Category: The Future of Work

Social Business, The Future of WorkLeave a comment

3 Ways Enterprises Need To Up Their Game: Give Choices, Make Changes, Take Leaps

ThisMuchWeKnow

Ten years ago, the enterprise was 5 years ahead of the consumer in its technological service offering and systems set up. Now, the consumer of 5 years ahead of the enterprise. Thank you, Apple et al. It is time for the enterprise to catch up and serve colleagues (as customers / consumers). Let’s see how, by working backwards from outputs to inputs. Consumers demand choice. This means the types of device they use (BYOD); and in how they work: Out loud – sharing their voice Collaboratively – with existing and new (self-formed) teams As a peer leader – subverting hierarchies leveraging their … Continue reading 3 Ways Enterprises Need To Up Their Game: Give Choices, Make Changes, Take Leaps

Personal Branding, Social Business, Story + Narrative, The Curious Will Inherit The World, The Future of Work5 Comments

What Does A Friend Look Like In The Age Of Social?

ThisMuchWeKnow

Or, How John Hagel, David Armano, Hugh MacLeod and Harold Jarche Kickstarted Me. Here’s how it began. 2011 Back story: In my MarComms job, I had two projects front of mind – launching an Enterprise Social Network (we were the first company in the world to completely replace our intranet with Yammer) and developing a bunch of infographics on business performance (turning heavy PowerPoint slides into something more digestible). Independently, I was mentoring some young communicators who were trying to work out their pitch and career paths. I spent a lot of time thinking about these topics; with plenty of online … Continue reading What Does A Friend Look Like In The Age Of Social?

Story + Narrative, The Future of Work3 Comments

Farewell Guru, Hello Awesome.

ThisMuchWeKnow

When someone calls themselves a social media guru / ninja etc. I puke up in my mouth a little. Just sayin’. The great Guru boom is over pic.twitter.com/mmb7dQg0wj — Benedict Evans (@benedictevans) November 27, 2013 So I liked seeing this graphic on the death knell of the guru in job postings. Thank you, and good night, gurus everywhere. But what is this? Instead, the rise of the AWESOME! Oh, dear. As an Englishman, I used to use terms such as brilliant, wonderful, excellent. Now, living in N. America I use awesome, which, as my trusty source reference Urban Dictionary confirms, … Continue reading Farewell Guru, Hello Awesome.

Social Business, The Future of WorkLeave a comment

The Intranet of Things? Not Yet

ThisMuchWeKnow

Reading about the internet of things is an interesting exercise in understanding our co-existence with technology and data. We want data to talk to data, chip to chip, thing to thing, so that we, as people, can focus on more value-added functions – creativity, thinking, relationships. What about at work? Intranet vendors offer up all sorts of cure-all solutions: one box that that takes you and your organization from zero to successarama in 100 interconnecting processes and controls. I’m not biting. The intranet of things is way off. It is outside the realm of a single box to do it … Continue reading The Intranet of Things? Not Yet

Social Business, The Future of Work1 Comment

Working Out Loud With Gratitude. #RelentlessHumanity Yo!

ThisMuchWeKnow

Working out loud (WoL) – sharing your knowledge transparently, moving towards your colleagues and stakeholders, asking for and offering help – is the approach to work that puts people (and networks) before process. I like the tag #RelentlessHumanity to describe this endeavour – enterprise social networking tools are there to push our collective humanity in a way that Facebook et al has done in our private lives. I am always thirsting for the chain reaction BOOM! point where this idea scales in the enterprise. We have to start somewhere. The excellent John Stepper is getting very meta, working out loud about working out … Continue reading Working Out Loud With Gratitude. #RelentlessHumanity Yo!

Social Business, Story + Narrative, The Future of Work1 Comment

Everything I Learned About Change, I Learned From Rocky Balboa.

ThisMuchWeKnow

By film number VI, Rocky Balboa made have had some brain damage, but boy can he deliver a punch(line). I go back to this video extract (minus the intro-outro titles) at least once a year – it is the best piece of advice about working on change I have heard. Let me tell you something you already know… It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward…You gotta be prepared to take the hits. Sometimes, when we talk about change, about the future of work, about embedding social inside the enterprise etc. we can get bogged down … Continue reading Everything I Learned About Change, I Learned From Rocky Balboa.

Story + Narrative, The Future of WorkLeave a comment

Won’t You Entertain Me?

ThisMuchWeKnow

According to an AdAge article, digital natives switch media venues 27 times an hour during non-working hours. This translates to an attention span of lasting 130 seconds. Yowser! As a digital immigrant, I was thinking how crazy it is to be a digital native and the schizophrenia it must cause – then I read that we ‘immigrants’ change media 17 times an hour. Crikey. Apparently, “What they (natives) are looking for is engaging content, and they dismiss so much stuff.” They are less inclined to adhere to the traditional beginning-middle-end mode of consuming content. They demand more. As communicators, as … Continue reading Won’t You Entertain Me?

The Curious Will Inherit The World, The Future of WorkLeave a comment

Where Do You Learn?

ThisMuchWeKnow

How do you discover information? Where do you learn? I belong to a community of e2.0 practitioners, Change Agents Worldwide, and a question was asked in that community: where do you source your information from? The below graphic, from Joachim Stroh,  is the answer. The ability to learn – on your own, every day, in perpetuity – will be a key differentiator in the future of work. These are some very simple places to start… ←This Much We Know.→ Continue reading Where Do You Learn?

The Curious Will Inherit The World, The Future of WorkLeave a comment

Curious Kids: What Does The Future Hold?

ThisMuchWeKnow

Sitting at the dinner table, browser open, Change Agents Worldwide social network status update asking me “What are you working on?” My 5-year old daughter Lola asked me me “What’s that?” and I explained that the group think about the future of work. Then I asked her: “What comes to mind when you think about the future?” She typed: “trees snow  flowers dirt animals people nature” and clicked SHARE. Often, I am trying to imagine the future anew; and to synthesize an approach to get there, for me and for others. But, sometimes the future can be the most literal … Continue reading Curious Kids: What Does The Future Hold?

Social Business, The Future of Work2 Comments

Intrapreneurs Wanted!

ThisMuchWeKnow

Intrapreneurship is growing. Forbes carries a smart little article on four clear traits of intrapreneurs. It is a good lens to look through – are you ready to perform? What I like is the essence of the intrapreneur not as self-glorifying visionary but as instinctive and alive to what goes on around them. Intrapreneurs aren’t afraid to change course, nor do they fear failure. It isn’t outward bravado that drives them but an inner confidence and courage that every step takes them closer to their ultimate goal. Indeed. Most importantly, intrapreneurs exhibit the traits of confidence and humility—not the maverick … Continue reading Intrapreneurs Wanted!

The Future of Work2 Comments

Signs That #TheFutureOfWork Is Upon Us: Side Projects

ThisMuchWeKnow

The Cluetrain Manifesto told us “All markets are conversations.” My guess is that all employment contracts will be the same – a series of conversations between supplier and buyer. As supplier of services, I will have multiple buyers – some serious, consistent, at scale; others transient, partial, fleeting. Many websites are reprazentin‘ freelancers’ rights and pontificating on their future righteousness, as they take over the world with their nimble, transferable skillsets and deep networking. So I liked seeing this newcomer to the realm: Side Racket. Acknowledging and embracing that the most natural way for someone to move from employee to … Continue reading Signs That #TheFutureOfWork Is Upon Us: Side Projects