Visual Communicator, Innovation Leader, Team Coach, Community-Building Champion Combining over 20 years of expertise in retail, technology, and innovation, I am passionate about harnessing the power of visual communication and strategic innovation to transform professional environments and personal lives. My career spans from start-ups to leading roles at the world’s largest retailers and global tech firms, where I have driven initiatives in corporate innovation, product development, and community building. Core Strengths: - Product and Portfolio Management - Engineering and Technical Project Management - Ecommerce & Retail Innovation - Visual Facilitation & Graphic Recording - Offsite, Workshop, and Retreat Experience and Programming I thrive on creating connections that bridge technology with user needs, developing processes that streamline operations and enhance customer experiences. My work in areas like Internet of Things, Robotics, and Retail Innovations reflects my commitment to leading-edge solutions. I have a proven track record of delivering projects that not only meet but exceed expectations, fostering innovation and efficiency. As a Gallup-certified CliftonStrengths coach and a dedicated community leader, I aim to inspire teams and individuals to uncover their potential, facilitating workshops and sessions that lead to actionable insights and strengthened community bonds. Let's connect! I’m always looking to collaborate on projects that push the boundaries of technology and creativity to create meaningful and lasting impact. Whether it’s transforming corporate teams or building vibrant communities, let’s explore how we can work together to make a difference. Positions: Owner at The Getaway Retreats and Workshops (2024 - Present), Owner at Let's Summerize (2018 - Present), Co-Founder at Seek & Enjoy Retreats (2020 - Present), Sr. Director, Hybrid Work at Target (2021 - 2024), Sr. Director, Target New Ventures at Target (2020 - 2021), Sr. Director Product and Experience, New Ventures and Accelerators at Target (2018 - 2020), Director Product Management, Consumer IoT at Target (2016 - 2018), Group Manager, Enterprise Growth Initiatives at Target (2014 - 2016), Board Member at Excelsior Action Group (2017 - 2020), COO, Advisory at Pieces of There (2013 - 2016), Independent Consultant at Independant (2013 - 2016), Consumer Security & Privacy Director (Advisory) at ZEDO (2013 - 2015), Vice President, Product and Services at ZEDO, Inc. (2004 - 2013), Committee Co-chair, Ad Integrity Working Group at Online Trust Alliance (2012 - 2015), Product Manager at Sapient (2013 - 2014) Skills: Experience Design, Coaching, Creativity and Innovation, Design Thinking, Experimentation, Communication, Strategy, Graphic Design, Visual Communication, E-commerce, Product Management, Start-ups, Online Advertising, Product Development, Vendor Management, Analytics, Team Leadership, Customer Service, Team Building, Account Management, Mobile Devices, Project Management, Online Marketing, Ad Networks, User Experience, Competitive Analysis, Enterprise Software, Web Analytics, Process Improvement, Cloud Computing, Strategic Partnerships, Web 2.0, Social Networking Websites, Customer Relations, Negotiation, Mobile, Product Strategy, Team Management, Business Process Improvement, Anti-Malvertising, Privacy Compliance, Reverse Logistics, Ad Serving, Management, Cross Merchandising, Purchase Recommendations, Planogram Development, Store Operations, Product Assortment Planning, Leadership Recent Posts: It was cool to be featured in this CNBC Make It video about remote work along with folks like Mark Ma. My overarching message was that RTO mandates are an incredibly blunt instrument being used to try to address extremely challenging and often quite specific organizational operating system tensions. It falls into the same category as the extremely visible structural re-org: a big move that seems like it could be a silver bullet but almost always ends up exacerbating underlying issues that could never be addressed by something so imprecise. Check out the short (~7 min. video in the comments below)! The past five months have flown by! Here's a quick update on what I've been up to: I've been embracing my love of visuals—graphic recording for Maha Abouelenein's book launch, visual facilitation at team offsites hosted at The Getaway, and commissioned illustration projects for amazing clients like Charlotte Blair, Ava Yang-Lewis, PhD, and Margaret Hankins. My journey with coaching has been rewarding and insightful. I've worked one-on-one with inspiring individuals and facilitated impactful team sessions with organizations like State Farm, Ramsey County Library (in collaboration with Stacy