Transforming Work with Sophie Wade

Dr. Meghan Grace leads Gen Z research at the Institute of Generational Research and Education and leads research and data strategies at learning and development consultancy Plaid. She sheds light on who the youngest workers in the labor market are—a group whom leaders and managers across all sectors are struggling to attract, engage, and retain. Meghan shares illuminating research findings about Gen Z’s college experiences. She explains their concerns and desires are as they enter the workforce and develop their careers as well as how they respond to our new work environments.     KEY TAKEAWAYS   [03:12] Meghan’s Gen-Z-focused career began by accident at a staff retreat.   [04:48] Meghan and her research partner’s first study in 2014 was on Gen Zs then still in their teens.   [05:39] Understanding “peer personalities” in generational theory and differences between Millennials and Gen Z which begin before college.   [07:36] Gen Z’s world feels bigger and their collective reactions to society and the world shapes their peer personality.   [08:39] How multimedia consumption of information differs by generation.   [09:35] Meghan’s research was initially driven by the need to ensure colleges and universities are structured and supporting students effectively.   [11:41] Their studies have always been mindful of exploring Gen Z’s from several different angles.   [12:42] While themes haven’t changed, Gen Z’s have evolved over the seven years of studies.   [13:00] Gen Z’s major issues/concerns: stability (especially financial), healthcare, and homelessness.   [14:10] How Generation Z has been affected by watching the challenges older adults have been facing.   [15:14] Safety and security-related issues are also key issues relating to mass violence, sexual predators, climate and environment, and inclusion.   [18:52] Without shared values—such as integrity—Gen Z feels a trust gap with older generations.   [21:47] This young generation is maturing and developing agency—such as in politics.   [23:00] Collaboration between Millennials and Gen Zs could positively influence change at work.   [26:30] Meghan observed Generation Z dealing with very tough conditions during the pandemic with maturity and grace.   [29:20] Many of this generation missed an important year when young adults typically develop their world view through different social interactions and settings.   [32:19] Gen Zs were talking about work-related issues such as flexible work structures, financial stability, and meaningful work before the pandemic.   [33:02] Gen Z’s priorities are the same as most employees’.   [34:18] It is easy for the youngest generation to be the scapegoat, and they may be the loudest voices as a cohort, however, they aren’t creating the trend.   [36:04] Core values and characteristics to attract and keep Gen Z: meaningful work, transparent and empathetic leadership, and an opportunity to participate.   [37:57] Side hustles are integral to the concept of work for this multi-faceted generation—whether developing multiple income streams or monetizing a passion.   [39:20] The world of the “lifer” is over—time at any company can be viewed as a “productive layover” for both sides.   [41:05] IMMEDIATE ACTION TIP: Gen Z’s don’t take themselves too seriously and are willing to share if you ask, with curiosity and care.   [43:13] How to approach questions—recognizing vulnerability in the conversation—by channeling Ted Lasso’s “That is fascinating”!   [46:05] The issue of “shared language” for different cultures, companies, and generations.     RESOURCES   Meghan Grace Ed. D. on LinkedIn Meghan on Twitter Meghan on Instagram Meghan’s website Institute for Generational Research and Education For recent research visit Global Gen Z Study Meghan’s podcast: #GenZ     QUOTES    “Gen Z’s world feels bigger because their access to the world is bigger.”   “Financial security is at the top of the Gen Z list of concerns.”   “Gen Z is losing patience with older generations.”   “They’re heavily responsible to the people they love.” [about Gen Z]   “While we’re all being very serious about Gen Z, they don’t take themselves too seriously.”   “We are living in the same world, but we are all living in very different worlds at the same time because we exist in different spaces and different mindsets.”

