WLP367 The 3 A's of Connection in the Workplace and other updates
Pilar pops in to share her latest framework, which she hopes will help individuals and organisations decide how to design for connection at work. Plus, some other updates.
I've been away from London for about a month, and before that, my head was somewhere else. I've been focusing on my writing and also on learning how to be a Pilates instructor. (You can hear more about the world of Pilates instructors in episode 365 with Fréderique.)
Now, let me share what I've been working on. I've developed a little framework around connection, simplifying how we connect at work. This has come about because a lot of what I'm still hearing and reading is that when we talk about connection or reducing loneliness for remote or hybrid workers, the first thing organizations do is bring people back to the office or have synchronous online activities like virtual coffees. These things work for some people, but not all the time and not for everyone.
I've come up with three ways in which we connect at work:
Across the work: We connect through the tasks we're doing, bringing our values, attitudes, opinions, experience, and personalities into it.
Around the work: This involves sharing and exploring together, communicating about things we're learning either through the task or about the task, like using new technology or learning about our industry.
Away from the work: This is the purely social aspect, where we connect on topics unrelated to our work.
I believe that by looking at connection through these three lenses, individuals and organizations can better understand and facilitate meaningful connections in the workplace.
I'm also co-writing a book with Bree Caggiati on connection and disconnection in remote teams, based on the series we co-produced a few years ago.
Additionally, I'm working on my own book, which I've been calling "All the World's a Workspace". (The title needs to change because I actually don’t cover anything about global teams, and I think the title does suggest that…) It's based on Shakespeare speeches that I've adapted to stimulate thinking about different aspects of remote work, combined with memoir and personal opinions. I'm in the process of finalising it and hope to have it out in the first half of 2025.
Lastly, I'm excited to announce that I've created a calendar featuring AI-generated images of Shakespearean characters in modern remote work settings. If you're interested in this blend of Shakespeare and remote work, visit remotelyshakespeare.com for more information.
Sign up to find out when the 2025 calendar and book come out: www.remotelyshakespeare.com
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