Crawford, M.S.Ed., PCC), Digital and Savvy , supported Katharine Tripp Fleury and One Circle, and even hosted mini-retreat for the Mound Fire Department Auxiliary. The Getaway itself has evolved—new spaces, a fresh new website (props to Casaundra Saunders Natolochny and Clara Sheehan), hosted regular events like a monthly open house, vision boarding and flower arranging, and welcomed solopreneurs for private retreats centered on big-picture thinking and long term plans. Looking ahead, I'm creating exciting new experiences: a powerful life-planning half-day retreat coming in May 2025, a workshop focused on cognition and curiosity for women feeling stuck in a rut ("Out of the Fog"), a session tailored for leaders navigating unprecedented complexity ("Leading on the Road Ahead"), and a high-end retreat in Utah in September 2025 in collaboration with Jennifer Zenz-Olson. Lastly—and importantly—I'm growing my newsletter community this year. If you're not subscribed yet, I'd love for you to join me: https://lnkd.in/guep6w-W I've learned so much from the connection, conversations and coffees with all of you lately, and I'm looking forward to even more virtual and in-person connections this spring. Challenges are my jam—what's giving you trouble right now? Let's turn your frustration into my inspiration. Looking for beta testers! I’m developing a new coaching experience for leaders, and need real-world feedback to make it as sharp and impactful as possible. IS THIS YOU? I’m looking for current or future leaders of people in the Twin Cities who are navigating complex business challenges in rapidly changing or disrupted markets. If that’s you, I’d love to invite you to a 90-minute, one-on-one in-person coaching session between now and the end of April (free). This session is built to evolve how you think about your leadership approach. You’ll get a clearer picture of what’s driving your success, where you might be leading on autopilot, and what’s missing as you take on bigger challenges. Intended Outcomes: 1. Deeper understanding of the leadership values that shape how you work 2. Fresh perspective on why certain leadership approaches come naturally and others feel like friction 3. Tactical plan to lead more effectively in a complex, shifting environment I’m offering this for free because I need to test this in real conversations with real leaders. In exchange, I’d love your candid feedback—what resonates, what doesn’t, and what insights shift your thinking. If you’re interested, comment or DM me and we’ll set up a time. If you know someone like this (and local, can meet in person) please tag them in the comments below. I’m happy to share that I’ve obtained a new certification: Team Performance Workshop Certification from The Grove Consultants International! Penny for your thoughts: What's the biggest leadership myth you used to believe but no longer do? Here's my answer - it's a little off the hip so I don't know this is "the biggest", but I use to believe a leader was supposed to KNOW what to do. I now believe a leader is supposed to create the right conditions for a team to DETERMINE what to do, assuming a goal, vision and constraints are clear. I would love to hear your answers! RTO mandates are just the newest flavor of reorg. For an organization feeling the problems of a strained or degrading operating system, the RTO mandate is just the lowest hanging and visible option that represents a commitment to "we're doing something different!" Before the post-Covid RTO, we had the super visible re-org as the most visible and most destructive organizational lever to pull (the "luckiest" organizations are currently getting to experience both!) Instead of being carefully considered components of a more holistic review of an organization's operating system, carefully experimented with and monitored to ensure they're solving the actual problems we care about, they become the Hail Mary pass we're pretty sure is going to score us a touchdown this time (but doesn't). RTO mandates and re-orgs rarely solve more problems than they create, but at least you can point to them as proof something was done, right? I launched a newsletter in December. Here's an excerpt from the recent one. I've been thinking a LOT lately about how little time leaders actually have to think! If you've been able to carve out time to think, please share your tip or approach in the comments. And subscribe to the newsletter (please) to keep the conversation going! ----------------------------------------------- Your Brain is an Asset—Start Treating It Like One The leadership challenge of today is relentless. Back-to-back meetings, the constant demands to be present and “on”, the feeling that if you step away, everything might start