Rowena Hennigan is a university lecturer at TU Dublin, published academic author and researcher, remote work expert, and digital nomad. She lives her ethos “work is not a place” and transitioned from working remotely—starting in 2007—to establish a digital nomad life for herself and her family. Rowena explains how digital nomad options are expanding to encompass slow travel, nomad families and communities, and extended business travel. She shares her experiences and learnings that have helped her improve productivity and performance as a remote and traveling worker.     KEY TAKEAWAYS   [02:52] Rowena’s journey starts with leaving Ireland for a drier climate as her daughter was sick.   [04:19] Moving to Spain improved her daughter’s health and changed their perspectives.   [05:02] During the pandemic, they wondered “why not travel all 4+ months of the school holidays?”   [07:38] The new possibilities and value of extra curricula activities for her daughter.   [08:52] Digital nomads emphasizing time without devices.   [10:47] Why any remote worker or digital nomad should master teaching skills.   [11:45] Establishing virtual learning agreements to create common ground.   [13:06] Understanding when/how you learn and the role of asynchronous interactions.   [14:27] Good educators are constant reflecting and ensuring they are accessible and understood by all.   [15:37] Setting up effective meeting norms.   [16:59] It is essential to manage expectations and dealing with the nuances of any human exchange.   [18:40] The importance of vulnerability and honesty to have productive conversations.   [20:18] The emergence of digital nomad hubs and communities—for families too.   [21:56] New nomad education options being offered that span more than one location.   [24:40] Discussing productivity for digital nomads and what’s sustainable for you personally.   [26:15] The benefits of slow travel—adding extra days away and working remotely effectively.   [28:53] The changing profile and lifestyle of digital nomads.   [30:31] The mentality of nomads who crave new experiences around where they work.   [33:21] Improving upon “helicoptering” in/out of places for meetings and events.   [34:15] The enriching experiences and leaning into curiosity and broad interests.   [36:20] Developing a habit of tourism—near and far.   [37:44] IMMEDIATE ACTION TIP: IMMEDIATE ACTION TIP: What new digital nomad experience might you explore considering the emerging and expanding options including work trip extensions, new tourist locations, and nurtured nomad communities.     RESOURCES   Rowena Hennigan on LinkedIn Rowena on Twitter RowenaHennigan.com Rowena’s new LinkedIn Learning course: Staying productive when you remote work and travel Rowena’s newsletter Remote Work Digest. Digital Nomad Village Madeira Islands Boundless Life website Adventurely’s website (CEO Mita Cariman) Selina’s website   QUOTES   “Work is not a place.”   “Any good educator will be constantly reflecting.”   “Can you travel slower? Can you extend your time? Can you take it easy on the way back rather than rushing to and from?   “We need to look at workload and make sure that with the act of travel I can do it as well within my performance and I’m managing everyone’s expectations because we can use remote work to supplement and complement that, but we have to do it with intention.”   “Increasingly, there’s a big slowmad, slow travel movement that’s emerged. It’s because of things like sustainability.”

J.R. Richards is a platinum selling American rock artist. He was the lead singer and songwriter for the band Dishwalla which achieved a major US No 1 hit, several music awards, and released five albums. J.R. now is an artist entrepreneur with four solo albums who continues to develop his 30+ year career. He shares the open-minded and entrepreneurial approach which allowed him to ride the technology wave that disrupted the music industry. What learnings can help us adapt through the current period of disruption?     KEY TAKEAWAYS   [01:28] How the music industry can offer us ideas having faced earlier major technology disruption.  [04:16] J.R. writes his first song at nine and then starts studying opera techniques at 18.    [04:58] The importance of protecting and managing content creation ability as an artist.    [07:40] J.R. enters the music industry at the tail end of its traditional operating model.    [08:19] Control was signed away to get essential physical distribution on finite shelves.    [09:32] Artists mostly kept revenues from touring but events also relied on labels’ power.    [10:32] The opaque economics as labels lent artists money to record, market, and distribute their albums.    [12:24] Technology disruption hits and the labels scramble to restructure as revenues drop.    [13:15] As digital music quality improves, distribution barriers disappear along with the need to be on a major label.    [14:30] Label consolidation took Dishwalla from A&M Records to Polygram to Universal to Interscope.    [16:24] A merger grounds release of Dishwalla’s second album prompting them to embrace technology developments to connect with fans directly and get more control at a smaller label.    [18:15] Who actually had the rockstar lifestyle—the label executives or the rockstars?!   [19:37] The industry is in upheaval exploring revenue models in licensing deals with multiple platforms.    [21:50] A dramatic murder causes the band’s label to fold and J.R. gets disillusioned.    [23:35] The band breaks up and J.R. goes solo just as digital distribution becomes mainstream.    [24:43] A massive Aha moment as J.R. gets his first ever accurate sales reports.    [26:31] How the pandemic forces JR to develop emerging opportunities as venues close.    [28:30] Why it is beneficial to check out and experiment with new options.    [29:40] J.R. pivots well creating innovative experiences for fans (helped by a talented marketer—his wife!).    [31:37] The vital importance of owning your core IP—the master of your album.    [34:35] New, tougher touring economics after many venues closed down.    [35:59] J.R. continues experimenting on YouTube, Spotify, and other platforms to engage new fans.    [36:58] A young singer has millions of views on TikTok of him singing a Dishwalla song J.R. wrote.    [37:25] J.R.’s equitable approach to collaborating with the singer.    [39:25] J.R. enjoys the collaboration process and finds more access and conversation helps.    [40:24] Inviting big fans into the song development process, J.R. agrees with one fan’s suggestion.   [41:37] How scary it was to show fans behind the curtain.    [43:19] The new balance of art and business as creators have to push themselves out in front of people.    [45:22] Using data to make educated decisions, control your career, and make a living.    [46:53] How ongoing learning allows you to develop your craft and create long-term value for yourself.    [48:35] IMMEDIATE ACTION TIP: Be really open-minded and when change starts happening, instead of fighting against it, check it out and ideally embrace it because you may find it’s better now than it was in the past.   [53:02] J.R. Richards sings!      RESOURCES   J.R.Richards website J.R.’s Shop J.R. on Facebook J.R. on TikTok J.R. on Instagram J.R. on Patreon J.R.on YouTube J.R.on Spotify   QUOTES    “It was the nineties, you had to sign a deal with a big label if you want to make it big.”   “It always felt like the executives running the label had more of the rockstar lifestyle and personality than the actual rock stars on the label!”   “It is terrifying because you are showing them [fans] behind the curtain. But you also realize how much people really appreciate that and it doesn’t diminish the way they look at you as an artist, it actually increases their appreciation for what you do.”   “I think the hardest thing is for the artist to put monetary value to what they do and push themselves out in front of people in hope that someone will buy what they’ve created.”   “You can get all that information and you can make some really educated decisions about where you focus your time and your energy and you can make a massive career out of it.”

Adam Tuckwell, Managing Director for Mobas, a brand transformation business in the UK, crafts, seeds, amplifies, and channels corporate messaging to affect change as social media and other communications platforms shift information power dynamics between leaders and their constituent audiences. Adam brings communications experience spanning video gaming, traditional publishing, and brand agencies to explain how customers’ and employees’ voices generate and facilitate transformation externally and internally.     KEY TAKEAWAYS   [02:49] Adam imagined his career differently to how it turned out.   [03:36] People have helped Adam identify his skills and what they are best suited for.   [04:34] Adam recognizes the importance of communications.   [05:59] The challenge of engaging teens in the video game sector.   [06:52] The wonderful challenges of wide-ranging tasks involved during the company’s growth stage.    [09:07] Adam’s next employer couldn’t be more different!   [09:45] Updating how Cambridge University Press communicated with their audiences.   [10:16] Adapting to different pace and process challenges at his new job, Adam also launches a podcast.    [11:20] The role of empathy in interviews—stopping broadcasting and starting to listen.   [12:03] Being naturally inquisitive, the next move was to an agency to explore diagnosis and problem-solving.   [14:16] The Future of Work manifests differently for SMEs versus for large enterprises.   [15:10] The Future of Work is being driven by workers—not management—being empowered.   [16:03] Companies’ transformation involves exploring different ideas and ways of working, getting beyond blinkered views of their situations.   [17:30] How the Future of Work is entirely changing the way we work.   [20:35] Clients want to solve a particular problem and don’t initially recognize how the issue fits within their wider organizational structure.   [19:08] The ongoing journeys of change—some are iterative, some are fundamental.    [21:39] Helping future leaders identify where there are issues as iterations are ongoing.    [22:30] In the current environment, where everyone is strained and stretched, how to identify the opportunities.   [25:17] Customers now have choices and voices which mean companies need proactively to manage how they are viewed so issues don’t snowball.   [27:20] Adam gets excited about inward communications and the Employee Value Proposition, which is hard for some organizations to adapt to.   [30:30] The next generation of workers give Adam hope with their openness and  different expectations of the workplace.   [31:52] As a child, Adam communicated visuals for his parents and appreciated the experiences of others and the relevance of tailoring messaging.   [33:40] The importance of trust and sensitivity to bring people along, combined with transparency and openness.   [34:20] Different types of leaders are rising now with diverse backgrounds and experiences.    [36:08] The future for leaders who can channel Gen Zs’ insights and appetite for change.   [39:12] The importance of investing in failure, experimenting for the future.   [40:52] Encouraging companies to focus 70% of their energies on today. [43:40] IMMEDIATE ACTION TIP: Don’t be alone as a leader. Ensure you have a friend or a group of friends with whom you can be vulnerable and who will be honest and critique what you do. Invest in relationships that ensure the decisions you make are the right ones for everybody.     RESOURCES   Adam Tuckwell on LinkedIn Adam Tuckwell on Twitter@adamtuckwell adam.tuckwell@mobas.com Mobas website     QUOTES   “People have helped me along the way to identify what I’m good at and how my skills might best be used.”   “The future of work is already here, it’s just that some companies haven’t opened their eyes to it yet.”   “So what I really like about transformation within the organizations we work with is that there’s a real appetite to try different ideas and concepts and ways of working that they wouldn’t have done before.”   “I think so many organizations are purely built to be reactive and they have too many layers that stop issues from being dealt with when they’re small and instead they snowball into big issues.”   “We need to have an understanding of where our people are, what they're experiencing, whether they're up or they're down, whether they've got issues outside of work.”   “Gen Z is seen as being a bit more entitled or set in their ways which are very negative traits. But then on the positive side, they’re really passionate about the environment, they want to save the world — they really don’t like what we've done to it.”

