At Work with The Ready
495 episodes - English - Latest episode: 1 day ago - ★★★★★ - 152 ratingsRodney 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)
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Episodes
The connection between love and work w/ Doug Kirkpatrick
December 03, 2020 07:00 - 35 minutesWhile we often throw around terms like "the future of work" and "new ways of working," the reality is that much of the wisdom about how to self-organize and self-manage has been around for a long, long time. What we can learn from this is that there's really nothing new about this moment—except for the fact that more and more people are waking up to the fact that the status quo just isn't good enough. In this episode, we speak with Doug Kirkpatrick, author of The No-Limits Enterprise (and man...
54. Rethinking Our Approach to Power and Leadership with Doug Kirkpatrick
December 03, 2020 07:00 - 36 minutesWhile we often throw around terms like "the future of work" and "new ways of working," the reality is that much of the wisdom about how to self-organize and self-manage has been around for a long, long time. What we can learn from this is that there's really nothing new about this moment—except for the fact that more and more people are waking up to the fact that the status quo just isn't good enough. In this episode of Brave New Work, Aaron Dignan and Rodney Evans speak with Doug Kirkpatrick...
54. The connection between love and work w/ Doug Kirkpatrick
December 03, 2020 07:00 - 36 minutesWhile we often throw around terms like "the future of work" and "new ways of working," the reality is that much of the wisdom about how to self-organize and self-manage has been around for a long, long time. What we can learn from this is that there's really nothing new about this moment—except for the fact that more and more people are waking up to the fact that the status quo just isn't good enough. In this episode, we speak with Doug Kirkpatrick, author of The No-Limits Enterprise (and man...
The Hangover
November 24, 2020 23:47 - 31 minutesIt's been almost a year of working remotely due to the pandemic. And we haven't exactly been doing it right. We've just been hanging in there with too much Zoom and not enough coffee. As a result, we're a little toasty. In this episode, we talk about what we're seeing and feeling, and what it's going to take to make remote work... work. With the Thanksgiving holiday coming up this week in the USA, it seems like the perfect time to talk about how to recuperate, refresh, and return to work with...
53. Combating The Pandemic Work Hangover
November 24, 2020 23:47 - 31 minutesIt's been almost a year of working remotely due to the pandemic. And we haven't exactly been doing it right. We've just been hanging in there with too much Zoom and not enough coffee. As a result, we're a little toasty. In this episode of Brave New Work, Aaron Dignan and Rodney Evans talk about what they're seeing and feeling, and what it's going to take to make remote work... work. With the Thanksgiving holiday coming up this week in the USA, it seems like the perfect time to talk about how...
53. The Hangover
November 24, 2020 23:47 - 31 minutesIt's been almost a year of working remotely due to the pandemic. And we haven't exactly been doing it right. We've just been hanging in there with too much Zoom and not enough coffee. As a result, we're a little toasty. In this episode, we talk about what we're seeing and feeling, and what it's going to take to make remote work... work. With the Thanksgiving holiday coming up this week in the USA, it seems like the perfect time to talk about how to recuperate, refresh, and return to work with...
52. Are You Ready for Self Management? with Ali Randel
November 18, 2020 07:00 - 42 minutesIf you've been listening to Brave New Work for a while you might be wondering, "Is a self-managing workplace right for me?" Or, if you're already in one, you're probably curious, "How can I better recruit (and screen for) those that are a 'fit' for new ways of working?" In this episode of Brave New Work, Aaron Dignan and Rodney Evans are joined by their colleague Ali Randel to talk about what it takes to survive and thrive in self-managing and self-organizing environments, and what we can do ...
52. Finding fit with self-management
November 18, 2020 07:00 - 42 minutesIf you've been listening to Brave New Work for a while you might be wondering, "Is a self-managing workplace right for me?" Or, if you're already in one, you're probably curious, "How can I better recruit (and screen for) those that are a 'fit' for new ways of working?" In this episode, we're joined by our colleague Ali Randel to talk about what it takes to survive and thrive in self-managing and self-organizing environments, and what we can do to test for those traits and skills before we ju...