unraveling. Leaders don’t just lack time to think—thinking has been systematically squeezed out of their jobs. I have a vision for the future of leadership: two protected hours a day for deep, uninterrupted thought. Not for emails. Not for Slack messages. Not for catching up on deliverables. Just time to step back and actually use the strategic, creative, problem-solving part of the brain. Right now, that vision feels out of reach. Leaders are dragging themselves through endless calendars, reacting instead of thinking, making decisions while running on fumes. As a result, we’re sucking the souls out of people, and the organization isn’t better for it. We’re underutilizing the most expensive and important asset in knowledge work: a leader’s mind. I’m a fan of Warren Buffett and the late Charlie Munger. I was lucky enough to attend their annual meeting in 2019 and hear their insights firsthand. Buffett has said he spends 80% of his time reading and thinking. Munger believed clear, rational thought was the foundation of good decisions. They built an empire on long-term thinking, not reactive busyness. Meanwhile, today’s executives can’t find two hours a month to do the same. Cal Newport calls this out in Deep Work—arguing that focused, uninterrupted thinking isn’t indulgent, it’s a competitive advantage. He’s right. And as AI takes over more of our shallow, repetitive tasks, maybe that two-hour vision isn’t so impossible after all. So what’s stopping it from happening? Read the rest here: https://lnkd.in/gDdsHwf3 I’m excited to dig into Rishad Tobaccowala’s latest book “Rethinking Work”. First I have to say I love the cover. But more importantly, I have really enjoyed Rishad’s weekly newsletter and missives on the future of work. He’s one of the few prolific writers talking about not just the near term coming-to-grips-with-the-changes, but actually shooting a little farther out to contemplate more fully the shift we’re amidst. If you’re reading it too - or if you want to - I’d love to set up a two- or three- session book club with others that want to explore these topics in dialogue! Common Threads in Coaching: Clarity, Control, and Survival My coaching practice is well underway. Since November, I’ve conducted 20 coaching calls across 10 clients. One thing that’s been a surprise is the topics my clients bring to me are quite similar! Here are some themes I’ve been noticing: Fulfillment Over Hustle: People are shifting from “how to get the next promotion” to “what is the next role for me that is fulfilling, balanced and aligned to my purpose”. This has me thinking about how roles get filled and I wonder if, in a less scarce job market, will candidates have more leverage, or will job shaping be more of “a thing”? (If you want me to help you envision your next professional chapter, reach out!) Prioritization and Focus: “I just need to prioritize and get it done”. I’m hearing this a lot from solopreneurs who have many interesting options to explore, but need to make traction and progress in the near term. (If you want to learn more about my Solopreneur’s Retreats, let me know.) Navigating Uncertainty: More and more people are accepting the reality that our world is unpredictable, brittle, anxious and non-linear, and using that reality in the design of their own near term choices. This is true for individuals, leaders, teams and entrepreneurs. (If you want support to help you build a resilient personal vision, hit me up.) Read more: This is such spot-on advice from The Ready and often completely missed in large, complex organizations. When these foundational questions aren’t addressed, new initiatives - especially innovation initiatives - start off with unnecessary disadvantages. One of the issues I’ve seen is when innovation teams are set up in isolation. On paper, it sounds great: give them space to focus without distractions. But in reality, it often blinds them to critical context. Without clear answers about how resources, time, and decision-making authority are structured, these teams struggle to gain traction and deliver meaningful outcomes. The Ready’s work helping large companies bridge the strategy-to-execution gap is so needed. I’ve worked with them and highly regard their approach—it’s pragmatic, impactful, and exactly what’s needed for today’s complex organizations. If this resonates with you, I’d be happy to make a personal introduction. For me, I focus on the leadership teams driving these efforts. If they’re not aligned, clear, and working from a place of trust and forthrightness, it’s a recipe for frustration and missed potential. Team dynamics matter. Leadership dynamics matter. Great outcomes depend on leaders being transparent with each other, clear about