Dr. Grin Lord is the founder and CEO of mpathic.ai, an AI-powered service bringing empathy to enterprises. Trained as a clinical psychologist, Grin describes critical discoveries while a research scientist and gaining expertise in conversational design. She shares insights about how AI and machine learning can augment human connection, improve therapy bots, and train leaders, managers, and employees to be more empathic.   KEY TAKEAWAYS   [03:12] Dr. Grin Lord’s scientific background and early focus on empathy.   [04:15] The extraordinary benefits of listening and withholding judgments.   [07:28] The national rollout and financial impact of empathetic listening.   [08:12] Grin finds the 3-day training workshops are not successful for forming habits.   [09:43] Grin transitions to coaching modality to change behaviors.   [11:21] Specific intense training rules for providers optimize empathy, engagement, and trust.   [12:53] Unnatural learned techniques have undeniable power!   [13:41] Self-awareness is needed to adhere to the rules and be most effective.   [14:30] With phone-based coaching, Grin starts using machines to support the process of learning empathy.   [15:17] Research and ratings evaluate provider effectiveness and how computers were trained to do it.   [16:40] Grin explains synchronizing—people naturally adjusting their language style to others’.   [17:39] How synchronizing is a form of empathy.   [18:44] Grin is curious about other ways we can measure empathy.   [19:49] Dr. Lord’s realization: we need to get outside of the clinical space. [20:00] Grin wants to use her learnings outside clinical and academic fields and moves into the startup space.   [21:48] When the pandemic starts, Grin is working on a therapy chatbot that uses artificial intelligence.   [22:56] People start preferring to talk to the chat bot as it “gets” them.   [23:56] During the crisis, Grin starts her own company while looking after her kids and both parents at home.   [25:36] Starting with a game Empathy Rocks, Grin teaches coaches and therapists how to listen with empathy.   [27:03] The next step was applying empathy in different business and work situations.   [27:24] The powerful effect of empathy—or lack of empathy—when handling insurance claims.   [30:00] How empathic suggestions help managers give feedback.   [31:56] The next feature will direct users responses over time to relevant skills training.   [33:54] The goal is to give objective, timely feedback at scale, not to replace human interaction.   [35:48] Grin explains how mpathic is currently being integrated in HR platforms to improve communications.   [38:05] IMMEDIATE ACTION TIP: If you want to be more empathetic, start with seeing if you can repeat back what you heard when you’re listening, before you ask a question or provide advice.   [39:02] Grin recommends starting to apply a couple of simple skills in your daily life.     RESOURCES   Dr. Grin Lord on LinkedIn Dr. Grin Lord’s blog Dr. Grin Lord on Twitter @drgrinlord mpathic.ai mpathic.ai on LinkedIn     QUOTES   “We found that the folks that got the empathy intervention had major drops in their drinking and those effects held for three years and led to a 46% reduction in readmissions.”   “Some of the key ingredients of listening interventions have to with approaching people with non-judgment, curiosity, and accurate listening.”   “Even if the person knows that you’re using those techniques — it’s undeniably powerful — they still work!”   “We even had users report that they would rather talk to the bot than a human because of how consistently non-judgmental it was.”   “A large percentage of customers will leave after a bad interaction.”   “The core starting place for improving your empathy over time is seeing if you can get accurate understanding before you jump in providing advice or assuming.”

