Why Streaming TV Advertising is Essential for Reaching Local Healthcare Consumers

 SPONSORED BY PREMION

Why Streaming TV Advertising is Essential for Reaching Local Healthcare Consumers

Author: Peter Jones, Head of Local Sales, PREMION

 

Healthcare has become a fundamental consideration in every aspect of life. Businesses and consumers alike are keenly focused on how quickly the vaccine roll-out will hit the general population. Moreover, safeguarding employees and customers is now a table stakes requirement of doing business.

 

While healthcare once lagged other industries in the adoption of digital tools, the pandemic has dramatically narrowed the gap with a heightened focus on the patient-centric experience. Hence, we have seen an accelerated shift in the consumerization of healthcare — from the convenience of scheduling, payment, and reimbursements to patient care. For instance, prior to the pandemic, just one in 10 consumers had tried telehealth. Forrester projected that virtual care visits soared to more than 1 billion in 2020, and nine out of 10 patients that have tried virtual visits, said it was more convenient than other ways of getting care.

 

Consumers are embracing the shift to digital healthcare access and are seeking a higher level of convenience. This also coincides with more aging millennials that are starting families and becoming healthcare decision makers —a cohort that’s technology and data-driven. They tend to value convenience and cost savings over continuity, and are more likely to visit a retail clinic instead of their primary care provider (PCP) — a trend that was further propelled during the pandemic as more consumers sought out nearby walk-in clinics for COVID-19 testing and non-urgent health needs. In fact, almost one-third (32%) of consumers said COVID-19 increased their usage of retail health clinics, according to UPshow’s Healthcare Ecosystem 2021 study.

 

With patients demanding better services from healthcare providers, healthcare businesses are investing in new innovations to enhance patient services—to be safer, more efficient and convenient. In fact, a PwC survey found that positive experiences have a greater influence on consumers' healthcare purchasing decisions than for other industries. The future of patient care is about connecting with consumers to fully understand their needs, by leveraging technology and human connections to create efficient and personalized experiences.

 

To capture the hearts and minds of health-focused consumers, healthcare advertisers are rethinking their media mix and evolving their message to emphasize how they’re improving the patient experience to stay relevant and drive growth. With the surge in streaming TV viewers, healthcare marketers are increasingly vying for the attention of this highly engaged audience with connected TV (CTV) / over-the-top (OTT) advertising.

 

CTV viewing skyrocketed during the pandemic and is now the universal form of TV viewing. According to a recent Leichtman Research Group study, there are now nearly 400 million CTV devices in the U.S. Eighty percent of U.S. TV homes have at least one CTV device and 64% of U.S. TV households have three or more CTV devices. As advertisers shift even more dollars to this medium, eMarketer projects U.S. CTV advertising will soar to $11.36 billion in 2021 and $18.29 billion in 2024.

 

Now more than ever, consumers choose healthcare providers or wellness brands that have established trust and a personal connection with them. With the spike in ad-supported OTT viewing, healthcare advertisers are primed to reach an engaged audience that’s highly receptive to receiving brand messages of health, safety and care. A recent MRI-Simmons study found that among OTT viewers, 72% have consulted a medical professional in the last 12 months and more than half (53.1%) of OTT viewers understand the importance of visiting a doctor when they feel ill. Of consumers who research information for various treatments, 82% are OTT viewers.

 

Furthermore, healthcare is a highly localized business. Healthcare marketers need to reach consumers where they live and work (albeit remotely these days), and ads need to be contextually relevant and well-targeted. The addressability of OTT enables healthcare businesses to target local audiences at scale. These advertisers can target by designated market area (DMA), states, zip codes, and combine this geo-targeting with interest categories.

 

Healthcare marketers need a trusted CTV/OTT advertising partner that can execute locally in reaching the right consumers at the household-level, track conversion, and reduce wasted impressions.

 

 

Sling TV Gains Fail To Cover Dish Subscriber Losses In Q4: Network -133,000 Overall

• by Karlene Lukovitz  @KLmarketdaily, 6 hours ago

Dish Network lost 133,000 pay-TV subscribers in 2020’s fourth quarter, reflecting a loss of 149,000 Dish satellite subscribers, partially offset by a gain of 16,000 Sling TV streaming subscribers.

