Work Archives

The Evolution of Ideas: Why It Matters Where Ideas Come From

Does it matter where ideas come from? How could that understanding help you solve problems? When you understand where an idea came from, you’ll better understand the idea in the present and where it could go in the future. In The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking, Edward B. Burger and Michael Starbird explain how you can leverage this understanding to improve your problem-solving abilities. Keep reading to learn how to understand the evolution of ideas and to use history as a guide to the future.

Unclear Writing: Causes and How to Avoid It

What’s the problem with unclear writing? Why will the traditional writing process fail you? According to Barbara Minto in her book The Pyramid Principle, people often produce unclear writing that’s time-consuming and mentally taxing to read. This is because the typical writing approach fails to meet readers’ needs. Below we’ll look at why the typical writing and reading process leads to unclear writing.

Job Elimination in Big Tech (Amazon, Facebook, & Google)

What effect do Amazon’s automated processes have on jobs? How are Facebook and Google eliminating jobs? The products and services from Amazon, Facebook, and Google fulfill some of our deepest human needs. However, they’re taking away our livelihoods, says Scott Galloway. He argues that these companies destroy more jobs than they create. Keep reading to learn how job elimination in their own and their competitors’ workplaces is caused by Amazon’s emphasis on automation and Facebook and Google’s massive advertising capabilities.

Organizational Trust and Transparency: Treat Employees as Adults

Does your company operate on a “need to know” basis? Does management wield all of the power? Visionary companies eliminate the compartmentalization of information, and they distribute power. This transparency leads to trust. Employees feel respected, and performance increases. Read on to learn more about organizational trust and transparency.

Authenticity at Work: You’re Not a Cog in a Machine

Does your organization treat employees as adults or children? Do people feel as though they can be themselves at work? In Reinventing Organizations, business consultant Frédéric Laloux identifies many commonalities among the companies included in his research. These include encouraging all employees to be their authentic selves at work. Continue reading to learn the difference that authenticity at work can make.

3 Elements of Organizational Culture That Set Companies Apart

Do organizations have callings just as individuals do? Does your company allow you to be yourself? In Reinventing Organizations, Frédéric Laloux discusses three common elements of organizational culture within visionary companies: purpose, authenticity, and trust. Only this kind of organizational culture can foster the practices that set these exceptional companies apart from the rest. Keep reading to learn about three elements of organizational culture that are present in visionary companies.

Organizational Performance Measures: Put the Focus on Teams

What if your organization focused on team performance rather than individual performance? How would that impact feedback, conflicts, and compensation? When everyone is free to act as a self-regulated agent in an organization, it might be hard to imagine how individual performance is measured. For the most part, it isn’t. Business consultant Frédéric Laloux explains this in his book Reinventing Organizations. Keep reading to learn how organizational performance measures work in visionary companies.

Decision-Making in Organizations: Seek Advice, Not Consensus

Who should hold the decision-making power in an organization? What’s the trend in this arena? Some emerging organizations operate from a new set of rules that veer away from hierarchical structures based on power and achievement. The most counterintuitive aspect of these visionary organizations is their approach to making decisions. Continue reading to learn about this revolutionary approach to decision-making in organizations.

Job Role vs. Job Description: Which Is Better?

In the debate regarding job role vs. job description, where do the most visionary companies come down? What difference does it make to an organization’s flexibility and overall performance? In Reinventing Organizations, Frédéric Laloux identifies an emerging breed of company that operates from a new set of rules. One new rule they’ve adopted is exchanging job descriptions for job roles. This change serves both the employee and the organization. Continue reading to understand Laloux’s findings about job roles.

Autonomy in the Workplace: Trust Unleashes Potential

How much control from above do workers need? Which is more effective for performance—regulations or trust? Frédéric Laloux surveyed successful companies that embody the mindset he believes will epitomize the next stage of human evolution. He identified a common thread of practices and philosophies. These include new assumptions about how people work—and how they’re motivated to work. Read more to learn Laloux’s findings on autonomy in the workplace.