Rodney Evans

Why does workplace feedback feel so fraught, and can teams make it safer without copying Bridgewater’s intense feedback culture? Aaron and Rodney explore rituals for constructive critique, power dynamics, and three kinds of feedback: the work itself, how someone affects others, and whether they’re honoring role agreements. They also debate how personal preferences and tradeoffs shape the feedback we give and receive.

Rodney Evans, a partner at TheReady, specializes in solving tough cross-functional problems within organizations. She emphasizes that change work should focus on continuous evolution rather than being a one-off project. Her depth-finding model reveals how hiring practices impact strategy and rewards. Rodney highlights the uncomfortable truth that broken patterns persist because they serve unspoken benefits. By addressing the 'gnarliest problem' and engaging in small, meaningful interventions, organizations can shift from dysfunction to effective change.

Why do crossed arms, cryptic messages, and pineapple emojis leave coworkers guessing? The team explores “User Manuals to Me,” personal guides to working styles, quirks, and triggers. They share candid examples, discuss how to get beyond polite answers, and explain why these guides should evolve as people do.

Sometimes, Rodney and Aaron stop by other people’s podcasts to nerd out on the hits we know and love: new ways of working, self-management, breaking down the binary between chaos and bureaucracy, the future of work—the list goes on and on. So today, we’re actually bringing one of those awesome conversations right to your ears.Rodney recently joined Jonathan Westover on his show, Human Capital Innovations, for an epic chat about adaptive organizational design and a whole lot more. We hope you enjoy the exchange and we’ll return with a fresh episode of Brave New Work next Monday.To tune into more episodes of Jonathan’s show, head to his website or search "Human Capital Innovations" wherever you get your podcasts.----------This episode originally aired on September 26th, 2022 on the Human Capital Innovations (HCI) Podcast with Dr. Jonathan H. Westover.In this HCI Podcast episode, Dr. Jonathan H. Westover talks with Rodney Evans about adaptive organization design and the future of work.Rodney Evans is a pioneer in adaptive organization design and the future of work. With 20 years of experience in all things transformation, she has researched, developed, and taught new ways of working in dozens of complex environments including Airbnb, Cooper Hewitt Museum, Macy’s, Intuit, and Johnson & Johnson. The Ready is a self-managed change agency that helps you discover a better way of working. Rodney works with companies around the world to modernize traditional practices and bust bureaucracy.About the Human Capital Innovations (HCI) Podcast:Maximize your personal and #OrganizationalPotential with the Human Capital Innovations (HCI) Podcast! We're your source for personal, professional, and #OrganizationalGrowth and development. We share our own original #Research, explore #IndustryTrends, and interview executives and thought leaders from across the globe. Join us for practitioner-oriented content around all things #Leadership, #HR, #TalentManagement, #OrganizationalDevelopment, and #ChangeManagement.

"Brave New Work" concludes its Future of HR series with org design nerds Rodney Evans and Sam Spurlin reflecting on their journey, surprises, and shifting opinions. The hosts share funny check-in rounds, childhood TV show memories, and discuss the impact and reception of the podcast. They emphasize the importance of fundamentals in HR work and express enthusiasm for future research and frameworks. The episode ends with playful banter, favorite gladiators, inside jokes, and a reminder to take their job seriously.