EP201 - Why Your Job Feels Meaningless—And What You Can Do About It with Wes Adams and Tamara Myles
In this episode of The Tyler Dickerhoof Show, Tyler Dickerhoof sits down with Wes Adams and Tamara Myles—leadership experts and co-authors of Make Work Meaningful. Together, they unpack the 3 Cs of meaningful work—Community, Contribution, and Challenge—and how leaders can apply them to create trust, purpose, and engagement at work.
They explore why Gen Z is opting out of leadership, how remote work and AI have reshaped workplace values, and what it truly means to “walk the talk.” Wes and Tamara also share personal stories that shaped their leadership lens—and offer practical tools for anyone ready to lead with authenticity and impact.
Meet Wes & Tamara Myles
Wes Adams and Tamara Myles are the authors of MEANINGFUL WORK: How to Ignite Passion and Performance in Every Employee.
Wes Adams is the CEO of SV Consulting Group. He partners with Fortune 500s and scaling companies to develop high-impact leaders and design operating structures that support high performing teams. He is also a positive psychology researcher at the University of Pennsylvania where he studies the leadership practices and organizational structures that help employees thrive. He lives in Atlanta, GA.
Tamara Myles is a speaker, author, professor, and entrepreneur specializing in the science of human flourishing at work. She helps leaders and organizations like Microsoft, KPMG, and MassMutual unlock the power of meaningful work to drive peak performance, innovation, and resilience. A faculty member at Boston College and a researcher and instructor at the University of Pennsylvania, Tamara’s work challenges assumptions about work, showing that when leaders make work meaningful, they create thriving teams and lasting impact. She lives in Concord, Massachusetts.
IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:
00:00 Introduction
01:49 You don’t need a “calling” to find meaning at work
06:32 How leaders create meaning
09:52 Community, contribution & challenge
13:28 Why ‘walking the talk’ matters more than ever
19:12 Leadership is more than a title
23:34 Wearing a mask at work is draining
26:33 What happens when workplaces devalue your background
32:00 The most powerful thing a leader can say
34:32 How being an immigrant shaped their perspective on work
38:35 Are we just iterating on a broken system?
42:20 Humans are meaning-making machines
44:40 How great organizations align with the 3 Cs
Resources, books, and links mentioned in this episode:
Follow Tamara:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamaramyles/
https://www.instagram.com/tamaramyles/
Follow Wes:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/wesadams1
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About the Tyler Dickerhoof Show Podcast
The Impact Driven Leader Podcast, hosted by Tyler Dickerhoof, is for Xillennial leaders who have felt alone and ill-equipped to lead in today's world. Through inspiring interviews with authors from around the world, Tyler uncovers how unique leadership strengths can empower others to achieve so much more, with real impact.
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