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Jeff Westphal

@realjeffwestphal.bsky.social
11 followers 13 following 75 posts

Experienced executive. Entrepreneur. Author. Philanthropist. Conservationist. Founded MeaningSphere to help people create worklives that aren’t just manageable, they’re meaningful.

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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Once you know your source of meaning, work starts to feel different. You notice where it's already present and build more of it in on purpose instead of waiting for the right role to offer it to you. So, what's yours?
forbes.com
How To Find Meaning At Work By Discovering What Gives You Purpose
As AI reshapes jobs, many people are rethinking what gives work meaning. Four pathways may explain why some roles feel fulfilling while others do not.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Every summer, I re-read a few inspiring classics. And every time, I pick up something powerful that I missed before. Here’s my go-to list: Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey Drive by Daniel Pink What are you reading this summer?
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Shocker: data shows AI is making work easier. And lonelier.
fastcompany.com
New data: AI makes work easier. And lonelier
The greater risk isn't that AI replaces human relationships, but that it eliminates the moments that create them.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
I sat down with Amy Sabeh on The Strategic Planning Room podcast to talk about “A Work Life Worth Living”, why you can't fake caring about culture, and a story about a single screw in a radiation machine I still think about. Our full chat is on YouTube now. www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0fR...
youtube.com
Strategic Planning Meets Meaning: A Conversation with Jeff Westphal
YouTube video by The Strategic Planning Room
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
So grateful to John Wilson for this piece on my book. He took some of my ideas places I hadn't fully gone myself. John talks about the pain of doing work that should be meaningful but doesn't feel that way — and why that ache might mean you still care. Worth the read. @entreprofessor.bsky.social
entreprofessor.substack.com
When Good Work Stops Feeling Good
Reflections from the book launch of A Work Life Worth Living
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Reposted by Jeff Westphal
entreprofessor.bsky.social @entreprofessor.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
Congratulations to author, Jeff Westphal, @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social on the release of A Work Life Worth Living. This one feels personal - I spent more than two decades at Vertex, and it was part of a culture where work, leadership, growth, and meaning were deeply connected.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
Joined Doug Sandler on his “Nice Guys on Business” podcast to talk about my new book. We asked: What does success actually mean? What does meaningful work look like as AI reshapes everything? Give it a listen.
niceguysonbusiness.com
Jeff Westphal: Redefining Success and Building a Work Life Worth Living
What if success, promotions, and a great resume still left you feeling empty? In this episode, Jeff Westphal shares how unlearning old definitions of success and reconnecting with purpose can transfor...
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
My new book is out today. And I need to celebrate the man who first suggested to me that there could be more to work than making money.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
Today is the day!
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
When people you've admired for years read your book and share their honest reaction, it’s humbling. Deeply grateful to Daniel Pink, Isaac Getz, @thedanrather.bsky.social, and Stacy Feiner. Coming out on June 2.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
Not too long now...
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
“Meaning” is a word everyone uses and almost no one defines in real terms. I wrote this book to change that. Coming June 2.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
Sharing the cover of my new book for the first time is a big moment. So excited for the launch on June 2!
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
I've been waiting a long time to say this. My book — “A Work Life Worth Living” — comes out on June 2. I was 28 when someone first suggested to me that there could be more to work than working.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
Dr. Cree Scott finished this @fastcompany.com article weeks before she passed away in December. Her core message—that you can’t separate how you lead from how you live—is a powerful legacy. It’s my honor to share it.
fastcompany.com
You can't be disconnected at home and magically connected at work
The way you lead and the way you live are not two different things.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
New data: half of workers would give up a 10% raise for a real sense of belonging. People who get this are able to build something money can't buy. Tracy Bower’s latest is well worth your time.
forbes.com
People Want Belonging More Than Salary. Here’s Why It Matters So Much
Understand the new data about the critical nature of belonging and discover how to catalyze belonging in work and offices.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
In my early career, I got a trust score of 3 out of 7 from my stakeholders. It was a gut punch. Getting honest with myself transformed how I show up for the people I work with. This piece from @hbr.org gets at exactly why that kind of vulnerability matters.
hbr.org
When to Open Up at Work—and When Not To
Leaders often worry that revealing doubts or personal details will undermine their credibility, so they err on the side of silence. But research shows that most leaders under-share, missing opportunit...
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 10/03/2026
We don't need more grind. We need a different relationship with work altogether. This thought-provoking piece from @fastcompany.com spells out why anyone can create meaning in their work, regardless of their role or title. This very insight is the essence of why we created MeaningSphere.
fastcompany.com
How to find meaning in your work
When our work has greater meaning, we change our relationship with it and, more importantly, with ourselves.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 23/02/2026
Some of the most important shifts in my worklife started with me saying: “I might be wrong.” For me, humility and curiosity have opened more doors than certainty ever did.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 19/02/2026
I’ve noticed that what counts as “meaningful work” has shifted for me over time. What felt right years ago doesn’t energize me like it once did.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 04/02/2026
This is a great reminder from @fastcompany.com. Sometimes, our inner voice moves us to create meaning in professional circumstances that aren’t ideal. In those types of scenarios, I’ve had to focus on how I show up, who I connect with, and what I decide to pay attention to.
fastcompany.com
How to get satisfaction from an unfulfilling job
In a tight labor market, finding a new job isn't always easy. Here's how to get the most from your current job.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 20/01/2026
Most people aren’t asking for less work. They’re asking for work that doesn’t drain them. What would make work feel more fulfilling for you this year?
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 12/01/2026