Its combined total of 11.29 million subscribers at year-end included 8.82 million Dish customers and 2.47 million Sling customers.

The numbers represented an improvement over the network’s 194,000 loss in Q4 2019. But it was a reversal from Q3 2020’s 116,000 gain, when Dish lost 87,000, but Sling added 203,000.

The network, which entered retail wireless last year through its $1.4-billion acquisition of Boost Mobile, also reported a loss of 363,000 retail wireless subscribers in Q4 (for a total of 9.06 million), versus a loss of 212,000 in Q3.

Despite the subscriber losses, the network saw revenue rise to $4.56 billion, net income rise to $733 million, and diluted earnings per share rise to $1.24, from $3.24 billion, $389 million and $0.69, respectively, in the year-ago period.

Late last year, Dish signed a multi-year agreement with Nexstar Media Group for carriage on local TV stations and the WGN America network.

 

COMMENTARY

Traditional TV Companies Have A Leg Up In Big-Advertiser CTV Buys: Study

• by Karlene Lukovitz  @KLmarketdaily, February 19, 2021

"Our primary impediment to [advertising] growth at this point is the behavior of TV buyers."

That was Roku founder/CEO Anthony Wood, speaking yesterday during the company’s Q4 earnings call. Despite Roku’s high double-digit ad-revenue gains, Wood was expressing frustration and/or puzzlement over advertisers spending $65 billion on linear TV in 2020 — even as linear audiences continue to decline and age, while streaming platforms grow and now command half of TV viewing time among 18- to 34-year-olds.

Given Roku's clout and the Roku Channel's exceptional growth, the comment seems particularly telling of advertisers' evolving relationship with OTT/CTV.

On one hand, there’s no question that investment is continuing to increase.

New advertiser research from Advertiser Perceptions finds that about a quarter of TV screen advertising budgets are earmarked for streaming this year.

More than half (51%) of video advertisers, including most of the largest ones, said they plan to increase their video spend over the next 12 months, with the rest keeping it at about the same levels. And among those planning increases, 77% said that their video ad spending is growing at a faster pace than other media.

On the flip side, the surveys found 51% of advertisers saying they believe that linear TV is the most valuable video platform. (Chart at top of page.)

The next-closest were social media (16%) and video sites (15%), followed by DSPs for online/mobile video (9%) and data-driven linear TV (8%). CTV/OTT streaming — along with addressable linear TV — were designated most valuable by just 6%.

Bigger advertisers — those spending more than $25 million — were most likely to indicate a preference for linear TV over video sites or social media, although the reverse was true for those spending under $25 million.

Nearly half (45%) of advertisers said they could meet their reach goals without linear TV, but the overall trend points to increasing use of programmatic TV options and decreasing use of video sites and social media.

Further, when large advertisers buy CTV, they’re inclined to use options offered by traditional TV network companies, rather than independent digital video platforms.

“Big TV networks have really beefed up their CTV opportunities at the right time,” observed Justin Fromm, executive vice president/business Intelligence at Advertiser Perceptions.

When they do buy digital video platforms, advertisers of all sizes say they require assurances, including that ads appear on reputable sites (87%), be paired with brand-safe content (80%), and run within professionally produced video content (79%).

It will come as no shock to hear that these reservations about streaming are driven primarily by two big concerns: ad fraud and inadequate measurement systems.

Nearly four in five advertisers identified OTT fraud (especially in programmatic auctions) as a concern, and 58% said that the more impressions they buy outside of linear TV, the harder it is for them to know the exact reach, frequency and effectiveness of their overall video ad campaigns.

The networks’ CTV platforms are “becoming safe harbors for the largest advertisers as fraud climbs in the medium,” Fromm summed up. “While the major internet platforms will lead in volume of streaming ads, TV network safety is keeping them the gold standard in video as the platforms evolve.”

While that’s good news for the networks’ upfronts (most advertisers said they plan to spend 40% of their budgets for upfront and 60% for scatter, as they did in 2020), three-quarters of advertisers said they’ll be scrutinizing how media companies plan to expand reach while also innovating in cross-screen measurement and personalization.

