At Work with The Ready

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.Our book is available now at bravenewwork.comWe want to hear from you. Send your thoughts and feedback to podcast@theready.comLooking for some help with your own transformation? Visit theready.com

Ask 10 different people to define sustainability and you could get 10 different answers. That’s because while more and more companies are discussing their environmental impact and efforts, there’s still a lot of work to be done to meaningfully address the global climate crisis. But ask Hana Kajimura how she and Allbirds see sustainability and you get the talk and the walk: Allbirds believes climate change is the biggest issue facing humanity and aims to reverse climate change through better business. As the company’s head of sustainability, that lofty goal doesn’t rest only at Hana’s feet; it’s woven throughout the entire org as a first principle. So how does that influence Allbirds’ approach to making tradeoffs over time? How is the company innovating not only its products but its actual ways of working to hit sustainability targets more sustainably? Aaron Dignan and Rodney Evans get into all of it with Hana in this episode of Brave New Work.Our book is available now at bravenewwork.comWe want to hear from you. Send your thoughts and feedback to podcast@theready.comLooking for some help with your own transformation? Visit theready.com

Why can it feel tough to get people hype about self-management and the Brave New Work-ness of it all? How can we build buzz and momentum around new ways of working to get folks excited about playing and committing to an entirely different game? How can we meaningfully communicate these ideas to overcome the fatigue and fear that often accompanies big change?In this episode of Brave New Work, Aaron Dignan and Rodney Evans talk about the difficulty of introducing new mental models to those still swimming in the status quo and why it’s important for orgs to align and agree on the problems that need solving before leaping to solutions.Our book is available now at bravenewwork.comWe want to hear from you. Send your thoughts and feedback to podcast@theready.comLooking for some help with your own transformation? Visit theready.com

This is the ninth episode in a crossover mini-series between Brave New Work cohosts Rodney Evans and Aaron Dignan and Chase Chapman, builder of DAOs and host of the On the Other Side podcast. Each episode dives into a specific topic related to organizational design for Web3. Today, they talk about how DAOs are thinking about leadership and why expanding the definition of leadership means expanding the number of tools at our disposal to build better and stronger systems.

This is the eighth episode in a crossover mini-series between Brave New Work cohosts Rodney Evans and Aaron Dignan and Chase Chapman, builder of DAOs and host of the On the Other Side podcast. Each episode dives into a specific topic related to organizational design for Web3.Today, they talk about the different reputational flavors and expressions that show up in Web3 (and all ecosystems for that matter) and the possibility that personal agendas can melt away when a system’s needs are clear.

This is the seventh episode in a crossover mini-series between Brave New Work cohosts Rodney Evans and Aaron Dignan and Chase Chapman, builder of DAOs and host of the On the Other Side podcast. Each episode dives into a specific topic related to organizational design for Web3.Today, they talk about centralization’s downsides (it can create hurdles and sludge), its upsides (it can let people at the edges move quickly), and how a system can be deliberate about its tradeoffs.

[This episode originally aired in June 2021.] With his organization Sociocracy for All, Ted Rau is helping organizations empower their members, and put a spotlight on equity. In this episode of Brave New Work, Aaron Dignan and Rodney Evans talk to Ted about his book, Many Voices One Song, consent-based decision-making, and the challenges of getting the ball rolling with large orgs.Check out Ted's book here: https://www.sociocracyforall.org/mvos/Learn more about Ted's work here: https://www.sociocracyforall.org/teams/ted-rau/Our book is available now at bravenewwork.comWe want to hear from you. Send your thoughts and feedback to podcast@theready.comLooking for some help with your own transformation? Visit theready.com

Exploring the crucial first steps for launching a new venture, the discussion highlights defining purpose and establishing core values. The hosts emphasize the importance of clarity in roles, avoiding confusion between urgent tasks and important goals. They address the complexities of startup culture and the need for adaptability in defining responsibilities. Resource allocation challenges are scrutinized, alongside strategies for fostering a supportive yet urgent work environment. Listeners are inspired to rethink risk management and decision-making in their entrepreneurial journeys.

This is the sixth episode in a crossover mini-series between Brave New Work cohosts Rodney Evans and Aaron Dignan and Chase Chapman, builder of DAOs and host of the On the Other Side podcast. Each episode dives into a specific topic related to organizational design for Web3.Today, they talk about instantiating marketplaces as one way to enable greater resource-allocation, decision-making, collaboration, and cross-contribution within decentralized systems.

This is the fifth episode in a crossover mini-series between Brave New Work cohosts Rodney Evans and Aaron Dignan and Chase Chapman, builder of DAOs and host of the On the Other Side podcast. Each episode dives into a specific topic related to organizational design for Web3.Today, they talk about different mental models, choices, and mechanisms to consider when designing a compensation OS and why it can be tricky to atomize value in decentralized systems.