applying social network analysis ideas to critical business issues for actionable insights and bottom-line results. He has worked with over 300 leading organizations (companies, government agencies, and non-profit organizations) across industries on a variety of solutions including innovation, revenue growth, leadership effectiveness, and talent management. He is the director of Connected Commons, a consortium dedicated to developing research, relationships, and resources exploring the link between personal networks and professional success.
Ideas emerging from Rob's research have resulted in three books, including “Driving Results through Social Networks.” His work has been published in Harvard Business Review, Sloan Management Review, California Management Review, Academy of Management Executive, and Organizational Dynamics, and has been featured in media outlets such as Business Week, Fortune, The Financial Times, Time Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, and Fast Company. Rob has a DBA from Boston University's School of Management and an MBA from the University of Virginia.
By Rob Cross, Babson College
What’s the secret to a fulfilling career? Most advice focuses on finding purpose and satisfaction in your work. If you can just land the perfect job doing meaningful work, you’ll finally be happy. But my research across a wide range of organizations and industries shows that our understanding of what leads to professional satisfaction is often misplaced. People tend to overestimate the importance of the what when they should be focusing on the who.
In interviews with a diverse group of 160 people from a variety of industries and positions, my colleagues and I found again and again that flourishing in your career depends as much on your relationships, both in and out of work, as it does on your job itself. People whose work is mundane or demanding are just as likely to feel satisfied and fulfilled as those with fun or inspiring jobs if they proactively invest in relationships that nourish them and create a sense of purpose…
Read the full article online at Harvard Business Review.
This article was produced by Footnote in partnership with Babson College.
Get in touch about this workBy Kalinda Ukanwa of University of Southern California
Our understanding of what leads to professional fulfillment is often misplaced. Flourishing in your career depends as much on relationships as it does on the job itself.
By Ravi Iyer of the University of Southern California
Our understanding of what leads to professional fulfillment is often misplaced. Flourishing in your career depends as much on relationships as it does on the job itself.
By Hyo Kang of University of Southern California
Our understanding of what leads to professional fulfillment is often misplaced. Flourishing in your career depends as much on relationships as it does on the job itself.
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