
At Work with The Ready
Rodney Evans and Sam Spurlin have helped teams around the world adopt more modern ways of working and on At Work with The Ready they’re sharing the inside scoop with you, too. Whether you’re struggling with a carousel of ineffective meetings, annual strategy sessions that go nowhere, or decision-making churn that never ceases, they’ve seen it all and are here to help. In each episode, they'll break down common workplace challenges and show you the moves—both big and small—to start making real, lasting change. (Formerly “Brave New Work” with Aaron Dignan and Rodney Evans)
Latest episodes

10 snips
Apr 29, 2024 • 39min
9. Ask Us Anything No. 1: You Asked, We Answered
In this podcast, the hosts tackle tough questions from their audience like providing critical feedback without being threatening, organizations eliminating excessive management layers, and the disconnect between senior leadership and employees. They hint at upcoming projects and discuss concepts like 'org debt' and 'anti-patterns'.

39 snips
Apr 15, 2024 • 51min
8. Traditional Consulting Sold You a Great Idea. Now What?
Exploring the pitfalls of traditional consulting, the importance of organizational design, and empowering organizations to challenge norms. Reflecting on transformative partnerships and understanding differences between traditional consulting and innovative approaches.

16 snips
Apr 1, 2024 • 48min
7. Sync or Swim: Riding the Waves of Async Work
Exploring the shift from synchronous to asynchronous work, the podcast discusses challenges in collaboration and productivity. They emphasize the value of invisible work, team trust, and balancing real-time and async communication. Tools like Loom and Miro are highlighted, along with strategies for breaking the addiction to synchronous meetings and optimizing work rhythms.

11 snips
Mar 18, 2024 • 48min
6. If You're Faking It, You Won't Make It
Exploring the impact of emotions in the workplace, addressing resistance to change, navigating emotional labor, fostering open communication, and the importance of transparency during organizational transformations.

31 snips
Mar 4, 2024 • 46min
5. Silos Are For Corn, Not For People
Exploring the pitfalls of organizational silos, the importance of breaking them down for effective collaboration, and the impact on productivity. Discussing the challenges of navigating disagreements at work and promoting cross-functional collaboration. Highlighting the need to align strategies and functions, dismantle silos for success, and maximize value creation through cross-functional teams and governance.

12 snips
Feb 19, 2024 • 41min
4. Return to Office: Real Issue or Handy Distraction?
The podcast delves into the heated debate surrounding the return-to-office policies, highlighting the superficiality of the issue. It raises important questions about productivity, strategy, trust in employees, and team alignment. The hosts explore why the focus on office return masks deeper organizational problems and offer insights on breaking free from this cycle.

22 snips
Feb 5, 2024 • 41min
3. How 1:1 Meetings Are Messing Up Your Culture
This podcast discusses the overwhelming culture of one-on-one meetings in organizations, the negative impact they can have on team dynamics, and the potential alternative of using a lean coffee format instead.

58 snips
Jan 22, 2024 • 42min
2. Your PowerPoint Deck Is Not a Strategy
The podcast explores the shortcomings of traditional strategies, the importance of aligning strategy with execution, and the role of scenario planning. They discuss personal reflections on planning and the need for strategic conversations as a key step in implementing the strategy pattern.

Jan 8, 2024 • 36min
163/1. A Brave New Chapter
The hosts reflect on the evolution of the podcast over time, discussing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and emphasizing the importance of aligning content with their own goals. They also talk about the future direction of the show, focusing on challenges in organizational change. Navigating challenges in implementing change in organizations is discussed, along with the value of practical shows and the dissatisfaction with current change management practices. The hosts express gratitude to listeners, tease upcoming episodes, and encourage exploring the back catalog.

5 snips
Oct 30, 2023 • 41min
The Future of HR: The End Is Just the Beginning
"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.