In other words, despite considerable progress on the measurement front, and various efforts to reduce fraud (including companies dedicated to fraud prevention and growing use of the IAB Tech Lab’s authorized digital sellers list specifications for apps), advertisers are still looking for more accountability from CTV/OTT. Which is only prudent in any new environment.

Advertiser Perceptions surveyed 284 advertisers and agencies in November and December for its Video Advertising Convergence Report, and last month also surveyed 300 advertisers about their upfront buying.

 

Trust Surges For Brand Biden

• by Joe Mandese  @mp_joemandese, 5 hours ago

While the trust Americans hold in the major television news brands has generally trended downward following the U.S. presidential election, trust in the winner of that election -- President Joe Biden -- has surged to the highest point since being tracked by consumer research firm Brand Keys for MediaPost.

The findings of this special Media Brands Trust Tracking Survey, are derived from Brand Key's periodic Emotional Engagement Brand Analysis and are based on the perceptions of thousands of American adults each wave.

The analysis shows the contribution "trust" plays in Biden's brand has surged to 61% in February from 49% in August 2020, and 43% in May 2020, when Brand Keys first benchmarked his brand.

While trust in Biden's brand is strongest among Democrats, it has been rising for all political affiliations: up 9% to 92% for Democrats; up 20% to 64% for Independents; and up 8% to 27% for Republicans.

The study also asked Americans to rank their primary concerns contributing to trust and found the storming of the U.S. Capitol ranked highest, followed by he COVID-19 vaccine rollout, the economic stimulus program, re-openings, the former President's second impeachment trial, and the 2020 election.

 

MRC Issues OTT, CTV, SSAI Draft: Will Be Considered For Future Accreditation

• by Joe Mandese  @mp_joemandese, 3 hours ago

The Media Rating Council (MRC) this morning released a draft of new guidelines and best practices for measuring advertising running on over-the-top (OTT) and via connected TV (CTV), as well as when server-side ad insertion (SSAI) digital video is used.  

The draft, which is the result of an initiative announced in July 2020 to identify challenges and propose solutions to ads running in these burgeoning video environments, will be a factor in future “accreditation considerations,” the MRC stated.

The full draft cannot be reviewed here, but the guidelines include:

• Refined definitions for “over-the-top” and “connected TV” that are more closely aligned with the rest of the industry, including: 

• CTV is now defined specifically as the delivery of digital video to televisions via internet-connected devices (or functionality within the television itself).

• OTT is now defined as a more encompassing term that includes CTV, as well as non-linear video content that is typically delivered to a TV screen but that may also be available via desktop or mobile devices, such as with many video streaming services.

• Identification and encouragement of measurement-related best practices specific to SSAI, including:

• Disclosure to measurers of those IP ranges used by SSAI providers.

• Establishment of formal processes to allow for technical certifications of SSAI providers.

• Utilization of SSL certificates between the SSAI provider and the ad server/measurer in order to authenticate the third-party data.

• A call for fuller industry collaboration to develop and employ standardized terminologies and signal-sharing protocols in the near-term future to allow for more complete and consistent measurement of video delivered in SSAI scenarios.

• Highlighting relevant existing guidance on issues of particular importance to OTT/CTV and SSAI, including on such matters as the impacts on measurement of latency, continuous play, “TV Off” situations and the application of invalid traffic detection and filtration in these environments.

 

COMMENTARY

Amazon Is Millennials' No. 1 Brand. So Is Purpose-Driven Marketing Fruitless?

• by Christine Alemany , 16 minutes ago

Millennials seem to understand the importance of companies striving for meaning beyond profits. The same millennial buyers who tout their loyalty to cause-conscious organizations overwhelmingly spend their discretionary income at Amazon, a flawed behemoth that’s never laid out any ethical consumerism motto, but merely delivers fast service and competitively low prices.

It’s interesting that Amazon has pushed Apple out of the spotlight to become the favorite brand among millennials, according to a Moosylvania survey. This means all those analyses of predictable millennial buying habits may fall by the wayside when these consumers are faced with a spending choice.