Finding fit with self-management
November 18, 2020 07:00 - 42 minutesIf you've been listening to Brave New Work for a while you might be wondering, "Is a self-managing workplace right for me?" Or, if you're already in one, you're probably curious, "How can I better recruit (and screen for) those that are a 'fit' for new ways of working?" In this episode, we're joined by our colleague Ali Randel to talk about what it takes to survive and thrive in self-managing and self-organizing environments, and what we can do to test for those traits and skills before we ju...
The conversation technique that leads to radical alignment w/ Alex Jamieson and Bob Gower
November 12, 2020 02:11 - 43 minutesWe often wait to talk about the hard stuff until the shit has hit the fan. But what if we made space for difficult conversations before they become difficult? That's the insight at the heart of Radical Alignment, a new book that introduces a four part conversation technique designed to get couples, teams, and groups on the same page. In this episode, we speak with Alex Jamieson and Bob Gower about how game-changing conversations—spanning our intentions, concerns, boundaries, and dreams—can tr...
51. The conversation technique that leads to radical alignment w/ Alex Jamieson and Bob Gower
November 12, 2020 02:11 - 43 minutesWe often wait to talk about the hard stuff until the shit has hit the fan. But what if we made space for difficult conversations before they become difficult? That's the insight at the heart of Radical Alignment, a new book that introduces a four part conversation technique designed to get couples, teams, and groups on the same page. In this episode, we speak with Alex Jamieson and Bob Gower about how game-changing conversations—spanning our intentions, concerns, boundaries, and dreams—can tr...
51. The One Conversation Every Team Needs to Have with Alex Jamieson and Bob Gower
November 12, 2020 02:11 - 43 minutesWe often wait to talk about the hard stuff until the shit has hit the fan. But what if we made space for difficult conversations before they become difficult? That's the insight at the heart of Radical Alignment, a new book that introduces a four part conversation technique designed to get couples, teams, and groups on the same page. In this episode of Brave New Work, Aaron Dignan and Rodney Evans speak with Alex Jamieson and Bob Gower about how game-changing conversations—spanning our intent...
50. This is justice informed w/ Xavier Ramey
October 20, 2020 06:00 - 48 minutesThree months ago, we started a conversation about diversity here on the show. And within our own company, that work has continued in earnest. Yet, we've only scratched the surface on what it means to realize true equity at work. We want to go deeper. We need to do more. And we need to make sure that the momentum of the summer continues into the fall. That's why we're back to talk about JEDI once again. In this episode, we speak with Xavier Ramey, CEO of Justice Informed, about where we stand ...
This is justice informed w/ Xavier Ramey
October 20, 2020 06:00 - 48 minutesThree months ago, we started a conversation about diversity here on the show. And within our own company, that work has continued in earnest. Yet, we've only scratched the surface on what it means to realize true equity at work. We want to go deeper. We need to do more. And we need to make sure that the momentum of the summer continues into the fall. That's why we're back to talk about JEDI once again. In this episode, we speak with Xavier Ramey, CEO of Justice Informed, about where we stand ...
50. This is Justice Informed with Xavier Ramey
October 20, 2020 06:00 - 48 minutesThree months ago, we started a conversation about diversity here on the show. And within our own company, that work has continued in earnest. Yet, we've only scratched the surface on what it means to realize true equity at work. We want to go deeper. We need to do more. And we need to make sure that the momentum of the summer continues into the fall. That's why we're back to talk about JEDI once again. In this episode of Brave New Work, Aaron Dignan and Rodney Evans speak with Xavier Ramey, C...
49. The Surprising Power of Liberating Structures with Keith McCandless
October 12, 2020 06:00 - 48 minutesComplexity calls for a new way of working—and in particular a new way of meeting. What matters isn't the individuals in the room, but the relationships between them. Indeed, we need new interactions that change the dynamics and outcomes of our gatherings. No more limiting structures, it's time for liberating structures. In this episode of Brave New Work, Aaron Dignan and Rodney Evans speak with Keith McCandless, co-author and co-developer of Liberating Structures, about the power of microstru...