their strengths, and honest about what’s needed to succeed. What’s your take? How do you see these dynamics play out in your work? Moving the Needle in a Stuck System ------------------------------------- I’ve been thinking a lot about productivity in corporate and knowledge work. When you step back and look at it bluntly, it can feel like the entire machine is designed to prevent work from happening. Personal identity and self interest is baked into decision making. Competing and unclear priorities make it easy to slow things down. More people have veto rights than decision authority. I understand this is largely borne of risk management protecting a complicated and nuance system, but at what cost? Jon Stewart’s recent interview with Bernie Sanders addressed this distortion. He talks about how rules, loopholes, and norms create a system where, if you don’t want to do something, there’s always a rule to back you up. But if you do want to do something, there’s always a loophole. And if someone calls you out, you can shake your finger and claim the moral high ground. So here’s what I’m wondering: - What do you think is the root cause of this situation? - Can we fix it from within, or do we need to start from scratch? - Are there big organizations out there that have fulfilling, human work cultures AND get work out the door in service of what customers actually value? I don’t have all the answers, but I’d love to hear your thoughts. What do you think? Read more at: How do you describe your work during the holidays? I love my work, AND it's nearly impossible to describe without sounding like an a**hat or fake work, using jargon, or way too many words. As we head into holidays, holiday parties, meeting new people - lots of "so what are you up to now?" is going to come my way. So far, I'm going with "I create visuals, graphics, and design creative workshops to help people get their work done, so work sucks less." Elevator pitches are for the office. What's your holiday one liner for work? Now, leaders must “advocate for creating conditions where teams can do complex work without needing constant, tight collaboration—where teams have bounded bubbles of complexity with simple interfaces between them. Clear boundary-setting allows teams to handle their complexity internally while minimizing the need for constant cross-team coordination.” I love this. Acceptance of complexity AND ability to operate effectively within it. This is a great read, and I believe it applies to most modern knowledge work, not limited to product work. Effectively, it applies to any large organization with many groups building or evolving systems and services. New work is hard. Old work was also hard. Old ways don’t work in new work. But the old ways of work solved the challenges of their time and gave us the foundation we’re building on today. Now, it’s time to evolve those approaches to tackle the complexities we’re facing today. Today’s problems are yesterday’s solutions. (Guess what: that means today’s solutions are tomorrow’s problems 🤦🏻‍♀️ It’s ok, we’ll cross those bridges when we get to them. ) On de-bossification. Wow. “The big corner offices, the gauntlet of handlers, receptionists, and other awe-inspiring fear mongering scaffolding of the pre-2020’s will all be seen as the crutches of the insecure and the fearful causing most talent to rapidly re-route around such blockages and blockheads. “ Separate your "must-dos" from your "like-to-dos" and don't mistakenly slip any "like-to-dos" onto the first list. #principleoftheday This week, I’ve been noticing how invigorating it is to take an idea and turn it into something tangible - quickly. With tools like ChatGPT, SessionLab, and Canva (and a big shoutout to my local print shop!), I’ve been able to rapidly create worksheets, team activities and photo card decks that bring team coaching to life. The speed at which solopreneurs can go from concept to creation these days is amazing. What’s funny is that this feels like a full-circle moment for me. Paper crafts have been a special interest for decades - I even had an invitation design company called Coi Press about 20 years ago. Back then, it was all about Photoshop, life stages and Paper Source. Now, it’s about creating tools that help teams connect, collaborate, and see each other’s strengths in new ways. If you want to geek out about tools, strengths, paper, or markers (I LOVE MARKERS), I want to talk! I’d love to hear what you’re working on. Now that I have more time, I’m making it a priority to reconnect with all the great people I’ve worked with over the years, and learn more about their world of work. I’m building a theory about future of work skills and I get clarity from hearing from