KEY TAKEAWAYS   [02:50] Colin started his career in accounting and then retail banking.   [03:50] Colin discovers he enjoys seeing people win and developing their careers.    [04:35] When banks were fighting for survival, the focus was internal not on customers.   [05:54] Colin wanted to understand the business end to end and the role he and others played.   [06:54] Transitioning from a large to a small organization was a shock for Colin—a risk for both sides.   [07:34] The culture at Saffron was warm from Day One.   [08:41] Colin rose rapidly to CEO, despite having no plan to achieve the role at this time.   [09:52] Colin leads transformation of the organization‘s culture and ethos from having top down centralized control.   [11:02] The “how” of work changes, especially opening up communications.   [12:13] To affect a culture change, being candid is key, bringing people into the process and encouraging them to ask questions.   [13:34] Cultural transformation starts with trust and being relentlessly honest and open.   [15:30] Emphasizing career development meant showing people growing and winning.   [17:18] Culture needs to be aligned internally and externally, including customers too.   [18:02] To develop the business, people’s roles needed to change.   [19:05] Achieving the improvements employees had committed to build trust and gained commitment for the next, growth phase.    [20:32] When the pandemic struck, Saffron was able to adjust rapidly as employees were used to change and communicating effectively.   [21:54] The pre-crisis transformation laid a strong foundation for two of the company’s strongest trading years—during and since the pandemic.   [23:33] Saffron was able to respond flexibly to customers’ different situations.   [24:37] The human-centered approach recognizes and responds to changing customer needs.   [26:42] Coming out the pandemic, Colin senses a seismic shift in how the employee value proposition [EVP] needs to considered.   [27:22] Colin is certainly not asking employees to return to the office five days a week   [28:23] Saffron takes a ‘principles approach’—the most important principle is that a society comes first, the service of customers comes first.   [29:00] Colin observes that people know how to work best, they don’t need the rules and expectations that other companies are talking about.   [30:11] During times of heightened ambiguity, ongoing conversations and iterations are important.   [31:08] A ‘management manager’ people training program facilitating new ways of working.   [32:12] Colin believes you need to understand where the people you work with are coming from.   [32:43] Saffron’s top executive team, who are spread out across the UK, are intentional when interacting online and in person.   [34:29] How to encourage transparent dialogue and assimilate new habits.   [37:46] People are adjusting how they’re living their lives no longer bound by geography—it’s a work in progress.   [38:57] Customers’ and employees’ expectations are needing to adapt.   [40:56] Colin has an open and less conventional approach for attracting good talent.   [42:35] Colin helps employees grow in their roles and even out of the organization.   [44:17] Colin shares the story of a bus driver looking for a career change at Saffron.   [45:15] IMMEDIATE ACTION TIP: To make whatever transformation your organization needs, start with the culture…then leadership, people, and processes….and stay the course — it will take at least twice as long as you think it will.     RESOURCES   Colin Field on LinkedIn Colin on Twitter @ColinHField Saffron Building Society on LinkedIn Saffron on Twitter @SaffronBS Saffron on Facebook @SaffronBS   For weekly video updates from Sophie and her Work In Progress newsletter and follow her on LinkedIn and Twitter @ASophieWade.   Sign up for the Work In Progress Report and Sophie’s blog on Sophiewade.com and flexcelnetwork.com     QUOTES    “I found the thing that made my heart sing! And the thing that made me smile was seeing people win, seeing people around you win, colleagues developing their careers and actually seeing and getting proud about something you were doing as a business.”   “Trust is the hardest thing to build in terms of culture.”   “Overnight we went from a business that was head office in two central buildings and eight branches, to all of a sudden we're in no buildings, and we're in studies, spare bedrooms, dining room tables.”   “Why would we want to start saying to people “you need to come back into the office again.” It's crazy! We've just proved over two years that we don't need to do that. That makes no sense.”   “I fell the secret is to swim with the tide here as a business, you go with it as much as you possibly can do and that’s the way to unlock the benefits.”   “Our customers set, a lot of them are 50+, and a number of them are 80 plus. And people would say to me “Colin, digital channels: you're wasting your time in that group. People will not want to use digital channels.” And now that's been completely debunked.”    