Liberating Structures w/ Keith McCandless
October 12, 2020 06:00 - 48 minutesComplexity calls for a new way of working—and in particular a new way of meeting. What matters isn't the individuals in the room, but the relationships between them. Indeed, we need new interactions that change the dynamics and outcomes of our gatherings. No more limiting structures, it's time for liberating structures. In this episode, we speak with Keith McCandless, co-author and co-developer of Liberating Structures, about the power of microstructures in meetings and moments of collaborati...
49. Liberating Structures w/ Keith McCandless
October 12, 2020 06:00 - 48 minutesComplexity calls for a new way of working—and in particular a new way of meeting. What matters isn't the individuals in the room, but the relationships between them. Indeed, we need new interactions that change the dynamics and outcomes of our gatherings. No more limiting structures, it's time for liberating structures. In this episode, we speak with Keith McCandless, co-author and co-developer of Liberating Structures, about the power of microstructures in meetings and moments of collaborati...
How Software Shapes The Way We Work
September 28, 2020 18:22 - 34 minutesOne of the most common tensions we hear from teams is "our tools and technology are not maximizing our potential." Let me translate: our company uses crap software. We experience this for many reasons—status quo bias, frugality, security, and one-stop-shop pipe dreams. But the problem is that software is not a blank canvas. It's not neutral. It has opinions. And those opinions shape what we can do (and how we do it) at work. In this episode, we share how we think about software, and why you s...
48. How Software Shapes The Way We Work
September 28, 2020 18:22 - 34 minutesOne of the most common tensions we hear from teams is "our tools and technology are not maximizing our potential." Let me translate: our company uses crap software. We experience this for many reasons—status quo bias, frugality, security, and one-stop-shop pipe dreams. But the problem is that software is not a blank canvas. It's not neutral. It has opinions. And those opinions shape what we can do (and how we do it) at work. In this episode, we share how we think about software, and why you s...
48. How Your Software Tool Stack Shapes The Way You Work
September 28, 2020 18:22 - 34 minutesOne of the most common tensions we hear from teams is "our tools and technology are not maximizing our potential." Let me translate: our company uses crap software. We experience this for many reasons—status quo bias, frugality, security, and one-stop-shop pipe dreams. But the problem is that software is not a blank canvas. It's not neutral. It has opinions. And those opinions shape what we can do (and how we do it) at work. In this episode of Brave New Work, Aaron Dignan and Rodney Evans sha...
47. Moving from Bureaucracy to Humanocracy with Michele Zanini
September 21, 2020 06:00 - 41 minutesWe talk about bureaucracy (and its downsides) on this show all the time. But what about a humanocracy? What would that look like? Luckily, Gary Hamel and Michele Zanini have written a wonderful book to explore that question. And their answer is simple: we have to abandon the ways of the past and allow organizations to be as amazing as the people inside them. Easier said than done, but more necessary than ever. In this episode of Brave New Work, Aaron Dignan and Rodney Evans speak with Michele...
Humanocracy w/ Michele Zanini
September 21, 2020 06:00 - 41 minutesWe talk about bureaucracy (and its downsides) on this show all the time. But what about a humanocracy? What would that look like? Luckily, Gary Hamel and Michele Zanini have written a wonderful book to explore that question. And their answer is simple: we have to abandon the ways of the past and allow organizations to be as amazing as the people inside them. Easier said than done, but more necessary than ever. In this episode, we speak with Michele Zanini, co-founder of the Management Lab and...
47. Humanocracy w/ Michele Zanini
September 21, 2020 06:00 - 41 minutesWe talk about bureaucracy (and its downsides) on this show all the time. But what about a humanocracy? What would that look like? Luckily, Gary Hamel and Michele Zanini have written a wonderful book to explore that question. And their answer is simple: we have to abandon the ways of the past and allow organizations to be as amazing as the people inside them. Easier said than done, but more necessary than ever. In this episode, we speak with Michele Zanini, co-founder of the Management Lab and...
