Category: The Future of Work

Social Business, The Future of Work2 Comments

The “Individual” Is The New “Institution”

ThisMuchWeKnow

Another distinction made by John Hagel in his conversation with Stowe Boyd (after “Learning” Is The New “Efficiency”) is a change of perspective away from individuals adapting to the organization’s requirements, to the organizational requirement to adapt to the (learning) demands of the individual. “…if you take scalable learning as the key rationale for institutions to exist, then the individual becomes front and center…you can’t learn without individuals taking initiative and you can’t predict the learning that happens through serendipity, or unexpected experiments.” In the last post I said, Making organizations about learning (and therefore about people) rather than process … Continue reading The “Individual” Is The New “Institution”

Social Business, The Future of Work1 Comment

“Learning” Is The New “Efficiency”

ThisMuchWeKnow

Excellent input, as usual from John Hagel, in conversation with the “Socialogist” Stowe Boyd. What is the need of the modern organization? Recently, the push for efficiency at scale has driven organizations and markets (and their value). Now, however, perhaps because of the overall success of this drive, efficiency is, incrementally, increasingly difficult. We need a new organizational motivator. How about learning at scale instead? My own definition of a learning organization (after Peter Senge) is: We learn to learn together, in order to obtain the results we want together. Making organizations about learning (and therefore about people) rather than … Continue reading “Learning” Is The New “Efficiency”

Social Business, The Future of Work2 Comments

“Giving” Is The New “Taking”

ThisMuchWeKnow

Continuing the recent “X” Is The New “Y” theme, I liked this very rich write up from McKinsey on the culture of organizations and how cooperative behaviour (or lack thereof) impacts results. It documents some excellent data and research. Organizations that give more than they take are the highest performing. In giver cultures, employees are: helping others, sharing knowledge, offering mentoring, and making connections without expecting anything in return. Meanwhile, in taker cultures, the norm is to get as much as possible from others while contributing less in return. Employees help only when they expect the personal benefits to exceed the … Continue reading “Giving” Is The New “Taking”

Social Business, The Future of Work1 Comment

“Adapt” Is The New “Adopt.”

ThisMuchWeKnow

One final A –> B vernacular twist, again via Luis Suarez… Whenever we drive “social” adoption, we are trying to get others to learn something new. Learning, for adults, is complex. Many adults really don’t like learning new things. It is asking a lot. However, when we ask people to adapt, it is different. Still not easy per se, adaptation implies people have the wherewithal to get ‘er done. It is effort that is required, not learning from scratch. I like that. Ain’t Anti-Social Asking others to adopt social implies they might be anti-social. But we can all adapt social, … Continue reading “Adapt” Is The New “Adopt.”

Social Business, The Future of Work3 Comments

“Open” Is The New “Social.”

ThisMuchWeKnow

As we drive change in our organizations and embrace the future of work – one that is hyperconnected, iterative, conversational, Cluetrained – we butt heads with those who think differently. Where we desire hyperconnection, they prefer walled gardens. Where we embrace iteration, they follow linearity. Where we converse, they broadcast. Where we jump on the back of the Cluetrain as it rumbles through town, they line up at the airport for the F W Taylor Scientific Management jumbo jet. Among many points of contention with the others, “Social” is often where we come to blows. For while social implies to … Continue reading “Open” Is The New “Social.”

Social Business, The Future of Work2 Comments

“Social Business” Is The New “Social Media”

ThisMuchWeKnow

Media may be the new Brand, but it doesn’t mean everyone gets it. Maybe times have changed, but here is a 6-7 word sentence that has failed more often than it has succeeded: “I need budget / resources for social media.” For some corporate executives it is hard to imagine two more frivolous words / concepts. Social + media = fail. One way to build muscle and confidence, and circumvent denigration of the MarComms work at hand, in conversation with executives is to reframe it more centrally to the business mandate. One small, meaningful move is to stop talking about social media … Continue reading “Social Business” Is The New “Social Media”

Story + Narrative, The Future of Work1 Comment

“Media” Is The New “Brand”

ThisMuchWeKnow

Just as Share is the new Save, Media is the new Brand. We have knowledge oozing from every organizational orifice. Switching from save to share creates myriad new opportunities for innovation, project breakthroughs, leverage. Internally, we are more interconnected, friendly, collaborative. Externally? Well, when we share our genius, we are reframing our corporate brand – away from our product toward our special sauce, our very fabric. Our brand moves from monolithic logo and product uniformity / ubiquity to our intertwined narratives, personal stories, our humanity. Social brands are the ones that are making waves, the ones that go viral. David … Continue reading “Media” Is The New “Brand”

Story + Narrative, The Future of WorkLeave a comment

Storytelling: Vine

ThisMuchWeKnow

I am as caught up in the maelstrom of modern life as the next person; slightly anxious when any interaction or learning opportunity asks for more than a few minutes of my time. Therefore, I am excited to make Vine work for me – personally and professionally. It seems so wrong, and it feels so right. Checkmate The content is definitely F.R.E.S.H.: Fun – anything lasting 6-7 seconds is cheap and cheerful, at least. Check. Revealing – of what is on one’s mind, at least. Check. Entertaining – hard to be bored in such a space of time. Check  Shareable+Social … Continue reading Storytelling: Vine

The Future of WorkLeave a comment

Flow Creates Labour – Beats Work

ThisMuchWeKnow

Back-to-back-to-back dissections of @brainpickings brilliance, and more on the topic of “work”, and how to make it better, or something different altogether. Yesterday, vocation. Today, labour (UK spelling). In her review of psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi‘s book Flow:  The Psychology of Optimal Experience: “[He] has a term for the quality that sets labor apart from work: flow — a kind of intense focus and crisp sense of clarity where you forget yourself, lose track of time, and feel like you’re part of something larger. If you’ve ever pulled an all-nighter for a pet project, or even spent 20 consecutive hours composing a love letter, you’ve experienced … Continue reading Flow Creates Labour – Beats Work

Personal Branding, The Future of WorkLeave a comment

Vocal About Vocation

ThisMuchWeKnow

Another stellar review from @brainpickings about something close to the TMWK heart: Fulfilling Work. Such a concept is heavy at the heart of our approach to personal branding. If we can describe to others how we manifest our genius – who we are, the skills we offer – they can better help us in the direction of our vocation. As relayed by @brainpickings: Roman Krznaric, author of How to Find Fulfilling Work says; “a vocation is not something we find, it’s something we grow — and grow into.” He further defines vocation as “a career that not only gives you fulfillment — meaning, … Continue reading Vocal About Vocation

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

‘O Vain Curiosity! O Curious Vanity!’

ThisMuchWeKnow

The usual, incomparable combinatorial brilliance from @brainpickings about a focus du jour, which you may have guessed from the blog title is the subject of curiosity. Absolutely, just read the original article – it will make you wonder… My interest in curiosity is its role as the base element of the TMWK Manifesto. From the article, Aristotle thought, apparently, curiosity to be “…a kind of aimless, witless tendency to pry into things that didn’t concern us.” Yes. What does concern us? This is a central conundrum in a world of “more, always more.” There are two ways to approach the … Continue reading ‘O Vain Curiosity! O Curious Vanity!’