At Work with The Ready

In a complex and dynamic world, sharing information on a "need to know" basis is misguided, because it perpetuates ignorance and bias. No one needs to know everything all the time, but we need the right (and the ability) to find what we need when we need it. And while many teams and organizations are coming around to the principle of transparency, when it comes to sharing more sensitive data—like compensation—many people freak out and start to backpedal.In this episode Brave New Work, Aaron Dignan and Rodney Evans talk about why traditional organizations and teams (and even the two of us) covet and hoard information, and what it looks and feels like to let information flow. Later, they’re joined by the cofounder and CEO of Buffer, Joel Gascoigne, who shares how Buffer made "defaulting to transparency" a core value and never looked back.Learn more about Buffer and their commitment to transparency at https://buffer.com/ and https://buffer.com/about#transparencyLearn more about Joel at his website or via LinkedIn or Twitter.Resources mentioned:Dave Snowden's Principles for Managing Knowledge -----------------------------Our book is available now at bravenewwork.comWe want to hear from you. Send your feedback to podcast@theready.comLooking for some help with your own transformation? Visit theready.com

Self-awareness in the workplace is hard to come by—because our egos are so good at “protecting” us from reality. For many of us, our identity is so tied up in who we are at work that deep down we worry, “If not for my title... who am I?”In this episode of Brave New Work, Aaron Dignan and Rodney Evans talk about how our egos get the better of us, and why reinventing organizations often means reinventing ourselves. Later, they’re joined by psychologist Dr. Gareth Holman (Rodney’s own coach) who shares how we can bring the inside out, to become better colleagues and better people.Learn more about Dr. Holman at his website or on Linkedin.References Mentioned: The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership by Jim Dethmer, Diana Chapman, and Kaley Warner Klemp Principles: Your Guided Journal by Ray Dalio The Trusted Advisor by David H. Maister, Robert Galford, and Charles Green ----------------------Our book is available now at bravenewwork.com.We want to hear from you. Send your feedback to podcast@theready.com.Looking for some help with your own transformation? Visit theready.com.

In almost every organization we visit, teams aren't just having bad meetings—they're having meetings to prepare for those meetings. The virus is spreading. And so we have to ask: when should we have a meeting? And how can we make them more effective when we do?In this episode of Brave New Work, Aaron Dignan and Rodney Evans talk about why meetings are a symptom of other problems in the operating system and the path to a healthier meeting culture. Later, we’re joined by Dan Kim from Basecamp, who shares how the iconoclastic "calm company" delights in avoiding meetings unless they're absolutely necessary.Learn more about Dan by visiting his website or connecting with him on Linkedin.Resources mentioned: The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker Maker's Schedule, Manager's Schedule by Paul Graham ------------------------------------Our book is available now at https://www.bravenewwork.com/We want to hear from you. Send your thoughts and feedback to podcast@theready.comLooking for some help with your own transformation? Visit https://theready.com/

Communication around organizational change is a prime example of a complicated approach (write an email that nineteen people edit!) to a complex situation (human beings and their feelings!). Most of us have been on the receiving end of messages that feel like they were designed to obscure any actual information.In this episode of Brave New Work, Aaron Dignan and Rodney Evans dive into the double talk that gets the better of so many of us, and what to do instead. Later, they're joined by Deirdre Latour, who has led communications at both GE and Pearson, to learn what it's like to fight for candor in the midst of crisis.Learn more about Deirdre on Linkedin.Our book is available now at bravenewwork.com.Have an idea for an episode, or the perfect guest? Reach out to podcast@theready.com.Looking for some help with your own transformation? Visit theready.com.

The best teams in the world don’t just agree on what they’re going to do, they agree on how they’re going to do it. In this debut episode, Aaron Dignan and Rodney Evans talk about working agreements—what they are and why we need them—and explore which working agreements might be critical to success.Later in the episode, they’re joined by Mike Brevoort from Slack who takes us inside the norms and agreements that enable the company's “work hard and go home” ethos.Learn more about Mike at his website or connect with him on Linkedin.-----------------Our book is available now at bravenewwork.com.Have an idea for an episode, or the perfect guest? Reach out to podcast@theready.com.Looking for some help with your own transformation? Visit theready.com.-----------------00:00 Intro & Check-In: If you could choose, what would your last meal be?02:51 What are working agreements?05:59 Foundational agreements for any team14:02 What broken agreements actually mean22:09 Mike's interview begins23:08 What is Slack and what do you do there?24:48 Slack's working agreements29:39 Agreements around emojis and reactions34:48 Working agreements are a moving target38:02 Agreements outside of the digital space and IRL42:23 Wrap up: Leave us a review!

Brave New Work is a podcast about reinventing our organizations and the search for a more adaptive and human way of working. But what does that really mean? In this brief introductory episode, we set the stage for what’s to come—covering everything from our theory of change to our reasons and plans for the show. Our first full episode is also available now.----------------Our book is available now at bravenewwork.com.Have an idea for an episode, or the perfect guest? Reach out to podcast@theready.com.Looking for some help with your own transformation? Visit theready.com.---------------00:00 Introduction and why we're making BNW01:19 Getting to know Rodney05:21 What is The Ready and what do they do?09:55 Connection between Brave New Work and The Ready16:00 How we're organizing the show

What’s stopping us from doing the best work of our lives? It’s the way we work. Whether you’re building a startup or reinventing a global enterprise, every day is a battle between chaos and bureaucracy. But, what if there’s a third way? Aaron Dignan and Rodney Evans help teams all over the world discover a more adaptive and human way of working. Now it’s your turn. Each week, they’ll bring you a counterintuitive take on a common challenge at work—and you'll hear from guests who have been there and found their way to something better. This isn’t business as usual. This is Brave New Work.