Category: The Future of Work

Social Business, The Future of Work11 Comments

Hello. I’m Jonathan. How Can I Help?

ThisMuchWeKnow

I asked someone recently a question that seemed quite natural to ask. It felt good. I didn’t over think it. It just made sense at the time. I asked her: How can I help? I was reminded of this brief exchange recently when I read this article on the networking power of asking the same question (I think, via @Nilofer) I think it might be the most important question we can ask each other in the next 10 years, and not just because it will help us network (always a useful skill). Now, there is nothing other-worldly about what I … Continue reading Hello. I’m Jonathan. How Can I Help?

The Future of WorkLeave a comment

When Will Wifi Be A Universal Human Right? 2030?

ThisMuchWeKnow

A week away on holiday in Tofino at the beach with the family, barely a thought about work (nor the blog). Left the laptop at home, even. So, clearly, I can disconnect. I don’t have nervous digits needing to type or swipe. Still, many practical activities can be executed or supported by Dr. Google et al. What’s the name of that restaurant that’s supposed to have great fish tacos? Is there an IGA supermarket in town like Lisa said? How long will it take us to drive to the nature trail? Etc. You get the point. So when the cabins … Continue reading When Will Wifi Be A Universal Human Right? 2030?

The Future of WorkLeave a comment

Be A Part Of The 30%: Fall In Love With Your Work

ThisMuchWeKnow

I have seen a new percentage floating around the interwebs on the topic of engagement. The percentage of people disengaged at work: 70% Oh dear. Tsk tsk. Head scratch. Sad pout. Chin stroke. We need to do better, people. It starts with me, with you. It means taking charge of our own destiny. It demands change. It implies more flux, more hustle and flow. It asks us to look around us, and to declare “I am happy!” If you cannot say that, then move on, do something else, work out how to fall in love with your work. Please. ←This Much We … Continue reading Be A Part Of The 30%: Fall In Love With Your Work

Personal Branding, Story + Narrative, The Future of WorkLeave a comment

Resumes: Size Does NOT Matter…Compelling Story DOES.

ThisMuchWeKnow

I have talked before about how I dislike my resume / CV. It is just so difficult to fit a person into a formula. So frustrated was I with the blah blah blah of my 2-page resume I forced it down to one-page, thinking that would help. It did not. Then, in a fit of pique, and in the fervour of a creative outburst, I turned it into a 1-metre infographic. Satisfying (and a version of which trended on SlideShare for a while). Later still, I developed the BrandBoard concept as a mechanism to tell a first-person story that is … Continue reading Resumes: Size Does NOT Matter…Compelling Story DOES.

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

Don’t End Up Like “Phil”: Get Curious

ThisMuchWeKnow

More grist for the mill on the topic of owning your own career, and being ready for change; of embracing ‘work is learning and learning is the work.’ A sad little parable from Brian Fippinger on the Social Hire website about “Phil” out of work and out of luck, rich with experience no longer required: Once you have become an expert at something, it is hard to go back to point A again.  But that is precisely where we all need to be, at all times.  At the beginning, back at point A. Exactly. Learning begins with curiosity. It is … Continue reading Don’t End Up Like “Phil”: Get Curious

Social Business, The Future of WorkLeave a comment

Can IT Be The Department of Yes?

ThisMuchWeKnow

Discussing technology that powers the social enterprise, as I do, one clear distinction I have experienced is how it is MarComms / HR-types that “get it”; and IT-types that fold their arms and harumph about it. I spoke at a couple of Microsoft ‘social’ events this year about adopting social technology in the enterprise – using my company as a case study. Within the enterprise social community there is this natural conversation happening about ‘what if..’ and ‘Yes! And…‘ Conversely, in the MSoft audience were mainly IT-types, and there was a collective head scratching about the meaning of social. Instead, … Continue reading Can IT Be The Department of Yes?

The Future of Work1 Comment

No More Jobs. Just Stints. It Stinks.

ThisMuchWeKnow

When I grow up I want to be a futurist. That is the coolest job, ever. However, according to one such futurist, Glen Hiemstra (via this Fast Company webcast) and channeling Peter Drucker, such a job will not be available to me, it will be one stint* among many. No more jobs. Instead, a stint here, a stint there. Stints everywhere! But hold on! Stint as verb means: “Supply an ungenerous or inadequate amount of (something).” Hmmm. I smell something fishy in the world of work, and it isn’t stint frisch… *AKA ‘gig’ ←This Much We Know.→ Continue reading No More Jobs. Just Stints. It Stinks.

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

Innovation Via Disruption And Disagreeableness

ThisMuchWeKnow

Great short video from the inestimable Malcolm Gladwell on some requirements for innovation and entrepreneurship. http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/newswire/2013/video–successful-innovation-via-disruption.html I was struck by the unusual combination of very different attributes, noted by Gladwell, required for success: creativity  – willingness to experiment conscientiousness – follow-through on goals disagreeableness – don’t care about approval Disagreeableness I often reframe around creative tension – it seems a good way to drive forward, at the edge, with positive intent. I know many people with one, or two, of these attributes. It is a rare combination to find all three in one person, hence, perhaps, the acclaim successful innovators … Continue reading Innovation Via Disruption And Disagreeableness

Social Business, The Future of WorkLeave a comment

“Access trumps possession. Access is better than ownership.” #SocBiz Aha!

ThisMuchWeKnow

“Access trumps possession. Access is better than ownership.” – Kevin Kelly, Founder, Wired This is the incredibly prescient KK from 2009 on the power of access. Of course, this message speaks powerfully for the opportunity of social/open business; and what tools like ESNs (Enterprise Social Networks) offer: giving others access to shared knowledge trumps possession/ownership of the same. Gosh, I hope there are “Aha!s” all round. ←This Much We Know.→     Continue reading “Access trumps possession. Access is better than ownership.” #SocBiz Aha!

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

What Makes An Effective Knowledge Worker? (Gurteen Knowledge)

ThisMuchWeKnow

Do you sit at a desk most days doing brainiac work? Consider yourself a knowledge worker? Well, here a simple test: check off as many knowledge worker attributes as you can on this list of 38 from David Gurteen @  (via Thierry deBaillon) A delightfully simple yet profound moment of reflection. What makes an effective knowledge worker? (Gurteen Knowledge). connect people with people connect people with ideas are good networkers do not follow the rules have strong communication skills like people feel good about themselves motivate others are catalysts ask for help demonstrate integrity are self reliant open to share are … Continue reading What Makes An Effective Knowledge Worker? (Gurteen Knowledge)

Personal Branding, The Future of WorkLeave a comment

We Are Intrapreneurs!

ThisMuchWeKnow

I wrote elsewhere recently about acclaiming myself as an intrapreneur. I even put it on my LinkedIn profile, finally. Doing so was more fraught than I had thought when I first decided to use the moniker after a few glasses of wine with colleagues in Norway. Perhaps revealingly then, my little list of ways in which I (want to) show up has the word Intrapreneurs written very softly. Either that, or that word only had peculiarly faded in the sun. Explanations of the other ways I show up (minus mad drunk uncle at wedding. That’s for tomorrow.) The Dept. of … Continue reading We Are Intrapreneurs!