New Ways of Working #7
Hello 👋 After a welcome break in December, I’m back in business with the seventh edition of New Ways of Working and a back pocket full of exciting content and plans for 2021. As always, the purpose of the newsletter is:
To help you to explore and practise new ways of working.
In this edition, I’m sharing with you: a question we all need to ask; an article that needs to be shared with your team; a community that I’m inviting you to join; a project that would love your ideas; and also a little a favour I’d like to ask. Here goes:
Video 🎥
Here’s a question we all need to ask of our work selves: are you a giver or a taker? In every workplace, there are three kinds of people: ‘givers’, ‘takers’ and ‘matchers’. In this five star TED talk, org psychologist Adam Grant breaks down these personalities and offers simple strategies to promote a culture of generosity. (13 mins) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Blog 📝
How to build psychological safety into teams summarises the wonderful work of Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmondson and the lessons from Google’s teamwork study Project Aristotle. Bravo Dave Sloan for penning the most succinct summary I’ve found on this giant topic. (4 mins) 👏👏👏
Community 🤗
If only there were a community of 1,000 people all driven by the purpose of making work better. Well, there is! We’re a friendly bunch who like to share, learn, discuss, meetup and practise new ways of working together, and we'd love you to join. Say hello in the #intros-and-chat channel for a warm welcome, guaranteed.
Project 🧠
I'm working on a playbook (not a recipe book) that will help us to practise new ways of working and I’d love to pick you brains - which practises, tools and principles have been most helpful to your exploration of new ways of working? Please respond to this email to let me know, or you can share them over in the Slack community.
Help 🙏
I’m feeling confident 2021 is going to be another huge year for new ways of working. To ensure this, I’m asking for your help! I’d love for you to share this newsletter with one or more colleagues or contacts who might be curious or find it helpful. The more awareness we raise, the sooner we reduce the woeful statistic that 85% of us are disengaged at work. That is the problem, and we are the solution 💪
Until next time, you can find me here.
About Mark Eddleston
I’m a new ways of working consultant, coach, and facilitator. For years I’ve been practising progressive ways of working whilst synthesising the mountain of information out there.
I came across new ways of working in New Zealand in 2015 after spending a frustrating decade in traditional workplaces. It was the first time I found consistent fulfilment in work. This beautiful and challenging experience was with a law firm and community organisation that features on the distinguished Corporate Rebels ‘bucket list’. Once you taste this way of working, it’s impossible to go back. I’ve now been a member of staff in three organisations that embraced progressive leadership, so come with plenty of lived experience.
I’m co-founder of Reinventing Work, a global community for people interested in decentralised, purposeful and self-organised ways of working. So far we’ve gathered in over 25 cities across five continents, including in Bristol (where it began) London, Berlin, Melbourne, Montreal and New York. I’ve delivered online sessions to thousands, spoken about new ways of working at The University of Oxford, and facilitated at Meaning Fringe. I’ve also appeared on the wonderful Leadermorphosis podcast and the University of the West of England’s MSc Occupational Psychology programme discussing the future of work.
My services: https://www.marco.work.