One of the things that fascinated me the most while preparing for my gap period in CA was how open-minded Americans are. For many months I’ve been expanding my network on my areas of interest: #futureofwork #humancentriciy #designthinking #agile #scalingup #talentdevelopment #changemanagement… and I have been thrilled by the response I have received when asking people in the Bay Area to meet with me.
Thanks to my friend Denisse Goldfarb, I had the opportunity to reach Gary A Bolles. Gary is Chair for the Future of Work for Singularity University and author of the book «The Next Rules of Work». When we emailed, he promptly invited me for lunch. You cannot imagine my surprise when he said to me: «I’d invite you to my neighborhood, the Fillmore district». “Wow, he is inviting me for lunch… where?”. I rapidly looked at google maps and I saw that my house was a 7 min walking distance! I couldn’t wait for that lunch!!
We had a lovely lunch. When we met, he took a piece of paper and started writing down the main topics I was interested in and immediately he started sharing with me valuable contacts I could get in touch with. He was so welcoming and generous with me!
We talk about the future of work, the zoom-in vs the zoom-out approach towards it, the IKIGAI model, and the similarities there are among #CIOs and #CHROs to have a seat at the table, or better to say to create a «new table», a great strategy towards a real #HR transformation.
I enjoyed his explanations about how to translate a strategy into something real, he always asks: What will we do NEXT?
In the new great reset, we are all required to have new capabilities
In the new great reset, we are all required to have new capabilities. The key is to learn. How to create scalable learning? How can we do it better? The new transferable skills in the scalable learning organization will be PACE: Problem solvers, Adapters, Creative, and Empathy. A scalable efficiency leader has all the answers, a scalable learning leader is the one that asks the most valuable question, admits that does not have the answer, and asks for help!
A scalable efficiency leader has all the answers, a scalable learning leader is the one that asks the most valuable question, admits that does not have the answer, and asks for help!
Gary’s definition of work is the problem to be solved, the tasks that we perform, and the human skills applied to solve the problem. We often forget about the problem and focus on tasks. In the design of this work, there are 7 aspects to look at: people, work, workplace, skills, purpose, knowledge, geography, and compensation.
We need to learn fast, learn together, and learn through action
He believes that we are in a new work model, a new «NetWork», where the ones that solve the problem could be workers, temporaries, partners, former employees, part-time, consultants, startups, online communities, crowd-sourcing, remote, freelancers, or even customers. We need to mobilize expertise, wherever it comes, we need to learn fast, learn together, and learn through action. We have the opportunity to think about what matters and rethink what work is, design a more inclusive organization, with purpose, defining small steps to have meaning in our work. We are Talent Architects! Buff…, I just loved this concept of linking Architecture and Talent, I found it so interlinked with what needs to be designed in the future of work!
We are Talent Architects!
I was delighted to hear that in his next session about the future of work he will first ask the team to choose the problem they want to solve and then they will work with design thinking to find the solution. As you know, I am very keen on design thinking methodology, I believe that human-centered design facilitates changes creating a positive impact with the collaboration of all stakeholders.
Design Thinking: human-centered design that facilitates changes creating a positive impact with the collaboration of all stakeholders
Very valuable his advice on my journey towards setting up my consultancy firm. I am in an exciting moment of my life where I am crafting my future and the one thing I want foremost is that it has to be fun! Those were his final words. I will follow his advice, for sure! Thank you, Gary!
I am in an exciting moment of my life where I am crafting my future and the one thing I want foremost is that it has to be fun!
Stay tuned, happy to share the learnings of my California experience! I welcome all your comments! How is the future of work going to impact us? What new capabilities will be required? How can design thinking help to define it?