46. Clarity & Coherence
August 31, 2020 06:00 - 33 minutesAt a sufficiently large scale, any organization that has maximum "diversity" across all variables will become average. Why? Because taking a stand—any stand—is the basis for the boundary of the firm. It's what separates what's inside from what's outside. We must answer the question: "What makes us... us?" In order to succeed, we need generative difference—members of different races, backgrounds, and experiences. But, we also need clarity and coherence. We need to be explicit about the lines t...
46. Clarity and Coherence In Your Organization's Identity
August 31, 2020 06:00 - 33 minutesAt a sufficiently large scale, any organization that has maximum "diversity" across all variables will become average. Why? Because taking a stand—any stand—is the basis for the boundary of the firm. It's what separates what's inside from what's outside. We must answer the question: "What makes us... us?" In order to succeed, we need generative difference—members of different races, backgrounds, and experiences. But, we also need clarity and coherence. We need to be explicit about the lines t...
Clarity & Coherence
August 31, 2020 06:00 - 33 minutesAt a sufficiently large scale, any organization that has maximum "diversity" across all variables will become average. Why? Because taking a stand—any stand—is the basis for the boundary of the firm. It's what separates what's inside from what's outside. We must answer the question: "What makes us... us?" In order to succeed, we need generative difference—members of different races, backgrounds, and experiences. But, we also need clarity and coherence. We need to be explicit about the lines t...
Strategy w/ Lorin Thomas-Tavel
August 24, 2020 06:00 - 37 minutesWe recorded this episode in April, and to be honest, it kinda feels like April never left. All the themes that were present then are simply louder now. What has become clear in the meantime is that strategy (e.g. what is happening, what matters, and what are we doing about it) is more important than ever. But how should we think about strategy in an emergent and participatory system? Is it intuitive and built in to the very structure of the org? Is it something we have to do? How should we we...
45. The Importance of Strategy with Lorin Thomas-Tavel
August 24, 2020 06:00 - 37 minutesWe recorded this episode in April, and to be honest, it kinda feels like April never left. All the themes that were present then are simply louder now. What has become clear in the meantime is that strategy (e.g. what is happening, what matters, and what are we doing about it) is more important than ever. But how should we think about strategy in an emergent and participatory system? Is it intuitive and built in to the very structure of the org? Is it something we have to do? How should we we...
45. Strategy w/ Lorin Thomas-Tavel
August 24, 2020 06:00 - 37 minutesWe recorded this episode in April, and to be honest, it kinda feels like April never left. All the themes that were present then are simply louder now. What has become clear in the meantime is that strategy (e.g. what is happening, what matters, and what are we doing about it) is more important than ever. But how should we think about strategy in an emergent and participatory system? Is it intuitive and built in to the very structure of the org? Is it something we have to do? How should we we...
Even Overs
August 17, 2020 06:00 - 44 minutesPrior to the 1940's, the word priorities (plural) was rarely used. Because the word priority means that which comes before anything else. It's one thing! But these days, it's not uncommon for leaders and boards to demand multiple, often contradictory outcomes at the same time. We want faster output AND higher quality. We want to grow market share in our core category AND open three new categories. We want to hit the impossible target AND have work life balance. But as the saying goes, if ever...
44. Even Overs
August 17, 2020 06:00 - 45 minutesPrior to the 1940's, the word priorities (plural) was rarely used. Because the word priority means that which comes before anything else. It's one thing! But these days, it's not uncommon for leaders and boards to demand multiple, often contradictory outcomes at the same time. We want faster output AND higher quality. We want to grow market share in our core category AND open three new categories. We want to hit the impossible target AND have work life balance. But as the saying goes, if ever...
44. Prioritizing Your Priorities With Even/Overs
August 17, 2020 06:00 - 45 minutesPrior to the 1940's, the word priorities (plural) was rarely used. Because the word priority means that which comes before anything else. It's one thing! But these days, it's not uncommon for leaders and boards to demand multiple, often contradictory outcomes at the same time. We want faster output AND higher quality. We want to grow market share in our core category AND open three new categories. We want to hit the impossible target AND have work life balance. But as the saying goes, if ever...