Despite the public-facing efforts it has made during the COVID-19 outbreak, Amazon hardly has a pristine backstory, given its reputation for unfair worker treatment and conditions. Even Apple, Google, and Nike — three other Moosylvania winners — have less-than-perfect track records.

To their credit, these brands have made inroads into positive change. However, their inherent flaws apparently have not made a considerable dent in revenue. Millennials have not boycotted these brands en masse, which is a fact marketers must consider.

I encounter this type of consumer dissonance regularly, and perhaps you do, too. What people claim on surveys or in focus groups routinely flies in the face of their actual behavior. For that reason, when I test personas, I test based on prior purchases. Research helps narrow the buying opportunities, but what happens when the rubber meets the road? That’s all that really matters.

Does this mean that purpose-driven marketing is just a nice-to-have asset? Not at all. It simply needs to be part of a combination of factors that earn consumer loyalty.

We know loyalty is tough to win. Data from McKinsey & Co. shows 87% of buyers are brand-agnostic. What millennials — and all consumers — crave is value. And value comes from offering social responsibility as well as a host of other unique selling features to increase conversions on an otherwise level playing field.

Auto insurers, for example, are adjusting to a climate in which their policyholders are driving less than usual. State Farm decided to offer $2 billion in premiums to customers whose driving habits have decreased in light of stay-at-home orders. While it’s not a new service, it is an acknowledgment of current circumstances that resonates with existing policyholders and can be attractive to potential ones.

Brands need to think about what they stand for on a fundamental level. From there, they can build authentically — even if their social justice angles lack depth. This tactic has worked for Amazon, which has never strayed from its legacy of attractive prices and unmatched convenience. Even without a social angle, Amazon sits atop the retail ladder.

Consumers appreciate pledges like the “Statement on the Purpose of a Corporation,” but they have a limit when it comes to how much they’re willing to pay for a cause. At some intersecting point, buyers are willing to reward companies — even ones with bad marks — for making their lives easier. The key for brands is figuring out where that line exists without assuming it begins and ends with a higher purpose.

 

Consumers Seek Relationships That Go Beyond Just Selling: Study

• by Ray Schultz , Yesterday

Consumers want value. But they also want brands to appeal to reach emotionally, according to The 2021 Guide to Building Customer Trust, a study by a Khoros.

Of the consumers polled, 46% prefer to buy from brands were they build a relationship beyond “just selling me something.” Another 26% seek more transactional companies “where they sell something and I buy it.” And 46% are neutral on the topic.

But there are different levels of loyalty. Here's what drives brand loyalty in general:

• Good value for the money — 59%
• Ability to trust the brand — 58% 
• Best-quality product or service — 52%
• Good customer service — 51%
• Desire to recommend the brand to others — 46%
• Brand is authentic and genuine in consumer interactions — 36% 

But deep loyalty is fueled by these factors:

• Interacts consistently over time — 82% 
• Able to resolve questions without a phone call — 80%
• Feels human, rather than corporate — 80%
• Seems authentic, not artificial — 79%
• Makes my interactions feel personal — 76%

And how do customers define loyalty in terms of their own behavior?

• Buying a product or service regularly — 76%
• Using a brand for a long time — 68%
• Recommending a brand to others — 61%
• Feeling a deep emotional connection to a brand — 41%

Here are the types of digital connections that drive deep connections and loyalty:

• Shows personalized ads on social — 52%
• Has an online community — 52%
• Use social to share content you care about — 50%
• Connects you with other customers with similar user expertise — 49%
• Is active on multiple digital channels — 49%

That last stat would apparently include email. And email marketers should note the elements that they should include in their copy. 

AI can help brands generate loyalty. But it can also lead to negative experiences:

• Usable to resolve issue — 56%
• No option to speak to a human to resolve issues — 53%
• Interaction felt robotic, not human — 47%
• Lack of personalization and sophistication — 32%
• Interaction lacked empathy — 30%

 

TVN’S FRONT OFFICE BY MARY COLLINS

The Complicated Business Of Leading In 2021

Leaders and employees need to focus on self-care to avoid pandemic-related burnout. Staying healthy, and personally balanced is crucial as we continue to face an uncertain future. Here are some ways to work toward that goal.

