Talking about everything means there is an openness and flow in every moment. It’s natural and doesn’t take a lot of work to make decisions and manage ourselves. It’s a choice to be open.
In the old world of work, many people are being told what to do, with limited direction or explanation. Change is announced and rarely discussed openly as it happens. This paradigm treats people as cogs in a machine that must be productive and efficient. And people who come from this world have learned not to question or raise issues for fear of reprisal.
Talking About Everything
But on the edges, there is a new world emerging now; one where the future is human and we set the expectation of how we work.
Imagine building a community where we enjoy engaging and creating with everyone. The kind of place people love being a part of. One where when the community does well everyone benefits in some way. And when it is hurting, the community figures out how to weather the storm with open discussions and accountability.
Together, people easily work in community, which means there is:
- Openness – speaking our mind without fear or judgement
- Self-management – making decisions that align with where we are headed with autonomy and authority
- Collaboration – talking and real-time conversations replace meetings
We Want to Be Who We Are All the Time
When we have people who choose to work with us, there is no micromanaging. We ask ourselves, “is this the way to achieve our shared mission?”
As long as we communicate openly with each other and get what is needed done, it all works out. Even mistakes are not so hard to swallow as they are out in the open.
There is no need to supervise anyone as accountability is clear. And when it’s not, there is trust so everything can be aired.
The conversations don’t just happen within the internal community but extend to healthy exchanges with customers, partners and other communities. It goes beyond conducting surveys by having open channels to discuss whatever needs input.
There is a sense of joy when we create together, with openness and transparency. Isn’t this what we also mean by being inclusive?
Living Systems
When our practices are integrated in how we work, we bring the culture to life through our actions. We don’t have to tell people that we care about them, for example, when we show them. And they feel seen and cared.
When we adopt living systems, we don’t need huge change initiatives because we understand that change is natural. Instead, we need flexibility, open communication and an ability to make changes as needed to our approach and culture.
Because true innovation is about trekking into the unknown with an ability to integrate changes and opportunities as they appear. This is why making timely decisions is foundational.
When we talk about everything, we can examine how we approach working together in meeting our shared mission. New ways of working are here when we break down the walls and create what we need.