~ Welcome to v11 of #thebalance (and happy global Pride Day! đłď¸âđ)~
For much of 2019, I have been working with a very early stage company in the open finance (crypto) space. Advising mainly on functional areas related to my core skillset: biz dev/finance/strategy.
Having now joined full time, I find myself in exciting & unfamiliar territory. A position I have not yet experienced at this stage in a companyâs life cycle. An opportunity to have a measurable impact at the earliest stages in building company culture, core operations, and product/vision.
With limited day-to-day face time, infinite to-doâs, and an increasingly distributed & digital-first team with a priority on flexibility (a competitive benefit I would argue)âŚ. how do you make sure the vision is clear & consistent within the organization? How do you build & maintain a high performing culture? How do you drive self empowerment across time zones?
More below :)
***Just as a refresher, the core thesis of this newsletter is to pique your curiosity by aggregating interesting topics in a thematic, bite sized, and relevant manner (w/ original posts occasionally) - ranging from blog posts, books, music, events, podcasts, and ideas on how to stay active, travel or otherwise... And please keep sending feedback my way⌠the goal is to make this thing worth it for you!***
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#GetSmart
Is the idea of a physical âHQâ office even necessary anymore?
I personally think so. But it has evolved into a hybrid model that is ever more digital-first. As a so called âmillennial,â I value flexibility over the traditional 9-to-5. Why do I need to come to an office anymore when I am always âonâ and the company Slack channel is arguably just as collaborative as being face to face?
My hope is that this weekâs #getsmart gives you a fresh look at the future of work (one that is already here) and how distributed teams are a concept that is here to stay.
Note that given the size of the overall future of work trend, I am focused less on the macro trends of the âgigâ economy or automation (elimination) of human powered jobs - and only on the operations & cultural aspect of being apart of & building a company in todayâs increasingly remote work environment.
>>>> Decentralized Working
In 2010, only 1.8 billion people had access to high-speed internet. By 2016, this increased to 3 billion. And it is possible that all of the worldâs 8 billion people will have high-speed internet access as early as 2022.
With âworkâ soon to be possible from literally anywhere in the world, is there a point of commuting to an office each day? Do we even need to be physically present? These are the exact questions the next gen of workers are asking themselves⌠and acting on it:
>>>>Â Empowering the Team
Global connectivity. Increased productivity. Reduced costs. Access to talent. Improved flexibility.
These are the key forces at work behind this broader trend of wholly distributed companies. But with limited ability to manage in person, how do you ensure everyone is pulling their weight on the team? How can you instill accountability and self-empowerment within the organizationâs DNA?
I think it still starts with the team and its talent. Particularly at the earliest stages. But even the profile of âtalentâ these days is changing. With software eating more and more of the world, the so called âsubject matter expertâ is experiencing a shortened half-life in certain fields. Growing evidence suggests (this is a fascinating overview on how the Navy is changing their approach managing fleets) that the best candidate suited for the job these days may be someone, âHigh in fluid intelligence, low in experience, not terribly conscientious, open to potential distraction.â
So you get a team in place that meets these new candidate requirements⌠then what?
Consistent and clear communication still remains the core pillar for organizational success. Establishing clear values, a company cadence, and holding others accountable are vital. A little face to face time occasionally doesnât hurt either.
**I would be curious to hear from you if you any further thoughts on this.
>>>> Remote work & overpopulation
I thought this article from Quartz was an interesting take on remote work being used as a tool to address our increasingly overcrowded & insanely priced urban centers.
âCrowded streets. Awful commutes. Stressed infrastructure. Poor air quality. High cost of living. By 2030, the UN predicts that 60% of the worldâs population will be living and working where the best jobs tend to beâin large cities."
>>>> Relationship decay \\ combating remote work loneliness
This is an area I still do not have an answer to as it relates to distributed work culture - but would love anyoneâs thoughts on this topic.
#GetGroovinâ
Remember when I said that summer19 playlist đĽ was coming soon?
With the solstice behind us, we are now officially into summer and that means #thebalance (summer19) playlist is here. I will be curating over the next couple months for your listening pleasure⌠And I promise it has something for everyone.
Check it out:
#GetPollinâ
Trying something new here this weekâŚ.
I would love to hear from you on this topic of remote work and building culture.
Any tips you might have or resources you could point me to that would be helpful in furthering my understanding of this topic? I am looking for other ideas, links, suggestions, etc. that relate to building a team culture within a distributed workforce.
Alternatively, please vote đłď¸ in this Twitter poll below :)
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Calling ALL remote workers & distributed teams - what do YOU find is the most important asset for efficiency, building culture & accountability within your organization? (respond with something different if the poll below does not cover it). Thanks in advance!!</p>— Brian Mahoney (@bmaho) <a href="https://twitter.com/bmaho/status/1145462151185932288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 30, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Have a great week all and happy 4th of July for those in the USA!!
Curiously,
Brian
***Including a snippet from the Exponential View newsletter (a must read for me each week), which posts the below carbon tracker. Latest update below:
âEach week, weâre going to remind you of the CO2 levels in the atmosphere.
The latest measurement (as of June 25): 413.82 ppm; 12 months ago: 409ppm; 50 years ago: 326.66ppm; 250 years ago, est: 250ppm. Share this reminder with your community by forwarding this email or tweeting this.
Climate change adaptation is not just a matter of keeping the sea out or building more resilient city infrastructure.Itâs also about social adaptationâthe laws, the institutions and the basic commitment to recognizing the rights and needs of those worst affected by climate change.Â
Weâve passed the seasonal peak for readings of CO2 at Mauna Loa. As our plants green, particularly in Siberia, they will suck some of the CO2 out of the atmosphere. Focus on the delta over the past 12 months. The delta itself continues to increase. We are ~3,986 days from the dreaded 450ppm threshold.â***
A little bit about me:
My friends call me Block. I am endlessly curious and eternally optimistic - obsessed with digesting content, seeking to broaden my perspective and always striving for balance (hence this newsletter).
Minnesota born & raised, I now live and work in New York City at a decentralized finance company. I have a passion for new ideas, different perspectives, and all things technology.
I am an open finance enthusiast, futurist, investor, entrepreneur, builder, advisor, life long learner, hockey player, traveler, podcast addict, hip-hop head, e-newsletter junkie, event planner, and comedic-short producer.
âFind a question that makes the world interesting.â - Paul Graham
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