Tag: conversation

Social Business, The Future of Work5 Comments

#WorkHacks – Create Serendipity By Reducing Bathrooms

ThisMuchWeKnow

Serendipity implies things happening due to forces beyond your control. Yes, but no. You can create serendipity in your workplace through office design. I read Walter Isaacson’s biography of Steve Jobs, and a story that stuck for me was his involvement in the design of his offices. He demanded only one toilet block for the entire office, and that it be in the atrium. He wanted serendipitous meetings to occur between people who would not otherwise collide and connect. Where’s The Washroom? At a recent knowledge share session at work, I asked 30 colleagues where they would place the kitchen … Continue reading #WorkHacks – Create Serendipity By Reducing Bathrooms

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Redundancy And Repetition Are Good For You: Take 2 –Selling Social Business Is Hard

ThisMuchWeKnow

[Take 1: How We Learn]  Any of us that are driving the social / open business conversation at work have experienced the following, upon trying to sell or introduce a new (enterprise) social channel for collaboration, learning, engagement: Reaction A – “Ooooh! A new opportunity to relate, connect, commune.” Or, Reaction B – “Ohhhh! Another way for me and my team to waste time at work. I just don’t have time for this…” For the lucky /skilled social practitioner, there are 2 Reaction As for every Reaction B. For the rest, maybe the other way around? If you want your … Continue reading Redundancy And Repetition Are Good For You: Take 2 –Selling Social Business Is Hard

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Redundancy And Repetition Are Good For You: Take 1 – How We Learn

ThisMuchWeKnow

Some years ago, during an internal project to define and develop the company as a learning organization I came up with this definition: We learn to learn together, to get the results we want together (after Senge). Whereas the project sponsor wanted something tangible and process-led, I pushed back. Learning and understanding is co-created and evolved and iterated. It is in flux, it is a flow. I wish, at the time, I had heard of Harald Jarche. His work, amongst many others, has influenced my own in recent years and would have helped greatly wrangling that ‘learning organization’ project to … Continue reading Redundancy And Repetition Are Good For You: Take 1 – How We Learn

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Why I Follow So Few People On Twitter

ThisMuchWeKnow

I could, if I wanted, have a few hundred / thousand twitter followers. I do not need to explain how to do that, it is a simple process of mathematics for most of us. It starts with following many. But I do not. And this is why: “You are my idea of a good writer because you have an unmannered style, and when I read what you write, I hear you talking.” – Isaac Asimov to Carl Sagan ←This Much We Know.→ Continue reading Why I Follow So Few People On Twitter

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?

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Brand Thinking

ThisMuchWeKnow

The usual awesomesauce from @brainpickings – this time in reviewing Debiie Millman’s Brand Thinking. And, at TMWK, we do think about brand. We think brand is about defining how your particular genius: “This is why you need me” in the context of your employer conversation; “This is how I am my best” in relation to anyone understanding you better. As the article breaks down, there is much tension in the discussion of “brand” meaning. I do not disagree. Professionally, it is a term that, when injected into conversation, will equally have people leaning in and openly grimacing. As individuals (versus … Continue reading Brand Thinking