others! Today, most teams won’t reach their full potential on skills alone. The real power lies in leaders and teams who understand each other’s strengths—that’s where purpose and performance align. Without this, you risk missed potential, misaligned goals, interpersonal tensions, and a team that never quite gets there. I wrapped up a strengths session with a small leadership team this morning, and I’m energized by the experience. I love watching leaders see each other in a new light—not just as coworkers, but as humans with unique strengths and perspectives. It’s fun to see people walk away feeling hopeful, inspired, intrigued, and optimistic about what’s possible. In today’s distributed work environment, taking the time to understand each other’s strengths goes a long way. It’s about building real connection and understanding, creating a foundation that helps teams work better together and stay aligned with the organization’s goals. #futureofwork #teamdevelopment #leadership #distributedteams #workplaceculture #strengthscoach #teamperformance Our brains work like computers: They input data and process it in accordance with their wiring and programming. Any opinion you have is made up of these two things: the data and your processing or reasoning. When someone says, "I believe X," ask them: What data are you looking at? What reasoning are you using to draw your conclusion? Dealing with raw opinions will get you and everyone else confused; understanding where they come from will help you get to the truth. #principleoftheday Flexibility has become a new benchmark for ambition. It’s not just a preference; for many of the people I’ve spoken to recently, it’s the defining factor in their careers. To me, this represents an evolved kind of ambition, one that values impact and fulfillment as much as titles and paychecks. I’ve been taking a lot of coaching calls in the last few weeks, mostly with people trying to figure out what’s next for them. And across the board, flexibility was a hard requirement in that exploration. One person told me they’d only consider giving up flexibility only after every other option had been explored and exhausted. These are hard working, long-tenured, knowledgable professionals with a lot to offer any employer. The nature of work itself feels like a moving target, and those who recognize this are redefining what it means to succeed. These talent priorities aren’t new. They emerged a couple of years ago as the workforce re-entered the world post-COVID. In my role leading hybrid at Target, we saw both internal and external validation of this shift. Flexibility wasn’t just a trend; it became essential for a workforce that values well-being, balance, and the ability to care for family alongside career growth. For me, flexibility represents fluidity. Work and life dance together in my week. One isn't at the cost of the other - my work and life are both productive. What does flexibility mean in your life? And how important has it become as a factor in work? We still get the scrunched up face sometimes when someone brings a big huge gnarly org challenge and we say, "Cool, how about we start with changing up how we run the weekly meeting for that thing...?" Like, are you for real? Is that all you got? That's just the start. Meetings are the microcosm of the organization. Show me your meetings and I'll show you your org. They're also one of the most 'expensive' things we do. Want to get more juice for the squeeze? Put the time and energy (yes, I said, invest more time, not less) into figuring out how to make the most of that meeting time (and shed the meeting time that's not serving). As part of my ongoing transition from corporate work to a portfolio career, I’m continuing to build on my skills and lean into this new chapter. I recently completed a two-week intensive ICF training through Awaken Coach Institute, and I'm now offering free coaching sessions to help others make meaningful changes in their personal and professional lives. These sessions are all about helping you gain clarity, identify actionable steps, and create momentum toward your goals. Whether you're navigating a career change, seeking better work-life balance, or looking for personal growth, coaching can provide a valuable space to explore and grow. I’m offering these free coaching sessions from now until Thanksgiving as a limited-time opportunity to help find new clients, but this is a no pressure offer. These are truly free, no pressure coaching calls. If this sounds interesting or you know someone who could benefit, please tag them in the comments, please comment below, DM me, or schedule a discovery call directly here https://lnkd.in/guicAft2 This new work has been incredibly rewarding so