By Mary Collins | February 19, 2021 | 5:29 a.m. ET.

It should come as no surprise that essential workers are not the only ones suffering pandemic-related burnout and other mental health issues. Last fall, Dana Wilke prepared an article for SHRM (the Society for Human Resource Management) in which she wrote: “Overall, mental health and well-being has dropped a staggering 33% since the pandemic began, according to a survey conducted in August by Hibob, an HR services company based in New York City.”

At about the same time, University of California’s Robyn Schelenz penned a piece called, “Job burnout is a billion-dollar problem. Can we fix it, despite COVID-19?” In it, she says that burnout-related healthcare costs companies “roughly $190 billion per year.” Additionally, she reports that the Harvard Business Review estimates the annual U.S. economic cost of employee stress at more than $500B annually.

Media companies are making efforts to support their teams and to reduce employee stress. Two examples that reached me are Tegna’s meal gift cards for employees and Hearst’s package of premium socks with a note saying, “You knock our socks off.” I’m sure there are many more examples.

Leaders and employees need to focus on self-care. Staying healthy, and personally balanced is crucial as we continue to face an uncertain future.

The January/February issue of MFM’s member magazine, The Financial Manager, includes a special report we are calling “Playing it Forward.” Our focus is on the positives we can take from the past 12 months. One of the pieces in that report is an article by The Siegfried Group’s Lori Brooks, “Reach for the Best Version of You.”

Brooks points out that, for many, 2020 was a wasted year. It was a year in which it was easy to fall back on the “except for COVID” excuse. We were so focused on getting through the day and checking off priorities that we had little time to focus on personal goals. I know of one young media finance professional who put off taking the CPA exam and someone else who put MBA dreams on hold.

BRAND CONNECTIONS

Not only is this self-defeating, Brooks point out that it can damage a person’s ability to lead their team. “If you have clarity about your priorities, your goals, your aim, then you can lead others toward a common objective.”

Focus On Mindset

The place to start is with “ideas and attitudes you have when approaching a situation.” This is your mindset, which affects choices, tone and enthusiasm when approaching a situation. Brooks says that while a lot has been written on this topic; she likes to focus on four that she sees as following “along a continuum from fixed to growth.” These are

• Failure where the person is not willing to change.
• Frustration where drivers are scarcity and anxiety.
• Conventional success where things remain status quo.
• Transformation during which learning and growth occur.

Mindsets, she writes, are important because they “ooze into what we do and how we do it.” Having an awareness of thought patterns influences not only individual progress but also the progress of the teams influenced by the leader. Because mindsets are not fixed and can change frequently depending on the person’s focus — work, health, other areas of life, Brooks suggests that readers examine their mindset often and narrow their focus to “what is holding you back or why you feel and act a certain way.”

Moving Forward

Mindset alone is not enough. As Alice in Wonderland author Lewis Carroll, wrote: “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.”

Brooks simplifies Carroll’s message and says: “Write. It. Down.” She points out that the reason “to do” lists work is they hold us accountable. And there’s that satisfaction of being able to cross something off once it’s completed.

She recommends focusing on the parts of life that we want to change and grow. As she says, “When we physically write down goals and objectives they are no longer just floating around in our head. It is real and legit, and we better do something about it!”

Tailor Those Goals

If our life is to be in balance, our goals should be in balance. Brooks suggests categorizing them into personal and professional, making sure both sides are represented. Focusing only on the business side can lead to career burnout; neglecting career for personal goals will hurt the organization and chances for advancement.

Can you explain why each goal is a priority, the “why”? Brooks advises, “If there is not a why that evokes passion for you, the goal will not be a top priority, and it will likely go unmet.”

It is also important to set deadlines for accomplishing goals. Short-term goals should have what Brooks calls “a little time nugget that is attainable.” Medium and long-term goals will require more time to accomplish. Moreover, it’s crucial that they aren’t in conflict. “Are your short- and mid-term goals aligned with your long-term goals?”