Lou Diamond, growth consultant and CEO of Thrive, is the host of popular podcast Thrive Loud, a keynote speaker and author. Lou’s new book “Speak Easy” is a playbook to help people connect and communicate, especially addressing the most difficult and awkward conversations. Lou shares insights gathered working in retail, consulting, banking, and as an entrepreneur, learning how “soft” skills are the “super” skills of communicating effectively and improving outcomes.   KEY TAKEAWAYS   [02:44] Lou comes in feeling more than spectacular, sharing how beekeeping and jewelry selling were a part of his academic path to studying economics at Cornell!   [03:35] Economics was originally taught in the Agricultural School at Cornell, so Lou also learned bee-keeping.   [04:17] Lou learned much from his entrepreneurial father working in the family’s stores from age 13.   [05:13] How does communicating in a very small space differ from communicating in larger spaces?   [06:15] How to transcend the transaction in a competitive environment.   [07:28] Lou minors in communications in business—a key aspect of who he is.   [08:15] Consulting is the first stop to explore different industries and roles.   [10:32] Lou gets the opportunity to transition to communications and marketing in financial services.   [13:44] In the 2008 market crash, the spotlight was on Lou covering government sponsored agencies.   [16:00] Despite being very busy, Lou wanted to share his experiences and insights more broadly.   [17:40] After a side hustle for a tech consultancy in Vegas, the entrepreneur’s urging resulted in Lou writing “Master the Art of Connecting”.   [20:15] It’s not about what you need to say, how you need to be. There are five ways starting with “Be curious”.   [22:50] Lou became a certified coach knowing coaching skills would help him become a better communicator and leader.   [24:27] The importance of sharpening question-asking muscles.   [26:22] Be fearless. Move through courage, owning and committing to what you say.   [28:27] We all have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable.   [30:50] How can we understand each other when our contexts are so different?   [32:00] To make a connection with someone, you have to let go a little bit which is the hardest thing for people to do.   [32:43] The three steps of moving through fear into courage.   [33:52] Being more fearless, we are more likeable, more connectable.   [35:06] Lou does a V.O.I.C.E. check-in to prepare before communicating: Visualize; Opportunity; Identity; Charisma and Energy level.   [37:20] “Soft” skills are actually “super” skills to Lou.   [39:08] The pandemic highlighted the importance of connections and conversations.   [39:59] The benefit of conversations at work to uncover and deal with problems—such as “why are people leaving?”.   [41:07] Lou shares a creative/risky exercise an executive tested to bring more empathy into work.   [43:02] “Speak Easy” us a guidebook and gift which explains how to prepare for different conversations using communication “cocktails”!   [46:26] IMMEDIATE ACTION TIP: Lift the energy and be super--unleash your superpower. If you don’t know yet what your superpower is, ask yourself and others to help you figure it out and then incorporate that when describing who you are when you meet people.     RESOURCES   Lou Diamond on LinkedIn Thrive LouD Lou’s new book Speak Easy: Connect With Every Conversation Lou on Twitter Master the Art of Connecting, by Lou Diamond Lou on Instagram Lou on Facebook     QUOTES   “It’s not what you need to say, it’s how you need to be.”   “If you’re not telling and talking and you’re focused on asking and listening, by definition you’re curious.”   “By embracing curiosity, we are putting ourselves in a position to be open to the idea that we can grow, connect, and establish that relationship.”   “You have to move through your fears into courage in every conversation.”   “We’re afraid to engage and connect, we’re not embracing being fearless and being vulnerable in the way that we can actually be as a human being. We need to do that.”   “Be brief, be bright, be gone!”

Haddy Davies is the Global Procurement Leader and Black Employee Network Chair at Johnson Matthey, a British specialties chemicals and sustainable technologies company. Haddy shares how lockdown in March 2020 forced her to do her job very differently. She recognizes the business’s heavy reliance on machines as well as the critical importance of understanding and engaging employees. Post-pandemic, her company is rethinking and testing new options—approaches, processes, and work arrangements—while Haddy uses First Principles to evaluate responsible sourcing.     KEY TAKEAWAYS   [03:00] Haddy shares why she choose a career in engineering.   [05:11] Transitioning to the UK from The Gambia was not so easy.   [06:54] Haddy does a gap year at Bible college to understand more about religion for many family-related reasons.   [09:40] The link between science and theology for Haddy is the appetite for knowledge.   [11:48] Haddy and her husband have multi-faceted connections.   [12:04] Choosing between studying engineering or continuing to study theology.   [13:03] An industrial placement year, starts Haddy’s career at DuPont in sustainable packaging which led to fuel cells using clean fuel.   {14:14] Haddy enjoys working on her company’s efforts to decarbonize the world and get to net zero.   [16:02] The power of problem solving during emergencies.   [17:46] Typical mitigating response from engineers did not anticipate pandemic.   [18:26] Crisis conditions shift investment to achieve more flexibility as resources are freed up to find viable solutions.   [19:36] Cybersecurity issues with remote working require some extra caution with linking up the plant.   [21:07] Innovation to augment machines to reduce onsite human accidents and errors.   [22:18] Haddy’s company is rethinking the design for the workplace to be “fit for purpose”.   [22:54] Flexibility allows tailoring to employee preferences and project needs.   [24:20] Streamlining operations is a continuing challenge, and we need to let go and let the machines do their work!   [25:31] Empathetic management is needed so workers don’t feel disenfranchised or unfairly treated.   [26:54] Haddy is upskilling to explore new roles and is currently working on responsible sourcing.   [28:10] Using a First Principles approach is helpful to reimagine and assess new possibilities.   [30:00]  IMMEDIATE ACTION TIP: You need a courageous people plan—one that is for the people with inputs from the people—which incorporates a flexible in the approach.   [31:28] The importance of understanding and engaging workers—transparency ensuring no disparities and career rich opportunities to support retention.   [33:42] Haddy’s family is doing well!   [34:27] How the pandemic enabled Haddy and her husband to reimagine their family life.       RESOURCES   Haddy Davies on LinkedIn Matthey.com       QUOTES    “Most of the great theologians were great thinkers; they were exploring the disjointedness of life, they always grappled with living in the now while understanding what had come before, and science is the same.”   “Things may seem impossible: ’You can’t possibly work from home if you’re an on-site person!’ We have not been forced to define the problems and bring solutions to the fore as a collective.”   “We are rethinking the design of the workplace to make sure that it is fit for purpose.”   “We need to train the machines to be on their own!”   “If anybody says to me ‘this is how we’ve been doing it!’ I will walk!”   “You have a workforce that is showing up for you. This means that they have considered all of the other options they could have gone to and they are staying. Never take that for granted.”   “Let the people plan the people plan!”

Trond Undheim, futurist, speaker, entrepreneur, venture partner, and the author of a new book, Augmented Lean in this second episode gets to the practical details of how flexibility can be achieved in manufacturing plants after a 50 year innovation hiatus. Trond draws on his industrial tech background, understanding of manufacturers’ realities, and recognition of frontline workers’ expertise to develop flexible, augmented environments. He recommends balancing inputs from both employees on the shop floor and management to “hack and govern” new solutions. Trond acknowledges these are long term paradigm shifts.     KEY TAKEAWAYS   [02:57] Trond explains the deskless reality for factory workers results from forgetting to innovate for 50 years.   [05:00] Adding multiple screens gives employees the data they need and freedom to walk around.   [05:36] How no code technology now allows data to be widely available and accessible.   [06:26] Up to date information augments workers’ intelligence and real-time operational decisions.   [07:03] The first killer application is digital work instructions.   [07:52] Tech advances enable empathetic learning as feedback is immediate and uncontentious.   [09:44] Augmented lean approaches technology integration in a smarter way—top down and bottom up.   [10:54] Governance is an essential aspect of modern organizations.   [11:42] The problems arising with top down only technology integration.   [12:57] The benefit of bottom up analysis of bottlenecks and operating needs.   [13:51] The advantage of workers’ general understanding of operations and cross-training.   [14:38] In manufacturing, employees have to be learning on the job, on site.   [15:27] How can we expect an innovative workplace if the tools do not augment workers?   [16:32] Greenfields permit shortcuts so workers can add digital apps to legacy systems.   [17:44] What to do with legacy machines.   [18:39] Taking a First Principles approach to production based on value creation.   [19:10] Augmented lean is about context and flexibility.   [20:32] “Hack and Govern” – hacking is bottom up and governing is top down.   [23:58] Apps-based productivity in this digital revolution needs a certain amount of flexibility.   [24:56] Empowering and inspiring frontline workers to show their experience and improve ROI.   [26:15] How to get new workers interested in manufacturing jobs in the US.   [28:08] What is factory work like now? What do factories look and sound like?   [32:43] What does Trond think about Musk’s edict “return or resign”?   [34:25] Backlash or not, managers have a losing proposition trying to get everyone back to the office.   [35:44] This decade, Trond does not see factory work being done 100% on site.   [37:12] With significant advanced technologies, the shop floor has more pull than office environments.   [38:52] New fluid interfaces that interact with workers—the factory floor wasn’t ready at first.   [42:01] With cyber-physical systems, ‘prototype to product’ is not easy and can take time.     [43:42] The vision of “lean” in Trond’s new book.   [44:54] Did we take a wrong fork in the road away from cyber-physical systems in the 1970s?   [46:22] IMMEDIATE ACTION TIP: Rinse and repeat! Use quick iterations to experiment your way through to positive change. Hack and Govern: the juxtaposition of bottom-up and top down approaches for a more balanced outcome.     RESOURCES   Trond Undheim on LinkedIn Trond on Twitter Futurized & Augmented podcasts Augmented Lean: A Human-Centric Framework for Managing Front-Line Operations, by Trond Arne Undheim Tulip.co     QUOTES    “If the tools that we are providing to the workforce don’t augment them, don’t make them feel meaningful, don’t give them dignity, and don’t give them knowledge, how can we expect to have an innovative workplace?”   “You have to govern technology … but on the other hand, the internet revolution is all about hacking, it is about bottom-up initiative, about enabling your smartest nerds — who nowadays can be someone who didn’t study computer science.”   “There are so many exciting factories right now … they have robots, they have digital interfaces, factories don’t look like you might imagine they do!”   “Tesla is today’s Ford — it is not a virtual organization of software programmers — Tesla produces something physical, they have factory floors, in fact, they have some of the world’s biggest factories that they just opened in Texas.”   “Software is easy, cyber-physical systems are hard.”   “Think in sprints, allow hacks, don’t forget to govern.”   “There is no management of workers that doesn’t include letting them experiment and try out new things, and there is no responsible management approach that lets everyone do their own thing.”

