Steve Langerud
With MUM alumnus Troy Van Beek at Leadership Iowa
Speaking at Iowa Association of Business and Industry
Are you interested in many different things? Are you pretty good at a lot of them? Do you sometimes have trouble deciding what direction to pursue?
Then you may want to take a look at a new free online course titled Crafting a Life of Meaning, Significance, and Service.
Taught by Steve Langerud, a nationally recognized workplace culture strategist and consultant, the course offers a simple framework for how to identify, articulate, and act on your purpose.
“The course is for anyone who likes too many things, is good at too many things, and really doesn’t want to be pinned down to just one option — which seems to be most of us,” Steve says. “The fact is that our work matters. Finding meaningful professional and personal purpose drives our connection to others and contribution to the world. Understanding that this purpose is not just within our careers but across our lives is key.”
During the past 25 years, Steve has worked with over 15,000 people to discover and develop their purpose, identify their capacities, and guide their personal, professional, and organization development strategy. He is a contributor to media, including MarketWatch, Fast Company, New York Times, NPR, MSNBC, and Time magazine on issues of workplace and professional and career development.
“Anyone seeking personal and dynamic attention for their own growth, or that of their organization, should seek Steve’s insight and advice,” said a CEO from Cedar Falls, Iowa.
“I cannot think of a person more readily willing to help students pursue career opportunities, whether it be internships or full-time positions, than Steve,” said a college senior from Indianapolis, Indiana. “Steve knows how to highlight people’s strengths and transform them from students to highly qualified professionals.”
The context for Steve’s work comes from experiences as an archaeologist, street performer, carpenter, and president of a bicycle company. Prior to coming to MUM, Steve worked at Grinnell College (where he was dean of experiential education), the University of Iowa Law School (where he was assistant dean), and DePauw University (where he was director of professional development). He currently works as dean of Admissions at MUM. Steve also offers free career coaching to MUM alumni, including career goal setting, skills assessment, and job search strategies.
“I have learned that we know a lot about ourselves and little about where we can have a life and career that matches our needs,” Steve says. “Unfortunately, the best advice most people get is to ‘follow your passion,’ which is simply too vague and unhelpful. First you have to identify those things that matter most to you, then discover where people get paid to do those things — often a big surprise — and, finally, make a plan to act on your needs. When you focus on purpose, you can focus your needs in more meaningful and actionable ways.”
Find out more and watch an introductory video of Steve’s course here.