43. Participatory Governance
August 03, 2020 06:00 - 51 minutesMaking decisions at work can be perilous. It's not always clear who has the authority to make them. And even when it is, it's usually just a chosen few that benefit. So, it's no surprise that making decisions about how we govern the organization—designing the rules and roles that underpin everything, is so hard that it's often avoided altogether. That's why one of our favorite things to share is a form of governance that has its roots in the Quakerism, Sociocracy, and more recently, Holacracy...
Participatory Governance
August 03, 2020 06:00 - 50 minutesMaking decisions at work can be perilous. It's not always clear who has the authority to make them. And even when it is, it's usually just a chosen few that benefit. So, it's no surprise that making decisions about how we govern the organization—designing the rules and roles that underpin everything, is so hard that it's often avoided altogether. That's why one of our favorite things to share is a form of governance that has its roots in the Quakerism, Sociocracy, and more recently, Holacracy...
43. Steering Together: The Power of Participatory Governance
August 03, 2020 06:00 - 51 minutesMaking decisions at work can be perilous. It's not always clear who has the authority to make them. And even when it is, it's usually just a chosen few that benefit. So, it's no surprise that making decisions about how we govern the organization—designing the rules and roles that underpin everything, is so hard that it's often avoided altogether. That's why one of our favorite things to share is a form of governance that has its roots in the Quakerism, Sociocracy, and more recently, Holacracy...
42. The Shadow Side of Self-Management
July 20, 2020 06:00 - 44 minutesThe stories of self-management and decentralization from evolutionary organizations like Buurtzorg, Morning Star, FAVI, Haier, and others are often told breathlessly, as if it was "happily ever after." But, the truth has to be more... nuanced, right? Indeed it is. More adaptive and human ways of working are not without their own frustrations and tradeoffs. The question is: are they worth it? In this episode (technically our first "colleague-as-guest" episode though we're releasing it late), w...
42. The Shadow Side of Self-Management with Yehudi Meshchaninov
July 20, 2020 06:00 - 44 minutesThe stories of self-management and decentralization from evolutionary organizations like Buurtzorg, Morning Star, FAVI, Haier, and others are often told breathlessly, as if it was "happily ever after." But, the truth has to be more... nuanced, right? Indeed it is. More adaptive and human ways of working are not without their own frustrations and tradeoffs. The question is: are they worth it? In this episode of Brave New Work, (technically the first "colleague-as-guest" episode though BNW is r...
The Shadow Side of Self-Management
July 20, 2020 06:00 - 43 minutesThe stories of self-management and decentralization from evolutionary organizations like Buurtzorg, Morning Star, FAVI, Haier, and others are often told breathlessly, as if it was "happily ever after." But, the truth has to be more... nuanced, right? Indeed it is. More adaptive and human ways of working are not without their own frustrations and tradeoffs. The question is: are they worth it? In this episode (technically our first "colleague-as-guest" episode though we're releasing it late), w...
Ask Us Anything #2
July 13, 2020 17:50 - 23 minutesAny podcast that promotes busting bureaucracy and hobbling hierarchy is bound to stir up some questions. That's why this week we're going to let our listeners Ask Us Anything. For this episode, we took to Twitter and LinkedIn to find out what you're wondering about. And you came through big time. In this episode, we hear questions about check-in rounds, leadership, and the post-pandemic move back to work. If you ever feel a question percolating as you're listening, just drop us a line at podc...
41. Ask Us Anything #2
July 13, 2020 17:50 - 24 minutesAny podcast that promotes busting bureaucracy and hobbling hierarchy is bound to stir up some questions. That's why this week we're going to let our listeners Ask Us Anything. For this episode, we took to Twitter and LinkedIn to find out what you're wondering about. And you came through big time. In this episode, we hear questions about check-in rounds, leadership, and the post-pandemic move back to work. If you ever feel a question percolating as you're listening, just drop us a line at podc...
41. Ask Us Anything (AUA) No. 2: Check-Ins, Leadership Dynamics, and "Return to Office"
July 13, 2020 17:50 - 24 minutesAny podcast that promotes busting bureaucracy and hobbling hierarchy is bound to stir up some questions. That's why this week we're going to let our listeners Ask Us Anything. For this episode, we took to Twitter and LinkedIn to find out what you're wondering about. And you came through big time. In this episode of Brave New Work, Aaron Dignan and Rodney Evans hear questions about check-in rounds, leadership, and the post-pandemic move back to work. If you ever feel a question percolating a...
