Navigating the Balance of Success and Significance in Your Career

Success is great—but what if significance is the real game-changer? Early in our careers, we chase success—until we realize significance gives it meaning. In this episode, we dive into:

• How authentic leadership blends success with lasting impact
• Building a personal brand that truly matters
• Key questions to shape your success & significance journey

Transcript

Speaker 1 0:00

Hey , welcome back to the Career Refresh . This is where we dive into strategies that you need to navigate challenges of leadership In this ever-changing world . I'm your host , jill Griffin , a leadership strategist and an executive coach , and , after a successful career in corporate , I've spent the last 15 years helping thousands of professionals achieve their goals , grow , scale and improve overall workplace performance . And that performance starts with yourself . And today I am digging in deeper on the relationship between success and significance . I think early in our careers we chase success and then at some point , all of a sudden , we think we may not be actually saying the word significance , but we're like what does this all mean ? We realized that without significance , what are we doing here ? Success and significance are two powerful forces that shape personal branding , and while success is measured by achievements what's in your bank account recognition significance goes beyond that personal gain and thinks about how you're creating lasting impact . And I've always been fascinated by this dance between these two , and I think it's really important for you to think through how you want to approach these two areas , as you are thinking through your leadership approach to your team and again ourselves first , and then how we're leading our team . So let's dig in . Figures like Howard Schultz , the former CEO of Starbucks , or Malala Yousafzai . Schultz , the former CEO of Starbucks , or Malala Yousafzai , the youngest ever winner of the Nobel Peace Prize , exemplify how success can elevate a personal brand , and I'm not saying either of them went after it as a personal brand . We're looking at it right , we're in the rearview mirror now . We're looking at it that way , but it's the significance that they've created that creates that impact , significance that they've created that creates that impact . So Schultz built a business empire that he prioritized ethical leadership , making sure that employee well-being was front and center . And then Yousafzai she was the one who turned the adversity into a movement for global education .

Speaker 1 2:21

This idea of a personal brand isn't about external success . It's also about how you're contributing to something greater , and the most influential brands combine both , ensuring that both a legacy and something beyond . Personal accomplishments have the renaissance right . How are they resonating with all of us ? And leaders who go about seeking a way of creating impact really need to think through how are they going to embrace this significance . So , while achievements build authority , it's the true leadership that is really about influence , or the purpose and how you're creating lasting change . Your personal brand is how you present yourself to the world , right , this is your reputation , value , skills , the impact that you're making , either within your team , your department , your company , your community , right , how it radiates out . And getting clear is where you're thinking about how are you fostering trust ? Where are you inspiring others , whether they're teams or community , and how you are cultivating workplaces that drive productivity and long-term impact .

Speaker 1 3:30

Both success and significance play a role in shaping all of this , but they do it in different ways . So if we think about success and really kind of like everybody's going to have a different perspective on what success means and that's what makes us all unique and original . But there's the perspective , there's context and then there's personal value . So if we're just like getting clear on definitions here , it's about success is really about that achievement that maybe it's wealth achievement , like what's in the bank account , it's the recognition , it's the award , it's the status , it's the career accomplishment and that's sort of the traditional definition . And then when you're thinking about success and I know if you've listened to other coaches or mentors , or even if your HR department is doing a learning and development push it's like well , what do you want ? What do you want to create ?

Speaker 1 4:23

And that's where that personal definition of success is really , really important , and it has to connect with your own aspirations and values , and it may involve happiness , self-improvement , strong connections and relationships and go beyond just external achievements . But normally when we think of success we are in such a data-driven world that it is about the numbers and the success . The psychological definition may also include your non-negotiables , things like your well-being and the contentment that comes from achieving that personal satisfaction where you've overcome challenges or learned to pivot , how you're making meaningful connections . And then you know , when you think about how success connects in with your personal brand , it's going to build credibility and recognition . It's again those awards , the achievements , if you're able to accumulate wealth as a result of it . What is that wealth affording you , which therefore impacts your lifestyle and that of your family and friends potentially , and it all enhances how people overall perceived you . And this is all a personal decision of how you want to go about it . Being able to be able to talk to a successful track record is going to make you be a trusted expert on your inner field , on your LinkedIn profile , on your resume , if you're speaking at a leadership event or an industry event , right , it's being able to establish that authority . That's what we hear from right . Whenever we go to an event , it's always the person who has achieved the hardcore success that we have tangible data and numbers to talk about .