This really lands for me. I’ve learned that without regular space to reflect, even meaningful work starts to feel hollow. No pause. No perspective. A little space goes a long way.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 23/12/2025
People don’t just want to perform well, they want their work to mean something. So our goal with MeaningSphere is big: A future where “What do you do?” evolves into “Why do you do it?”
thephiladelphiacitizen.org
Business for Good: MeaningSphere
MeaningSphere, a new online coaching tool from former Vertex CEO Jeff Westphal promises professional mentorship without the mentor
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 15/12/2025
MeaningSphere’s new blog post names something most of us feel but rarely say out loud: meaningful work and pleasant work are rarely the same thing. Some of the most meaningful chapters of my career were also the most demanding.
meaningsphere.com
How the ‘happiness paradox’ shapes your work ⋆ MeaningSphere
We're hard-wired to create meaning and to seek happiness. But sometimes creating meaning involves...a certain amount of unhappiness! That's the happiness paradox.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 08/12/2025
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to love what you do for a living. The problem is when it feels like a moral imperative.
fastcompany.com
The case for not loving your job
There’s potential danger in placing too much importance on your career, research shows.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
I built a thriving company, won awards, and led a strong culture, but still felt like I didn’t deserve it. Success was thrilling and hollow at the same time. Ever felt your wins aren’t enough, or that there has to be more?
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 24/11/2025
I don’t think Gen Z is “lost.” I think they’re naming what too many of us have put up with quietly. And maybe that honesty is the beginning of something healthier. Thank you @jessgrose.bsky.social for giving us a more nuanced and compassionate lens through which to view Gen Z’s work struggles.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 11/11/2025
Have you seen the Abbott & Costello skit from the 50s “Who’s on First?” with the players: Who, What, and How? Ever sit in a business meeting that feels just as confusing and wonder, “Why am I even here?”
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 10/11/2025
I used to think success was all about winning the next deal. But 33 years ago, a mentor asked me one question that changed everything: “WHY are you doing this?”
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 03/11/2025
At new hire orientations at Vertex, I’d ask, “Why does business exist?” Silence. Eventually someone brave would say, “To make money?” What followed was 20 minutes of polite wrestling over what mattered most: clothes, cars, or the profits behind them?
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 28/10/2025
A few months after meeting Rich Teerlink—retiring Harley-Davidson CEO who had turned near-bankruptcy into $30K return per $1 invested—I got a one-line email from him: “It’s not about the money.”
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 28/10/2025
@davidburkus.bsky.social is spot on. Shifting my focus from how my work benefits me to how it serves others has transformed everything. Asking, “Who does my work benefit?” can infuse our worklives with meaning. Want to go further? Ask yourself, how does my work benefit those benefited by my work!
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 14/10/2025
I appreciate the convenience of Zoom. But when 90% of the call is spent staring at slides, I find myself missing people’s faces. We talk about the “future of work” like it’s all tech. @andrew-pope.bsky.social shares a thought-provoking (and funny) dive into why it’s important to re-center people.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 08/10/2025
State audits drove huge demand for sales tax systems, and my father and the early leadership team had already built the best solution. My advertising experience just gave it a prettier face.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 28/09/2025
At 24, I returned from my first (and last) year of law school, having skipped school for spring break in the Florida Keys, my dad’s command was clear: “Get a job!” I had seen what felt like the death march of his corporate life and dreaded signing up for it.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 23/09/2025
There’s no question that aspects of work itself need to change—hours, pay, safety, dignity. While shifts are happening, prioritizing a meaningful worklife remains consistent. bsky.app/profile/newy...
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 26/08/2025
It’s tempting to act fast and try to “fix” a sense of dissatisfaction. But Dr. @AaronBalick points out that real meaning comes from leaning into what’s happening now, with all of its tension, rather than chasing what we think should come next. www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/midl...
gq-magazine.co.uk
What a ‘midlife crisis’ means for Millennials
Contemplating ‘what it’s all for’ used to hit around your 40s. Today, we’re asking ourselves that question sooner and sooner. So what can we do about it?
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 18/08/2025
Early in my career, I thought resilience was about powering through every obstacle, wearing stress like a badge of honor. The real shift came when a mentor repeated the same question "Why?" until I started letting go of that external pressure and focusing on what truly mattered.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 11/08/2025
Burkus’ move away from purpose-as-mission statement is insightful. It’s simpler than that: What’s your impact on other people? When I see people I work with grow, and when they help me grow, it gives me more energy to keep going and know I am on the right track. What or who lights YOU up at work?
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Reposted by Jeff Westphal
Amy Edmondson @amycedmondson.bsky.social · 01/07/2025
2nd place can feel disastrous, but the sting of “almost” is less a verdict on your potential than an invitation to hone it My new article in @fastcompany.com, written w/ Dr Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, is all about how near misses can teach us more than successes: www.fastcompany.com/91345595/the...
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Reposted by Jeff Westphal
Helen Bevan @helenbevan.bsky.social · 10/03/2025
New McKinsey research says that for workforce performance/productivity, the working model (office based, working from home or hybrid) is far less important than other factors. What matters most is the work environment that leaders create (whatever the working model): mckinsey.com/capabilities....
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 17/02/2025
"How would you like to come to work at Vertex?" my father asked out of the blue in 1988; I instantaneously said "OK” & my career and life changed in ways I scarcely understood. Have you ever made a career changing decision with little understanding of why/what it would mean for your future?
This is a photo of Jeff Westphal and his father Rainer Westphal taking in 1988. Both are wearing business suits and smiling. Rainer stands behind Jeff, with his right hand reaching around and resting on Jeff's right shoulder.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 10/01/2025
Happy New Year and Thank You! Together, let's make 2025 a year of meaningful work, whether that work is tax software, paving roads or curing cancer, the meaning is there if we look for it! Join me on this journey to create a worklife that truly matters! #HappyNewYear #MeaningfulWork #WorkMatters
Photo of the poster, sitting on a stool, smiling.
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