Brave New Work 40. JEDI: Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion with Sharan Bal
July 06, 2020 06:00 - 58 minutesIt's been six weeks since George Floyd was murdered, and activism around the Black Lives Matter movement has reached new heights. For many of us, it's triggered incredibly challenging conversations and reflections about who we are and who we want to be. It feels like now is the time for real change—but what kind? How can each of us play our part without blame or shame? And where do we begin? In this episode of Brave New Work, Aaron Dignan and Rodney Evans are joined by their colleague and res...
40. Justice. Equity. Diversity. Inclusion.
July 06, 2020 06:00 - 58 minutesIt's been six weeks since George Floyd was murdered, and activism around the Black Lives Matter movement has reached new heights. For many of us, it's triggered incredibly challenging conversations and reflections about who we are and who we want to be. It feels like now is the time for real change—but what kind? How can each of us play our part without blame or shame? And where do we begin? In this episode, we're joined by our colleague and resident JEDI knight, Sharan Bal to talk about the ...
40. JEDI: Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion with Sharan Bal
July 06, 2020 06:00 - 58 minutesIt's been six weeks since George Floyd was murdered, and activism around the Black Lives Matter movement has reached new heights. For many of us, it's triggered incredibly challenging conversations and reflections about who we are and who we want to be. It feels like now is the time for real change—but what kind? How can each of us play our part without blame or shame? And where do we begin? In this episode of Brave New Work, Aaron Dignan and Rodney Evans are joined by their colleague and res...
Justice. Equity. Diversity. Inclusion.
July 06, 2020 06:00 - 57 minutesIt's been six weeks since George Floyd was murdered, and activism around the Black Lives Matter movement has reached new heights. For many of us, it's triggered incredibly challenging conversations and reflections about who we are and who we want to be. It feels like now is the time for real change—but what kind? How can each of us play our part without blame or shame? And where do we begin? In this episode, we're joined by our colleague and resident JEDI knight, Sharan Bal to talk about the ...
Getting Things Done w/ David Allen
June 29, 2020 16:27 - 45 minutesWe recorded this episode almost two months ago, and while so much has changed since then (look for an upcoming episode on DEI and BLM), the challenges we face sitting down at our computers every morning have not. They've only intensified. How are we supposed to move our work forward with everything that's going on out there in the world? And what is productivity when it's not defined by economists but by us? In this episode, we speak with David Allen, author of Getting Things Done, about how ...
39. Getting Things Done w/ David Allen
June 29, 2020 16:27 - 45 minutesWe recorded this episode almost two months ago, and while so much has changed since then (look for an upcoming episode on DEI and BLM), the challenges we face sitting down at our computers every morning have not. They've only intensified. How are we supposed to move our work forward with everything that's going on out there in the world? And what is productivity when it's not defined by economists but by us? In this episode, we speak with David Allen, author of Getting Things Done, about how ...
39. Getting Things Done with David Allen
June 29, 2020 16:27 - 45 minutesWe recorded this episode almost two months ago, and while so much has changed since then (look for an upcoming episode on DEI and BLM), the challenges we face sitting down at our computers every morning have not. They've only intensified. How are we supposed to move our work forward with everything that's going on out there in the world? And what is productivity when it's not defined by economists but by us? In this episode of Brave New Work, Aaron Dignan and Rodney Evans speak with David All...
Brave New Work 39. Getting Things Done with David Allen
June 29, 2020 16:27 - 45 minutesWe recorded this episode almost two months ago, and while so much has changed since then (look for an upcoming episode on DEI and BLM), the challenges we face sitting down at our computers every morning have not. They've only intensified. How are we supposed to move our work forward with everything that's going on out there in the world? And what is productivity when it's not defined by economists but by us? In this episode of Brave New Work, Aaron Dignan and Rodney Evans speak with David All...