Speaker 1 5:53

And I think an example of where success focus can become shallow is you know , you have a leader of a brand that has high achievements and everything is about the success and the sales , which , again , is important , but there's gotta be . Not every brand has to change the world , but if you can at least say that your workforce is balanced and healthy , then I think that's something you need to think about . There's room enough for brands that are creating impact and sustainability , and also people that are creating brands and companies that are putting a product into the world but treat their people well . That needs to be taken into consideration and you may decide , nope , it's just about the sale , but I would offer you , the treatment of your organization and the people in your organization is a big part of success . So success is totally subjective and it's going to mean different things for one person or another . So I think for you at this point , whether you're a notes person or a pen and paper person , I would encourage you just to pause and think through what does that success mean for you ?

Speaker 1 7:04

And then significance right , here's the dance . Significance is the importance , the meaning , the impact of something . And there's the general definition right , where we can then start thinking about where significance has a personal meaning the value or the purpose that something holds in your life . An inherited watch from your grandfather may have personal significance , right , that's what we're talking about there . It may also be the sense of thinking about your grandfather's legacy that gives you fulfillment to know that you're standing on the shoulders of giants , right ? So there could be a personal meaning there . And then there's also that philosophical , the deeper meaning or purpose behind a life event or an action or the things that you're doing .

Speaker 1 7:46

You want to be thinking through how this impact , this meeting and this value , and what do you want to do with it in your personal life or your community , or your company or your industry what do you want to do with it ? So , when you think about significance with the personal brand , right , it's going to create purpose and legacy . It's going to focus on that impact , that contribution , where you're talking about some of those deeper values . It's going to definitely have an emotional connection because people are going to resonate with someone who stands for something , versus just going to resonate with someone who stands for something , versus just the basic part of success . Right , people are going to want to be loyal , whether it's by a brand purchase or whether it's by the people and leaders that we're around that are mixing both success and significance . And then you're thinking about , with significance , what is that long-term impact ? So someone , if we're thinking about a leader , it's someone who not only mentors others and advocates for change and is also creating impact in their company . And , yeah , they're successful because they're reaching their numbers , and that's what we're talking about . And how are you a change for that longer , deeper , lasting value ? So , the similarities when you're thinking about both success and significance and once again , this is where you need to use your brain , your thoughts the answers are inside you . And even if you work with a coach or a mentor , the answers are still inside you .

Speaker 1 9:05

So you want to think , if you're blending this success and significance , it's achievement oriented , right , they're both striving for a goal or a purpose . There can be personal fulfillment . There's a sense of satisfaction , in addition to a hardcore , data-driven numbers fulfillment . There's the influence on others , people who are successful . Let me tell you they're going to have an influence on you because of the personal achievements . You're going to be inspired , you're going to see it as what is possible . It's the meaningful contributions of significance that often , when the two of those blend , make you really really powerful and really have tremendous amount of impact . There's growth and development both success and significant require effort , learning and the resilience , right , that grit to constantly be pivoting and learning and scaling yourself or the product or project that you're working on . So if success is about achieving something for one oneself , thinking about significance as the contribution beyond oneself , one can be fleeting , but the other one is going to create a lasting legacy and many people , as I said in the beginning , first go after success and then seek significance because they're getting that higher level of fulfillment .

Speaker 1 10:21

So let's talk about some personal brands here so that you can kind of see how this fits together . Right , of course there's the queen , oprah Winfrey massive success , but also focused on making a difference . When we go back to Malala Yousafzai , she turned a personal struggle into a global significance , using her platform to fight for education , equality and human rights . As I mentioned Howard Schultz , he used business success to create a brand centered on employee well-being , with ethical leadership and social responsibility . We also have people like Michelle Obama , known for creating success but also focusing on meaningful contributions .

Speaker 1 11:01

So , if your goal is a strong , lasting personal brand , success alone isn't enough . You're going to need significance to stand out and make an impact . So , friends , your homework after listening to this , if you choose is to think through what is the balance you want between success and significance . When does it dance ? When does it balance back and forth ? When are you leaning into more one than the other ? It is a personal decision , and these are the great things for you to take to a mentor or a coach , and that , of course , is a great place for me to say I'd love to work with you and be your coach and help you really think through . What does success and significance mean for you ? How does it impact your personal brand ? How does it align with your leadership goals and your personal goals and yeah , your sales goals ? Because cash in the bank , money in the wallet , those are great things to have too . All right , friends , until next time , embrace possibility , be intentional and always , always be kind . I'll see you soon .