August Playbook: New Ways of Working for 2021 and Beyond
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The document outlines essential mindset and behavior shifts for organizations to adapt to continuous change and improve team dynamics, emphasizing psychological safety, open communication, and collaborative decision-making. It discusses methods like the prioritization matrix and the importance of including diverse perspectives while also focusing on accountability in addressing systemic issues. The content highlights the lessons learned from 2020, particularly in relation to remote work and the necessity for organizations to evolve their operational strategies.
August Playbook: New Ways of Working for 2021 and Beyond
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- 2. aug.co 2 “ 5 specific mindset and behavior shifts Photo by Evie S. on Unsplash
- 3. aug.co Prioritization Matrix – Evaluate ideas by defining two different criteria and mapping options against the criteria 3 Rounds – Letting each person speak one at a time, in turn, without interruption Take Space / Make Space – A mindset and method to create space to hear all voices equally Intent vs. Impact – Separating what we intended from how our actions impacted the other person Psychological Safety – A team environment where people can speak up and share ideas without fear Consent – A way to make decisions that includes dissenting perspectives while also prioritizing progress over perfection Work in Public – Share work in progress as you go to increase transparency, collaboration and learning Plan to Predict Plan to Change Tools Enablers Lead by Telling Lead by Listening Is it Right? Is it Safe to Try? Diversity Racial Equity FROM TO PRACTICES Evolve planning processes to focus on how to respond to continuous change, instead of focusing on how to execute with certainty. BEHAVIORS Default to open, shared, online collaboration and communication to increase trust and speed. Focus on how to create space for team members to speak up and feel heard, even over focusing on what the team needs to accomplish. Commit to decisions as soon as everyone consents that the way forward is worth trying, rather than waiting to find the perfect path. Move beyond messages of support, and take accountability for the role of the organization in upholding systems of racial oppression. 5 4 3 2 1
- 4. aug.co 4 Resilient organizations learned to let go of their need for certainty in 2020. In more ordinary times, detailed planning could minimize wasted time and effort in the future. But 2020 showed us that the act of crafting detailed plans can itself be a waste of time and effort when the circumstances around you are constantly changing. Effective organizations evolved their planning processes to focus on how to respond to continuous change, instead of focusing on how to execute with certainty. 4
- 5. aug.co 5 Plan to Predict Plan to Change
- 6. A global CPG company had just celebrated the completion of a shiny new 2025 strategic plan, Plan to Predict Plan to Change
- 7. aug.co 7 ➔ ➔ ➔ ➔ ➔ ➔ ➔ ➔ Plan to Predict Plan to Change
- 8. PRIORITIZATION MATRIX A method to evaluate ideas by defining two different criteria and mapping options against the criteria for prioritization (consider doing these) (avoid / stop doing) (do these) (consider doing these) FACILITATION STEPS Example: 1. Identify two different criteria 2. Rate each option as higher or lower across both criteria 3. Map the options in the 2x2 matrix 4. Review and commit! CRITERIA A CRITERIA B USE THIS TO Break down and compare options to deal with a complex issue Frame a discussion with your team on what decision to make Understand multiple factors influencing a decision SAMPLE CRITERIA IMPACT POTENTIAL UPSIDE COST DESIRABILITY FEASIBILITY
- 9. aug.co 9 According to a McKinsey study* from October 2020, organizations implemented changes to increase remote working and collaboration 43x faster than they expected, in an average of just 10.5 days compared to their previous estimation of 454 days. Before COVID-19, people used web-based work software as a necessity, while preferring to “take it offline” when possible. The forced, mass-adoption of online communication and collaboration tools, however, showed us that some tech solutions can actually make work better. * SOURCE: https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/how-covid-19-has -pushed-companies-over-the-technology-tipping-point-and-transformed-business-forever 9
- 11. In 2019 a multinational pharmaceutical and life sciences company had made a commitment to a global rollout of Microsoft Teams. But, as in many corporations, it was hardly in use. People still preferred to get work done in hallway chats, phone calls and in-person meetings. When COVID-19 restrictions forced everyone to work from home, there was genuine concern among leadership about how work would get done. Suddenly, Microsoft Teams came to life. One-to-one private email conversations moved to shared, open channels. Working documents moved from private desktops to shared online folders. Project management moved from cumbersome spreadsheets to web-based agile task-management tools. Less than a year later, leaders credited the new ways of working enabled by these tech tools with unlocking speed, improving customer centricity, and increasing adaptivity across the organization. Tools Enablers
- 13. WORK IN PUBLIC Sharing work in progress with users and teammates as you go to increase transparency, collaboration and learning USE THIS TO Gather feedback on an early draft / prototype of your work Test your assumptions about what users need and what they really value Tell your team that you are working on something, and are open to collaboration Focus on content first Simple document formats, without design, make it easier for others to engage Share a “live link” Live, web-based documents ensure a single source of truth; email attachments become outdated quickly Avoid the “Grand Reveal” Waiting for the work to be perfect before sharing makes it harder to change course STRATEGIES FOR WORKING IN PUBLIC:
- 14. aug.co 14 In 2020, leaders were reminded that asking the right question can be more valuable than having the right answer. For many people 2020 was one of the most difficult years of their life. Personal and professional hardship collided, impacting our work lives in ways we couldn’t have imagined. Effective leaders leaned on their empathic skills, focusing on how to create space for team members to speak up and feel heard. We learned that good leadership depends on helping the team to listen and learn together. 14
- 15. aug.co 15 Lead by Telling Lead by Listening