The Path Forward

Sometimes it’s not enough to know where you are going. You also need to figure out how to get there. Brooks recommends seeking advice from others you respect and searching out inspiring content available from free or subscription sources such as LinkedIn Learning, Ted Talks and Harvard ManageMentor. Staying focused, she says, will allow you to realize the goals you desire.

Celebrate Success

Goals cannot be reached without working toward them every day. Understanding what it takes to achieve them requires due diligence, an honest assessment of strengths and weaknesses, and research to shore up your knowledge where needed. When you reach a milestone, large or small, celebrate that success!

Employees are our most valuable asset. It is up to us to both model successful behaviors and to help them achieve their goals.

Brook’s article, “Reach for the Best Version of You” — which includes a special sidebar, “Think. Yes Just Think!” — is available in the January/February 2021 issue of TFM, which may be found on the MFM website for a couple more weeks. After that, it will only be available in our Members Only area.

Upcoming MFM Programs — Get Inspiration From Peers

One of the things we did learn in 2020 is how important it is to maintain connections with others in similar positions across the county. In the next four weeks, we have three upcoming programs all created to help media finance and accounting professionals become more knowledgeable and valuable today and to develop the next generation of global media leaders. First, on March 2-3 (register by Feb. 19) is our Media Tax Summit: Tackling Tax Trends. The following week, March 11-12, is MFM’s 2021 CFO Summit (limited to senior finance professionals in media, register by February 26). March 23 is a free Transformation Roundtable – 2021: How to Pivot from Survive-mode to Thrive-mode (registration limited). Then, beginning May 11 and running through July 29, MFM’s annual conference, Media Finance Focus 2021 – Together Toward Tomorrow, will be a virtual event featuring 44 sessions and at least a dozen roundtables. Information about these and other programs is available on the MFM website — www.mediafinance.org.

---

Mary M. Collins is president and CEO of the Media Financial Management Association and its BCCA subsidiary, the media industry’s credit association. She can be reached at mary.collins@mediafinance.org and via the association’s LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts.

 

Date Set For Radio Cares

By

 Radio Ink

 -

February 19, 2021

0

The second annual Independent Broadcasters Association/Feeding America Radio Cares – Feeding America drive is set for April 14. This year’s event will be produced by Benztown, with assistance from McVay Media and the Vipology team.

“The Radio Cares drive this year promises to be an event every independent station will want to participate in,” said Ron Stone, CEO Adams Radio Group and IBA President. “Every family deserves to have sufficient resources for food for their family and no one should be going hungry in America.”

“As a result of the pandemic, more and more American families are facing hunger and relying on their local food banks,” said Casey Marsh, Chief Development Officer at Feeding America. “Partnerships with organizations like the Independent Broadcasters Association help provide critical support through nourishing food to our neighbors facing tough times.”

The Radio Cares team is designing the event with all the tools necessary for participating stations to begin pre-promotion for two weeks, beginning March 31, and to hold the day-long event on April 14. Support of the campaign will continue through Sunday April 18 to give every radio listener time to donate. In addition, Radio Cares will have the support of over 100 artists representing every format.

Radio Cares 2020 was supported by 3,400 radio stations and provided 5 million meals. Every dollar helps to provide at least ten meals secured by Feeding America® 

 INDUSTRY NEWS

Smart Brief

How can you discover your purpose?

Robert T. Sicora

 

 

February 18, 2021

 

 

Leadership

 

 Leadership and Management

Unsplash

What is your life’s purpose? Not everyone can answer this question, and many aren’t even sure how to approach it.

With our program Leading from the Helm, Sicora Consulting has aided many organizations in maximizing human potential and driving organizational performance. One thing we discovered in the 30-plus years with that model is that individuals’ sense of purpose has a significant impact on engagement (thus, an organization’s success). This led us to the subject of the newly released book, "Grab the Helm."

In the book, we dive into maximizing the potential of individuals – your potential – by helping you discover your life’s purpose and align all aspects of your life in achieving it. We do this through the individual helm – a model focused on individual purpose. Each spoke of the helm is one of the critical attributes that contributes to an individual’s success.

Together, the spokes offer a holistic approach to the age-old question: What is my purpose?

