At Work with The Ready

What's it like to onboard at a company where you don't have a boss? In this episode of Brave New Work, Aaron Dignan and Rodney Evans talk to The Ready member Alastair Steward about his experience onboarding at the company, the concept of a "prologue," and how to situate yourself effectively in a self-managed organization.You can find Alastair here on LinkedIn.Mentioned references: "Oculus boxing game" imposter syndrome "adjacent possibles" "safe to try" "participatory governance": BNW Ep. 43 "authority": BNW Ep. 22 Shu Ha Ri "mastery": BNW Ep. 31 "OS Coffee": BNW Ep. 144 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

It's a time-honored tradition: the company retreat. But when that conjures the specter of Ramada Inn basements and conference rooms and three-hour presentation blocks, it's clear that an update is in order. In this episode of Brave New Work, Aaron Dignan and Rodney Evans strategize the most efficient and effective ways to reconnect and recharge with your organizations, as well as ways we might go about planning company retreats in the new age of remote work.Mentioned references: "IDM-ing": BNW Ep. 43 Loom Tony Robbins "escape room in Charleston" Oculus Quest (now the Meta Quest) Spacial Beat Saber 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

Explore the dynamic world of self-management, where mastery and collaboration fuse in unique ways. Discover how personal craftsmanship shapes workplace success, with insights drawn from performers in Hamilton. Delve into the complexities of skill evaluation and the nuances of expertise, addressing the Dunning-Kruger effect. Learn practical strategies for navigating cross-functional teams and enhancing communication, while emphasizing the importance of outcome-oriented mastery and continuous learning.

Explore the art of workplace experimentation, focusing on how to structure and assess changes with intention. The hosts share personal victories and underscore the importance of self-care, like taking Wednesdays off for mental health. They advocate for treating decisions as temporary experiments, fostering innovation without the fear of permanence. Delve into the complexities of organizational change, emphasizing small-scale experiments' power in enhancing collaboration. Finally, navigate the challenges of building a culture of experimentation, learning from setbacks to drive growth and creativity.

It's one thing to talk about what we'd like the future of work to look like—but what about the people who'll actually make up that workforce? Wha do they want out of their work, and how do they want to shape their organizations?In this episode of Brave New Work, Aaron Dignan and Rodney Evans talk to lecturer Todd Jick at the Columbia Business School about his class on Advanced Organizational Change, and what his students want to see for the future of work.Learn more about Todd on LinkedIn and his Columbia staff profile.Learn more about the Columbia Business School on their website.Mentioned references: "Mr. Rodgers documentary" Selma Montgomery march Novartis Nucor Steel Morning Star: BNW Ep. 54 with Doug Kirkpatrick Frederick Winslow Taylor No Rules Rules by Erin Meyer and Reed Hastings "Humanocracy": BNW Ep. 47 with Michele Zanini Haier David Marquet: BNW Ep. 8 with David Marquet "systemic justice": BNW Ep. 50 with Xavier Ramey Jennifer Hirsch, Sparkworks at Janssen We want to hear from you. Send your thoughts and feedback to podcast@theready.comLooking for some help with your own transformation? Visit theready.comOur book is available now at bravenewwork.com

The discussion highlights how adding complexity often backfires by distancing humans from systems. A humorous tale about waitstaff tackles the absurdity of strict management scripts. Menu design is shown to directly impact customer choices, while rigid policies stifle authentic connections. Empowering employees with financial autonomy proves crucial for effective problem-solving, illustrated by the Ritz-Carlton rule. Overall, the need for empathy and collaboration emerges as a key theme to enhance organizational performance.

If there's one structure in the modern workplace that feels particularly resistant to change, it's the hiring process. For years, we've followed the same basic structure: whittle down vast pools of potential, qualified candidates down to one lucky winner. But as we consider adapting our workplaces for the future, we might consider tools to reinvent the way we hire, and thus, the way we fill out our organizations for the future.In this episode, we talk to Kelsa Summer Roidt, Chief Operating and Impact Officer at Habitus, Inc., about her particularly inspiring hiring practices.Learn more about Kelsa on LinkedIn.Learn more about Habitus and what they're up to at their website.Mentioned references: IDM process: BNW Ep. 43 Turtles All the Way Down Conway’s law Other BNW episodes about hiring practices:BNW Ep. 14 with Kate GlazebrookWe want to hear from you. Send your thoughts and feedback to podcast@theready.comLooking for some help with your own transformation? Visit theready.comOur book is available now at bravenewwork.com

The discussion sparks a provocative analysis of capitalism, exploring its ethical dilemmas and societal impacts. The hosts emphasize the need for sustainable growth that balances profit with community well-being. Personal reflections reveal how upbringing shapes beliefs around money and success. They challenge traditional notions of achievement by advocating for purpose over mere profit. Delving into capitalism's hidden costs, they stress the importance of collective welfare, reshaping the narrative around business practices to prioritize transparency and meaningful success.

It's been quite a week for the United States of America. And as Americans, we tried to do what we always do: keep working.In this episode of Brave New Work, Aaron Dignan and Rodney Evans discuss the volatile, unprecedented political situation we now find ourselves in, as well as ways to take a step back and recognize that some things might just be more important than business as usual.Mentioned References: Mouse Trap the 1963 Hasbro game J. Robert Oppenheimer, American physicist “working agreements” - BNW Ep. 103 We want to hear from you. Send your thoughts and feedback to podcast@theready.comLooking for some help with your own transformation? Visit theready.comOur book is available now at bravenewwork.com

Aaron Dignan, co-founder of a consulting firm that transforms organizations, and Rodney Evans, an innovative workplace strategist, tackle the pitfalls of annual performance reviews. They argue that these outdated practices fail to benefit both managers and employees. Instead, they advocate for a shift towards tailored feedback systems that prioritize personal growth and team outcomes over rigid metrics. The duo explores how open communication and subjective feedback can empower employees, fostering a healthier and more productive work culture.