- 16. A national nonprofit organization that provides health care services was already facing significant headwinds before the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic. And, as an organization that is committed to providing equitable access to health care for all people, the organization was deeply affected by the 2020 protests for racial justice. Even as the needs of the patients and communities they served increased, leaders in the organization recognized that it was critically important to foster a culture where everyone could speak up with their ideas, listen deeply to each other, and learn together through a turbulent time. August worked with this partner to quickly create and deliver a set of trainings focused on Psychological Safety and leading through change with empathy. These skills supported the organization in navigating the unique challenges of 2020 with humanity. Lead by Telling Lead by Listening
- 17. aug.co 17 ➔ ➔ ➔ Lead by Telling Lead by Listening * SOURCE: https://rework.withgoogle.com/guides/understanding-team-effectiveness/steps/identify-dynamics-of-effective-teams/
- 18. PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY Psychological Safety is the quality of a team environment where people can speak up and share ideas without fear 3 TIPS TO INCREASE PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY Make space What has your attention as we start this meeting? What questions do you have to clarify your understanding? Create a learning frame What are we uncertain about? What do we hope to learn from this work? Respond productively Thank you for sharing. What might we do differently? Adapted from the work of Amy C. Edmondson USE THIS TO Facilitate meetings where each person feels safe to speak without judgement Help team members feel valued for their contributions Encourage team members to share new ideas that may be risky
- 19. aug.co 19 2020 showed us that our normal ways of making decisions aren’t good enough. Traditional approaches to decision-making start with the assumption that there is a “right” answer, and that the process should maximize the chances of getting to that perfect solution. Being forced to navigate such an unpredictable environment revealed that a different decision-making process that prioritizes fast learning, and starts with the assumption that the best answers are unknown can be more effective. 19
- 20. aug.co 20 Is it Right? Is it Safe to Try?
- 21. At the end of 2019, a leading global software company committed to developing a new decision-making capability building program as a strategic pillar in a broader culture transformation that was already underway. Partnering with the Global Head of Culture, August had just started the initial phase of launching the new program in February 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic hit. With the endorsement and active participation of the CEO, the company quickly embraced the new decision-making program and methodology and fast-tracked the creation of a scalable online learning experience. Beginning with the top 200 senior-most leaders, managers were trained on a new decision-making playbook, and used the new methods to accelerate smarter and clearer decisions to deal with the emerging business, social, and pandemic-related crises. “The new decision-making process put us in a position to respond quickly to changing circumstances.” – SVP Is it Right? Is it Safe to Try?
- 22. aug.co 22 Is it Right? Is it Safe to Try?
- 23. CONSENT A way to make decisions that includes dissenting perspectives while also prioritizing progress over perfection USE THIS TO Make complex decisions that require integrating multiple points of view Avoid going around and around on a decision without any progress Eliminate “silent dissent” - people agree in the moment and undermine later INSTRUCTIONS Propose Share context and make a specific proposal; start with “I propose we…” Clarifying Questions Participants ask questions to clarify their understanding; only the proposer responds Reaction Round In turn, each participant shares a reaction Amend and Clarify Proposer responds and edits their proposal based on the feedback Objections Is the proposal “safe to try”?
- 24. aug.co 24 In June 2020, millions of people across the United States, joined by many more around the world, gathered to protest ongoing police violence and America’s long legacy of anti-Black systemic racism. These protests brought new attention and urgency to an ongoing movement for racial justice. For many organizations, this was a tipping point. They started to move beyond messages of support, and began to take accountability for their role in upholding systems of oppression. 24
- 25. aug.co 25 Diversity Racial Equity * SOURCES: https://www.benjerry.com/about-us/media-center/dismantle-white-supremacy https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/about/social-justice.html
- 26. A national foundation working in the public education sector Diversity Racial Equity
- 28. ROUNDS Letting each person speak one at a time, in turn, without interruption USE THIS TO Include different personalities and ways of communicating Make conversations more balanced and less dominated by the loudest voice in the room Avoid defaulting to the most senior person's opinion TYPES Check in Agenda Creativity Questions Reaction Closing To end: What are you taking away from this meeting? Share your feedback: What works? What would you change? What questions do you have to clarify your understanding? Silently write down ideas, then share one person at a time Share topics to discuss during the meeting To begin: What has your attention as we start this meeting?
- 29. TAKE SPACE / MAKE SPACE A mindset and practice to create space to hear all voices equally If you are someone who normally takes up more space by speaking a lot, sit back and make space for others. - Pause and count to three - Only speak if you have something new to add - W.A.I.T. – Why am I talking? If you are someone who normally makes space by staying quiet, invite yourself to speak up. - Ask to pause if you need more time - Remember that your perspective is valuable USE THIS TO Minimize the influence of overly dominant voices Challenge the default ways of communicating within a team Make it easier for quieter personalities to participate
- 30. INTENT VS. IMPACT Separating what we intended from how our actions impacted the other person USE THIS TO Avoid being defensive or dismissive Validate other people’s feelings Develop empathy for other people’s experiences MAKE OTHERS AWARE TAKE RESPONSIBILITY OBSERVATION “I noticed that you …” INTERPRETATION “I interpret this as …” IMPACT “I felt hurt/frustrated/dismissed…” REQUEST “In the future, I’d appreciate if you…” GRATITUDE “Thank you" REPEAT AND CLARIFY “What I heard you say was…” EMPATHIZE “I can see why that made you feel…” COMMIT “In the future, I will…”
- 31. Our Team Our Values contact team@aug.co