Every org has process that started as protection and calcified into performance: boxes we check to prove nothing bad happened, rather than to help good work happen.
In this mini episode, Rodney and Sam respond to a listener trying to resist the "checklistification" of their org. They draw a line where good checklists turn bad and explore the limits for what ... Show More
Jul 27
53. The Chief of Staff’s Real Job: Turning Strategy Into Action
If you hired a chief of staff to be your leadership team’s star athlete, don’t let them languish on the bench. At many organizations, chiefs of staff are meant to execute high-wire strategic work. But the job is often reduced to: glorified project management, executive cat-herdin ... Show More
51m 6s
May 2020
Brave New Work 35. Beyond Remote Work with Sid Sijbrandij
Most of us are working remotely. But we're just treading water, we haven't really mastered it. That's why it's important to talk about remote work after the novelty wears off—when the home office is just... the office. In this episode, we speak with Sid Sijbrandij, Cofounder and ... Show More
32m 8s
Mar 2020
Brave New Work 17. What We Can Learn About Org Design from the Coronavirus
Facing a pandemic, many of the world's institutions are finally giving remote work, agility, responsiveness, and basic human decency some deep consideration. Meanwhile, it's becoming clear that organizations who have already been prioritizing adaptivity and humanity at work are s ... Show More
36m 16s
Aug 2025
How work design can reignite tremendous results
Too many teams are stuck in a swirl. Unclear on priorities, disconnection from purpose, and lost momentum. But we don’t need org-wide overhauls to fix it. In this episode, I’m sharing four practical shifts leaders are making right now to redesign how work gets done - from the ins ... Show More
9m 57s
Nov 2022
How to Think Bigger (feat. Mattress Mack and Asymmetric Upside)
<p>Most entrepreneurs spend the majority of their time doing things that, even if they work, won't make a meaningful difference. Our default state is reactive, iterative work. To be a successful founder, you need to do things with the potential for asymmetric upside. Today, we ta ... Show More
21m 1s
Feb 2021
ReThinking: Brené Brown on What Vulnerability Isn't
We usually wear our thickest armor at work, and Brené Brown has blazed the trail of teaching us why—and how to shed it. In this conversation, Adam and Brené unpack the power of showing vulnerability at work—and explore how much is too much. Learn when and where to set boundaries, ... Show More
40m 38s
Feb 2023
Aaron Dignan: Change The Way You Work
What if you could change the way your company operates, even if you’re not the CEO? Aaron Dignan believes it’s possible, and in this episode he’s offering a wealth of insights into how organizations are run, the perils of stagnant bureaucracy, and all the various hurdles keeping ... Show More
1h 20m