far, and I would love to share it with you! It’s been an exhilirating six weeks, filled with a ton of variety—exactly what I was aiming for. I’ve spent my time on everything from leisure to leadership team work, family coaching, and teaching visual basics, to creating planners and workbooks that support the work we’re doing at The Getaway. I also traveled to Ohio to deepen my paper organizing skills with Lisa Woodruff, guested on a podcast, and stayed connected with some great people over coffee and lunch while enjoying the fall weather in Minnesota. In the next six weeks, I'm off to a retreat in Duluth to embark on my own ICF certification with Awaken Coach Institute, will host Maha Abouelenein book launch workshop at The Getaway, and then *finally* will get around to updating my website(s) and business administration and digital platforms, leaning on the support of Lisa Cummings and Charlotte Blair's incredible communities of sharing tools and knowledge. The mix of creative projects and meaningful connections has been energizing. I’m currently scheduling for January through April 2025. If you’re in need of support with a leadership offsite, team strengths session, visual basics, graphic recording, personal workshop, women’s group—or if you just want to catch up and see if we can create something special together—let’s connect. #leadershipdevelopment #teamstrengths #visualfacilitation #graphicrecording #creativityatwork #womensleadership #personalworkshops #futureofwork #coaching #workshopsandretreats #leadershipoffsite Spot-on analysis from Nick Bloom, researcher and expert on remote and hybrid work. There are many wonderful ways in which drawing improves thinking, clarity and creative problem solving! After 10 incredible years at Target HQ, I’m excited to share that I’m embarking on a new chapter— pursuing my passions and exploring what it means to have a Portfolio Career. First up, I’m thrilled to introduce The Getaway—a space I’ve created here in Minnesota to help people step away from the daily grind, reconnect with themselves, and find some peace and clarity. It’s a project close to my heart, and I can’t wait to see where it leads. Follow on Instagram and join the Facebook Group to learn about upcoming events! https://lnkd.in/gWdskQ_v https://lnkd.in/gh8cSAZD But that’s just the beginning. I’ll have more news to share soon about other projects, including ramping up my work in graphic recording, facilitation, and hybrid consulting through Let’s Summerize. You can follow along on Instagram and check out the website for more details. Stay tuned for more updates! https://lnkd.in/gAn_nPkM https://lnkd.in/gSxuZDxb I’m incredibly grateful for the journey that brought me to this point. Moving to Minnesota was one of the best decisions for our family—we consider MN our home now, and we have no plans to leave. The work experiences and relationships I’ve built over the last decade, especially during the past six years, have been transformative in the direction I've taken my career. To all the amazing people I’ve had the pleasure of working with at Target: I will miss you, but this isn’t goodbye! I fully intend to stay in touch and continue learning from the incredible network of colleagues and friends I’ve made along the way. This next chapter is all about balance—living more and working less, while still doing the meaningful work I love. I’m beyond excited for what’s ahead and look forward to sharing more soon! #NewBeginnings #PortfolioCareer #TheGetaway #LetsSummerize #Gratitude #MinnesotaLife Are our jobs just meetings now? Hello Friday. If your workday feels like a string of endless Zoom calls, you’re not alone—and it’s time to ask some tough questions about how we work. The Atlantic recently highlighted a startling reality in their article, "White-Collar Work is Just Meetings Now": up to 85% of white-collar workers' time is spent in meetings, leaving little room for meaningful heads-down work, creativity, and critical reflection. This isn’t just about poor scheduling—it’s a sign that we’re losing sight of what really matters. We’ve all fallen into the trap of equating busyness with productivity, but here’s the truth: the problem is systemic. Meetings have surged by over 70% since the pandemic, yet productivity has flatlined. When did “being busy” become more important than actually getting things done? Some companies are starting to push back. In early 2023, Shopify launched a bold experiment—they eliminated most recurring meetings and declared "No Meeting Wednesdays." The impact? Employees felt more focused, less stressed, and found time for deeper, more creative work. In my nearly 40 years of work, I’ve seen the same pattern time and again: meetings planned without purpose