Let’s take a look at the spokes of the individual helm and then focus more concretely on talent, opportunity and passion with an exercise that can get you started down the path of purpose.

The individual helm

There are eight spokes of the individual helm, each contributing to your individual path through life and aligning with the organizational helm to produce synergy within the groups you are a part of. Grab the Helm takes you through each spoke in its own chapter, with a reflection activity for each. Here is a brief overview:

1. Purpose: How you live your life and why; what gives life meaning.
2. Self-awareness: To know yourself. If you understand your personality and your communication and leadership styles, you can work through the obstacles that hold you back and become a better leader of yourself and others.
3. Values: Our principles and ethical and moral guidelines that help us make decisions; what we think is important.
4. Crew: Our inner circle, those we trust and surround ourselves with. We rely on them to both raise us up and challenge us, to give us feedback and support when we need it most.
5. Passion: What drives us, what we feel most strongly about, what fuels our emotion and feeds our soul. Passion is what we love to do.
6. Talent: Our knowledge, gifts, abilities, skills and even genius that give us the tools to act on each of the other spokes.
7. Opportunity: The chance, the opening, to act on our purpose, to follow our passions and all the other spokes of the helm. We can passively wait for our opportunities, or we can create them with intention. (Hint: It’s better to create them with intention.)
8. Impact: The difference we make in our lives, the lives of others and the world at large. Our legacy. We have the greatest impact when we serve others.

All of the spokes are important, but we found in our research that purpose is critical to being fully engaged in your work (in fact, it’s one of the 8 Factors of Engagement).

Finding your sweet spot

One way to discover or reaffirm your purpose is to find your “sweet spot.” This is when you have the opportunity to do work you are passionate about and have talent for. You can approach this through the TOPs model: talent, opportunity, passion.

First, list out your talents. What are you good at? This includes both the natural gifts you were born with and the skills you acquired through perseverance and hard work. List all of the skills, talents and expertise you can think of, not just those related to your job. Don’t hold back or sell yourself short.

Next, list your passions. What excites you? What could you talk about for hours without getting sick of it? What do you love to do?

Take a look at your lists. Do your passions and talents overlap at all? Do you have the opportunity to use your talents or pursue your passions?

Generally, the various overlaps of your lists break down into the following categories:

• Drudgery/duty. These are tasks you have a talent for and the opportunity to take on but about which you are not passionate. You may dread this kind of work but know it must be done. However, this might be someone else’s passion. This is why it can be beneficial to conduct this exercise with your full team. Realigning responsibilities to individuals’ passions and talents can improve engagement and, in turn, business results.
• Growth and stretch. These are tasks you are passionate about, but you need the opportunity to develop more talent. If you really want to pursue these passions, you can wait for an opportunity to develop the necessary skills or you can create the opportunity. If you aren’t mindful of opportunities in the moment or take charge to create your own opportunity, you might find yourself wondering what might have been.
• Missed opportunity. When you have both talent and passion for something but aren’t doing it, you’re missing an opportunity to fulfill your purpose. Again, you could wait for an opportunity to present itself and hope you recognize it when it comes. Or you can seek out the opportunity. The choice is yours.
• Sweet spot. When talent, passion and opportunity come together, you’ve found your sweet spot. Now it’s up to you to continue to cultivate your passion and purpose. Purpose isn’t a destination; you have to continue to work at it. But it’s worth the effort!

Finding your “sweet spot,” or your purpose, is an exciting thing. It puts wind in your sails and brings meaning and intention to your everyday life. But it needs to be nurtured and maintained. This can be done through regular reflection  and through community interaction with others on their own paths to purpose. This is why we’ve developed an open cohort session – a live, virtual facilitated course – to bring individuals together to continue to learn and discuss these concepts on a deeper, more personal level.

However you decide to chart your course, I hope you have the courage to grab the helm of your own life by embarking on the daily quest to discover and cultivate your purpose.

 

Dr. Robert T. Sicora is the founder and CEO of Sicora Consulting and an expert in organization development. Sicora has helped organizations of all sizes build deeper levels of trust, leadership and employee engagement. He holds a doctorate of education in organization development. His book is "Grab The Helm" (Amplify Publishing, December 2020).