Collaboration & Innovation

Every once in a while you have one of those conversations — food for thought that changes not just how you think but potentially how you act. Exploring the future of work with a bunch of folks a week ago, I was part of such a conversation. The dialogue flowed late into the evening and a week later I‘m still soaking it all in.

Yes, you read that right. This means that pretty soon, portfolio working will really have become the norm. Mr. Handy was spot on. But even more crazy is that while our average lifespan increases, that of a Fortune 500 company is in fast decline [see Naveed’s diagram below]. The repercussions of these trends will be plenty.

Something is Broken.

More than 2 out of every 3 people report feeling disengaged at work. The outdated systems of the post-industrial era are simply not applicable today. In an Always On world, 77% of Gen Y’ers now expect flexible working arrangements.

Reinvention and adaptivity have become the coveted skills of the 21st century both for individuals and for organisations.

Drivers of Change.

Asia will house 66% of the global middle class by 2030. Soon after [OK, like 20 years later] nearly 3 billion people in emerging economies will have leapt over Hans Rosling’s ‘washing line’.

How we treat the environment will become of paramount importance [As it should already be today] and climate change will be a major driver of organisational innovation.

But both of these drivers play second fiddle to the largest catalyst of change:The changing nature of work.

Designing Conversations.

And so during the evening, for the 4th Edition of the Future of Work Series — I had the pleasure of hosting Alison Coward (Bracket), Lucas Seidenfaden (Fashion Link) and Naveed Akram (Vestd). With a curious crowd, these navigators talked us through their place in the world of work — as well as their unique visions for the future.

Go on, have a look: View Presentation

On Collaboration –  Alison Coward

Alison Book Recommends:

A Pocket Guide to Effective Workshops
Great Teams — A Guide to Better Creative Collaboration
The Top Jobs in 10 Years Might Not Be What You Expect [Article]

On the Journey — Lucas Seidenfaden

View Presentation

Lucas Book Recommends:

Social Physics

On a New Operating System — Naveed Akram

View Presentation

Naveed Book Recommends:

The Second Machine Age
Abundance
Reinventing Organisations

On Reflection.

On the night I was asked if all of these Future of Work shindigs are just regurgitating the same old crap time and again — like a broken record player. I thought for a moment..

I’m certain it’s not the case. Each event brings with it unique perspectives, a different audience and a particular place in time — that is that much closer to the future.

Aswell is forming. A movement of like minds — some on the fringes, others on the inside. We’re no longer sitting in the proverbial armchair. As the conversation grows and continues to ebb and flow, we begin acting ourselves into new ways of thinking.