drain energy from our work. Meanwhile, we pat ourselves on the back for checking boxes and spinning our wheels but fail to make real progress. This isn’t just about managing time better—it’s about rethinking how we value our work and our people. Leaders have a responsibility to create environments where true productivity can thrive by cutting the noise and providing clarity on which outcomes really matter. So leaders, take a look at your teams’ calendars. Which meetings need to go or be reimagined with a sharper sense of purpose? Let’s break free from the meeting trap and shift our focus back to meaningful work. Let’s start making a real impact again. #HelloFriday #Leadership #Productivity #FutureOfWork #HumanCenteredLeadership Is the so-called “traditional” retirement age a relic of workforces past? If a growing number of baby boomers and Gen Xers had it their way, it would be. And it’d be replaced with a more gradual exit from the workforce that gives employees more control over their departure. In fact, one in three workers in the U.S. over age 50 desires a phased approach to retirement, according to the 2024 Global Benefits Attitudes Survey of 10,000 workers performed by advisory and brokerage firm WTW (formerly Willis Towers Watson). The survey finds 15% of these workers have already started to phase out of work—by reducing hours or responsibilities, for example—and another 19% plan to in the future. Read more: https://lnkd.in/e5CqnSkV I'm pissed off. Today another tech company claimed massive layoffs were due to AI. Don't believe their hype. Their layoffs are due to management mistakes during the pandemic (i.e., management over hired believing they had reached a new digital plateau and now that the world has opened up and people have gone back to IRL...and their revenues have dropped or not grown as fast...they now need to correct that mistake). But this company wants to go public so the better story is "we are smart leaders using AI to become more efficient and profitable" vs "we were idiots during the pandemic and have to lay off some people because we messed up." This isn't just an issue of telling the truth. It's much bigger than that. The major problem is that their BS wreaks havoc on the nervous systems of their employees, including those laid off (making it harder for them to conduct a good job search) and of everyone else who reads their news and thinks, "uh oh, AI is going to replace me." This happens a lot in the tech world. Companies have discovered that scaring customers is an effective way to get them to buy (and to get investors to put in money). And they don't worry about the "negative externalities" – i.e., the impact of scaring everyone. When people feel scared that can lead to bad-decision making, anxiety, and depression and, to, at the extreme, family disruption, divorce, and suicide. And here's the dirty little secret: new technology *creates* jobs in the long-run. In 1990, in the very early days of the web (the web was created in 1989 at Cern in Switzerland) the U.S. economy employed 109 million people. Then in the years following...and after the massive growth of the web, social media, smartphones, big data, AI, did the U.S. have *less* workers after all this technology? No! Today, the U.S. employs 156 million people – we added nearly 50 *million* jobs during the so-called Third Industrial Revolution (the digital technology revolution). Even travel agents who everyone thought were going to go extinct because of Travelocity, Expedia, etc...their numbers are down but there are still 84,000 fully employed travel agents in the U.S. (down from 124,000 in 2000 but *up* from 2014). New technologies like AI will bring massive change, reduce employment in certain sectors, but *create* more jobs overall. This all be slow and uneven (but that's not a good narrative for a company trying to pitch investors or customers). The only killer app for Gen AI today is programming assitance – and even there it's not replacing programmers, it's making them more productive. In fact, the company that I talk about above...who claim AI is the reason they have to layoff people...they are *hiring* programmers. So, take a breath. Understand that big changes take time. And most importantly: do NOT plug your nervous system into the AI hype machine. No fear. No hype. Never feel alone. #nofear, #nohype, #AI, #layoffs Love this recent post by Rishad Tobaccowala, a preview of how work will change in the near future. It's something I'm excited about - the idea of portfolio careers sounds more invigorating and varied than traditional knowledge work as we have become accustomed to. If you subscribe to CivicScience weekly newsletter, you saw John Dick's opening remarks. I am sharing them here for those of you that don't - and PS, you really should. It's the best newsletter I get each week, and it's the only one. read every single week. -------------------EXCERPT BELOW------------------ We all know what got us here: Generations of negligent policymaking, meddling foreign adversaries, and technologists who enabled our enemies with large-scale platforms and predatory algorithms, the consequences of which were unforeseeable, but not really.   