Welcome to a Brave New Work Approach
Transforming Teams into Dynamic Operating Systems
In the dynamic realm of modern work, the time-honored norms of organizational functioning are undergoing a revolutionary transformation. Guided by Aaron Dignan's groundbreaking insights in "Brave New Work," let's embark on a journey to reimagine teams and organizations as living, adaptive operating systems.
First let’s explore the foundations of the operating system:
1. People Positive:
Being "People Positive" means recognizing the power of intrinsic motivation. Rooted in autonomy, competence, and relatedness, this approach, inspired by Edward Deci, emphasizes the crucial role of autonomy. By fostering autonomy, organizations tap into individuals' innate drive to excel and grow. Rejecting assumptions of incompetence, laziness, or untrustworthiness, "People Positive" organizations create an environment that treats everyone as an all-star, where trust forms the foundation for creativity and commitment.
In essence, to be "People Positive" is to trust in individuals, assuming and expecting the best from everyone, and fostering a culture where autonomy and trust combine to unleash creativity and excellence.
2. Complexity Conscious:
In the world of organizations, we need to understand they're complex. Complexity Conscious leaders know that organizational culture isn't a problem to solve but something to nurture.
They see success as coming from everyone's combined smarts, innovation, and self-regulation. Instead of trying to control everything, these leaders create an environment for continuous innovation, often discovering solutions through experiments.
This mindset builds a culture where people have both freedom and guidelines, allowing them to make decisions in most situations. Complexity Consciousness means embracing the natural complexity of organizations, encouraging adaptability, and recognizing that experimenting is often the key to finding solutions. Importantly, it involves leaders admitting they can't know everything, relying on the collective intelligence of the team.
1. Purpose:
At the heart of every organization, team, or individual is a compass guiding our actions—our purpose. It's more than just a mission; it's the driving force that keeps us moving forward.
*Reflective Questions:*
What is our reason for being?
What will be different if we succeed?
How does our purpose help us make decisions?
2. Authority:
In the world of decision-making, authority is all about who gets to make the calls and take action. Forward-thinking organizations focus on giving everyone the freedom to serve the organization's purpose. We start with trust—assuming you can do anything unless there's a rule saying otherwise.
*Reflective Questions:*
What kinds of decisions do we make?
How do we make important decisions?]
What is safe to try? What is not?
What decision rights do all team members have?
3. Structure:
As we reimagine organizational structure, we aim for our organizations to resemble dynamic networks. Here, members are empowered with the freedom to organize and reorganize around projects and programs, seizing opportunities and accelerating personal growth. Individuals can hold multiple roles in various places simultaneously, fostering a fluid exchange of talent and information.
*Reflective Questions:*
How would we describe our current structure?
How do products, services, skills, functions and customer segments show up in our structure?
How would an ideal structure serve us? What benefits would we expect to see?
Within teams, how doe we approach roles and accountabilities?
4. Strategy:
How we plan and prioritize, identifying critical factors and challenges to overcome. Strategy involves pinpointing what really matters and using what's available to maximize success. Crucially, there's a strong link between purpose and strategy. Without a clear vision, strategies may fall short.
*Reflective Questions:*
What is our current strategy?
How is it informed by our purpose?
What are the critical factors that will mean the difference between success and failure?
What are the trade-offs we are willing to make?
5. Resources:
How we invest our time and money—the allocation of capital, effort, space, and other assets. If organizations are like living systems, resources are like oxygen. Every choice made, whether with money or time, either helps or hinders the possibilities.
*Reflective Questions:*
How do we allocate funds, effort, space etc?
Are resources deployed annually, quarterly or dynamically?
Do we use targets, forecasts, trends? If so, how?
6. Innovation:
How we learn and evolve—the creation of something new, the evolution of what already exists.
For every team, continuous learning and improvement, be it in significant leaps or small steps, are essential. If we're not constantly evolving, we miss the opportunity to wholeheartedly pursue our purpose. Innovation can take intentional or unintentional forms, occurring centrally or at the edges of our organization. Innovation isn't always deliberate; randomness and innovation often go hand in hand.
*Reflective Questions:*
What is our philosophy on innovation?
Where, when and how does it happen?
What is the role of failure and learning in innovation?
7. Workflow:
How we divide and do the work—the path and process of value creation.
