Operating rhythm acts as the heartbeat of an organization, keeping teams on track and aiding efficiency in meeting needs.
Regular retrospectives are essential for reflection, sense-making, and providing material for action meetings and governance discussions.
Participatory governance through structured decision-making processes drives collective decisions, increasing engagement, accountability, and collaborative dynamics.
Deep dives
Structured Learning Opportunity for the Future of Work Fundamentals Course
A new cohort of the Future of Work Fundamentals course is being launched with enhancements based on feedback. The course includes access to a Slack community and facilitated events. This structured learning opportunity aims to equip participants with the building blocks of Brave New Work.
Exploring the Significance of an Operating Rhythm
The podcast delves into the concept of an operating rhythm, likened to the recurring heartbeat of an organization. It is highlighted as the routine that keeps teams on track and aids in meeting needs efficiently. Operating rhythm sets the foundation for team collaboration and clear direction.
The Value of Regular Retrospectives
Regular retrospectives are emphasized as crucial for reflection, sense-making, and identifying patterns within a team or organization. These meetings help in diverging viewpoints and provide material for other meeting types, feeding into action meetings and governance discussions.
Importance of Integrative Decision Making in Governance
Participatory governance through integrative decision-making processes is discussed as a key element to drive collective decisions within teams or organizations. Emphasis is placed on having structured norms and practices for various meeting types to ensure effective decision-making.
Enhancing Team Engagement through Structured Participation
The structured participation within meetings leads to increased engagement and accountability. By providing equal opportunities for all members to contribute and making roles transparent, teams experience improved clarity, accountability, and collaborative dynamics. The structured rhythm of meetings fosters inclusivity and shared responsibilities.
We’ve talked a lot about action meetings on the show. And retrospectives. And governance. And strategy sessions. Maybe you’ve wondered, “What do these meetings have to do with one another? How do they actually interact? Do they?”
We’re glad you asked. Because when woven together, they constitute an organization’s operating rhythm—or heartbeat. And sweating the design of that pulse—intentionally building the structural relationship from beat to beat—is what allows teams to unlock their most important work and make progress.
In this episode of Brave New Work, Aaron Dignan and Rodney Evans break down an OG operating rhythm’s fundamental parts, explore how it enables a system to move work forward, and dish about the fruits (greater clarity, efficiency, and accountability to name a few) of this labor.