Trond Undheim, futurist, speaker, entrepreneur, venture partner, and author of a new book “Augmented Lean”. Trond draws on his technology-focused background across public, academic, and private sectors to discuss the need and solutions for workplace flexibility for frontline manufacturing workers. Acknowledging the paradigm shift to employ a human-centric approach, integrating employees’ inputs, Trond highlights sophisticated new software which improve frontline experiences and overall results. These solutions optimize processes and augment workers rather than emphasize machine automation.    KEY TAKEAWAYS   [03:19] Trond’s path starts in a random manner when he notices a poster!   [04:55] How Trond canceled Christmas to write his Ph.D. proposal in two weeks.   [06:02] Norway’s phone company is exploring the nomadic workplace in 1998.   [07:44] Trond does fieldwork in Silicon Valley that is selling “placelessness”.   [09:18] Trond becomes sought after for technology policy decision-making, government thinktanks, energy policy, and eventually economics at the E.U..   [12:19] Standardization: Trond explains how fascinating and essential it is—eg the Apple charger.   [14:54] How interoperability and openness have been important new developments.   [16:19] Trond equates learning standards and standardization like foreign languages.   [19:22] Trond’s work at MIT on no-code language and the impact it can have on the workplace.   [20:42] Advanced efforts to transform the factory floor with productivity tools for frontline workers.   [22:08] The tech user interface is finally simple enough to get out of the way.   [22:49] Was the emphasis on automation was the wrong path to take—being technology deterministic?   [23:00] When it comes to manufacturing, why has the focus historically been on automation and efficiency?   [24:49] The question is NOT “Are the robots going to take over?” That has been a distraction.   [26:10] How can we think about the “how” of work differently to get on the right track? Trond offers a fundamental to ask question first.    [27:20] The role of business schools in producing leaders who think they know best!   [28:20] Changing the paradigm from a quest for lifelong specialization in one domain to multiple specializations over time with general systems knowledge.   [31:40] How a human-centric manufacturing approach gathers and benefits from front-line workers’ and middle managers’ years of expertise.   [34:17] Why “cobots” are an important reframing of machines as “robots” are defined as “dangerous”.   [36:52] Bridging the digital/physical divide through augmentation to transform frontline workers toward knowledge work—Trond explains why this is a good thing.   [40:45] How greater advances now can be made augmenting how frontline workers work rather than automating machines.   [42:30] The potential for renewed glory in manufacturing by augmenting the entire workforce. Tune in for Part 2 – the practical “how” to make it happen.   RESOURCES   Trond Undheim on LinkedIn Trond on Twitter Futurized & Augmented podcasts Augmented Lean book by Trond Arne Undheim Tulip.co   QUOTES    “It sounds extremely dry, but standardization is super interesting. It’s the driver of the economy: it builds markets.”   “Markets are built: they are very purposely constructed architectures of rules, regulations, and standards.”   “Multiple specialities consecutively throughout your career has to be the target.”   “In a true human centric vision of manufacturing, the humans are always at the center---the whole idea is manufacturing has always been about innovation.”   “The overall perspective that ‘management knows best’ is detrimental to a true understanding of human work.”   “To make progress, the smart thing is to augment your workforce more than you automate your machines.”