Workflow is the orchestrated journey of work through an organization, determining how tasks move both within the organization and among its teams. It is the dynamic process that shapes how value is created. Notably, it's not only about how work flows through the organization but also how it navigates within teams.
A compelling example of an innovative workflow is seen in companies like Spotify. Their approach resembles a regatta of speedboats, each moving swiftly in the same direction. This stands in stark contrast to the traditional model of a massive ocean liner, showcasing the agility and coordinated effort required for optimal workflow.
*Reflective Questions:*
How do we divide the work of the organization?
What is our approach to project management?
How do we maintain visibility across all our projects?
How are projects initiated, canceled or completed?
8. Meetings:
How we gather and coordinate—the diverse ways through which members and teams come together.
Meetings are the nexus of collaboration, providing a higher bandwidth—more information per second—than any other form of communication. In these gatherings, we not only hear one another but also perceive body language, emotion, and energy. The richness of face-to-face interaction fosters trust, shared consciousness, and vibrant networks. Ultimately, to cultivate these essential elements, meeting in person becomes a crucial step.
*Reflective Questions:*
What meetings do we require to do our best work?
Does each of our meeting have a clear purpose and structure?
How are meeting outcomes shared?
Which meetings are recurring and why?
9. Information:
How we share and use data; the flow of data, insight, and knowledge across the organization. It's surprising how little time we spend on our information architecture—the way we find, store, and share what we know.
In the world of organizations, data isn't the same as information, information isn't knowledge, and knowledge isn't mastery. Each step matters—from a data file to an email or a coffee chat. Every piece contributes to our collective understanding.
To build vibrant, connected learning cultures, every form of information is crucial. It's the base for creating a shared understanding beyond just data, turning it into valuable insights and knowledge we all can use.
*Reflective Questions:*
What information is shared freely?
What information is contained or controlled?
How is information stored and shared?
How do we find the information we seek?
10. Membership
How we define and cultivate relationships; the boundaries and conditions for entering, inhabiting, and leaving teams and organizations.
Membership is not a simple "yes" or "no." It's not about every employee feeling the same level of loyalty, inclusion, or participation. Membership is a social status—it's an identity, a living agreement. The realms of membership include recruiting, hiring, joining, onboarding, teaming, transitioning, and departing. These aspects are mission-critical and shouldn't be solely owned by a faceless HR department. Honoring and supporting these thresholds is the organisation’s collective responsibility.
*Reflective Questions:*
What kind of membership exist in and around your organization?
What do all members expect of one another?
How are prospective members discovered and recruited?
How are new members brought into the community?
11. Mastery
How we grow and mature; the journey of self-discovery and development; how to nurture talents, skills and competence.
One consequence of the overly rigid Taylorism approach is that work often becomes a stage for performance rather than a space for learning. The spotlight often shines on confidence and equanimity, while qualities like humility, vulnerability, and the courage to struggle are unfairly labeled as weaknesses. This notion is far from reality—true growth arises through resistance and discomfort.
Individuals with a growth mindset understand that their effort and attitude shape their abilities. They perceive failure as an opportunity to evolve. The evolving landscape of work calls us to connect with our deeper selves—our empathy, vulnerability, bravery, humility, and humanity. Organizations that create spaces for imperfection often cultivate the most remarkable teams.
Reflective Questions:
What is our approach to learning and development?
How do we define and assess competence?
What knowledge and skills are required to pursue our purpose?
How do we give and receive feedback?
12. Compensation
How we pay and provide; the wages, salaries, bonuses, commissions, benefits, perquisites, profits, and equity exchanged for participation in the organization.
While everyone needs to meet their basic needs, it's essential to recognize that compensation alone doesn't directly correlate with performance and job satisfaction. Elevating salaries, especially when they are already generous, might not significantly enhance job satisfaction. Compensation is not a magic wand to boost performance and satisfaction; it serves as a hygiene factor, addressing basic needs. It's crucial not to mistake it for a higher purpose within the organization.
Reflective Questions:
What is our approach to compensation?
What other benefits or services do we offer?
How do we define and ensure fair compensation?
What mechanisms have we put in place to reduce bias in compensation?
If you're intrigued and ready to explore how these concepts can transform your teams and organization, book a call with me!
Let's start the conversation.
/Venla
