By Simon Marshall (This post is part 1 of a four-part series which describe the foundational pillars of Why-Based Organisations) You know those organisations that just seem to be on a special mission? The people there seem to exude possibility and commitment for what they’re doing. They are companies that inspire trust – among their employees, customers, and spectators alike. In my experience, these organisations are like that because they know their Why2. In Simon Sinek’s 2009 TED Talk, “How Great Leaders Inspire Action” (one of the most watched TED Talks of all time), he explains the people and organisations that…

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Today let’s talk, shall we, about what it means to be an authentic leader. The concept of ‘authenticity’ is one that’s become very popular in corporate America (and corporate Everywhere!). One thing that often surprises me is when I hear it referred to as a standalone concept. In your personal life it may be okay to consider the concept alone, but in organizational terms it needs to be considered in balance with ‘productivity.’ Allow me to explain… Within organizations, ‘authenticity’ is cherished alone and independent from ‘productivity’ and its measures, and people are intrinsically rewarded for “being true to themselves.”…

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Continuing our topic of employee engagement, here is a common dilemma leaders seek us out on: Engagement or direction setting? Over the years, we’ve seen this particular question come in different forms. For example, a leader recently asked, “Which is really more important: keeping my employees engaged or keep directing them?” One senior manager was curious, “The more direction I give for support, the less engaged I find my good players to be. What can I do?!” Yet another wanted to know, “Which do you perceive to be most effective – coaching or managing?” The answer for many leaders is…

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“You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.” -Richard Buckminster Fuller Bucky, as many called him, was an American architect, systems theorist, author, designer and inventor. He studied at Harvard University, but was expelled for his “irresponsibility and lack of interest.” By his own appraisal, he was a non-conforming misfit. At that time quite a bold step! I am fond of misfits and, naturally, love his statements. I once had a management speaker declare: “I always want to have at least 1 person in my team…

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On the subject of teams, what exactly is the difference between a ‘team’ and a ‘work group,’ anyway? What makes any team a ‘team,’ and what makes it effective? Seriously. If you think about it, a work group is made up of more than two people and a team is made up of a work group. So…couldn’t we say a team is a work group? The answer is no. If you look in the dictionary or the encyclopedia du jour — Wikipedia — it would tell you “a team is a group of people… linked in a common purpose.” However,…

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In this second part of the interview, we share with you what companies can do and are doing in terms of managing talent and how we expect the industry to change. Please feel free to visit the Agile Collaboration site after to fill out the Agile Talent EQ Survey!

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I had the pleasure of visiting Dr. Younger in NYC earlier this year during a business trip. Jon has recently founded the Agile Talent Collaborative, a non- profit cooperative organization after publishing the book, Agile Talent, which we are proudly a part of.  A naturally content human being, Jon is super excited to support agile talent staffing firms, corporate employers and independent workers with his work. For those of you, who don’t know him, prior to his current work, Jon was a partner of the RBL Group, where he established and led the firm’s well-respected HR Transformation practice and was a director…

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Agile Talent? Doesn’t that sound passionate? ‘Agile’ is such a big concept across all industries right now, and having agile talent seems so fantastic! Well, the new book Agile Talent (Harvard, 2016) is certainly fantastic – though there is a lot for us to uncover and learn in this field. Authors Dr. Jonathan Younger and Dr. Norm Smallwood describe how public and private sector organizations have increased their reliance on external talent. This is a global trend that is growing and unmistakable, and has important implications for organizations. Advisors, contractors, and gigsters play an increasingly crucial role in the work…

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Pop Quiz: What’s the number one attraction factor driving millennials to join one organization over another? Time’s up! Competitive wages? Nope, that’s number two. More learning programs? Uh-uh, third. The top reason a millennial wants to come work for you is the opportunity for career progression (according to a recent study of PWC1). Job rotations is a technique used by employers that lets employees rotate their assigned jobs throughout their employment.2 There are several good reasons why employers practice this technique: To promote flexibility, To serve different learning opportunities, To advance career progression, etc. With the rapid change of today’s…

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There is an on-going debate about the future of performance management. Whether you take a ‘traditional’ or a ‘new-age’ approach to managing performance, we believe there are some key principles that apply at all times. Please enjoy this short video for a highlight of these principles.

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