Ep 197: Making work meaningful with Angela Rixon

Many people find themselves in roles that look great on paper but feel misaligned or unfulfilling in reality. In this week’s episode I’m joined by Angela Rixon, founder of The Centre for Meaningful Work and author of Meaning Over Purpose to explore what meaningful work really is, why so many of us lack it, and how both individuals and leaders can create more meaning at work day-to-day.

Angela shares the five pillars of meaningful work—from autonomy to impact—and we dive into simple, practical steps you can take if you’ve fallen out of love with your role. We also look at the powerful role managers play in helping others find meaning, and how meaning can protect us from burnout when it’s balanced in a healthy way.

We talk about:

• What meaning is and how it differs from purpose

• The five pillars of meaningful work

• Practical ways to create more meaning in your current role

• How leaders can build meaning within their teams

• Why meaning boosts engagement—and how it can sometimes lead to burnout

• A powerful real-life example of how autonomy transformed performance

This is Influence & Impact for Leaders, the podcast that helps leaders like you increase your impact and build a happy and high performing team. Each episode delivers focused, actionable insights you can implement immediately, to be better at your job without working harder.

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About Angela Rixon

Angela Rixon is an award-winning leadership strategist, executive coach, and culture-transformation specialist with over 25 years’ experience spanning technology, professional services, and financial sectors. A former Partner at EY and Director at CGI and Mercer, she is recognised internationally for pioneering research and frameworks that close the Purpose-to-Meaning Gap™ enabling organisations to embed meaning into leadership, culture, and performance.

As Founder and CEO of The Centre for Meaningful Work Ltd, Angela helps CEOs and executive teams design human-centred cultures that perform. Her Amazon-bestselling book Meaning Over Purpose: The CEO’s Strategic Blueprint for Growth and Lasting Engagement (2025) combines behavioural science and applied positive psychology to redefine how leaders drive growth through meaning.

Angela’s work blends corporate rigour with psychological depth. An accredited executive coach (MSc, Distinction) and Fellow of the CIPD, she integrates Transactional Analysis, Adaptive Leadership, and Systems Thinking to help leaders achieve measurable business results while fostering inclusion, wellbeing, and authenticity. Clients describe her approach as “supportive, challenging, and transformative.”

A regular keynote speaker on meaningful work, inclusion, and the future of leadership, Angela is the creator of the Lead with Meaning™, Own Your Meaning™, and Meaning Metrics™ frameworks.

She lives in London with her partner Tony and believes that when work works for people, people work better, and organisations thrive.

Email: [e-mail] 

Website: thecentreformeaningfulwork.com 

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