Before our very eyes, the weaponization of clickbait, misinformation, and manufactured discord spiraled into a populous-wide free-for-all of distrust, moral equivalency, and “they started it!” Fact became indiscernible from fiction.     The media, desperate as their business models crumbled, had to play along. Measured headlines or balanced narratives risked losing eyeballs to more sensationalized outlets or those that leaned unyieldingly into the biases of their tribal audience. The choice seemed binary: Payroll or martyrdom?   Politicos fell into – or benefitted from – the same quagmire. Appealing to voters by inciting fears of “the others” (elites, deplorables, etc.) was the surest path to engagement, donations, and votes. As tribes close ranks, fealty is non-negotiable.    Yes, we should expect more from our political, media, and business leaders. It’s not easy. The short-term consequences of taking the high road are stifling. See: Cheney, Liz.    What’s the answer? I don’t know. But I know what it isn’t.   Screaming that one side is a relatively worse transgressor than the other – even if you’re correct – accomplishes nothing. America is encased in a coast-to-coast subdivision of glass houses. And you can’t convince someone who’s been brainwashed that they’ve been brainwashed.   Plus, I sincerely believe nearly everyone has good intentions, even if they’re paving the road to hell. Neither party aspires for America to be weak. They merely have different views on what will make us strong.   If you want, you could support efforts to break the cycle, like NewsNation, which is trying valiantly to stake out a middle ground (you should watch it). Their climb is steep.     Otherwise, all you can do is vote your conscience. Treat your neighbors and strangers with empathy and grace. We all want the same things – peace, dignity, and health. It’s not zero-sum.    There are no shortcuts, no surprises. Sickness like this takes time to run its course. But it will. Is your culture being affected by remote work? The answer might surprise you. In a three-year study, behavior transmission within teams increased by 3-15% in fully remote environments. Our recent MBR article explores how cultural behaviors form and spread within organizations, revealing key insights into the dynamics of culture shifts across different work environments. We evaluated the interplay between network connections, employee energy, and behavior transmission to reveal new patterns of organizational that is shaped by local interactions. Andras Vicsek, John Golden, Ph.D., Scott Hines, PhD Full article https://lnkd.in/gfhvjxnY https://lnkd.in/g6XugBbC If you’ve been thinking about taking a vacation but hand-wringing about whether you can, or should, or will, this is the bat signal you didn’t know you needed. Because you shouldn't just take that camping trip for you; you should take it for the sake of organizational learning. 😉 🎧: https://lnkd.in/exeePz76 100% It's tough to be a manager right now! Hybrid work is hard on managers. It requires a new skillset around team coordination, culture creation, and managing to outcomes. At the same time, companies have been thinning their manager ranks. That leads to more direct reports per manager, which is even harder to juggle. So how do you enable managers to support hybrid work? I spoke with Sarah Dorothy Lynch for Inc. Magazine on best practices. #futureofwork #flexibleworking Timeless advice our colleague Sam Spurlin recently shared 👇. Teams exercising super strength around experimentation—a.k.a. crafting hypotheses and testing and learning their way through tensions and gnarly hurdles—are ahead of the game. Odds are, they’re willing to try out small moves. And we know what small moves—a.k.a. dobale moves—can add up to. (Psst, Sam said it best below.) This is, in part, why we made our ABCs of the Future of Work e-book—to equip teams with manageable building blocks that stack up to bigger change. So go ahead and start small! But please start. Get a copy of the e-book here: https://lnkd.in/gckkW2ZC We’re all in on the Future of HR. In fact, we’re so all in that we went back into the recording booth to make a new podcast miniseries we’re calling (wait for it) the Future of HR 📣 Every week, join Rodney Evans and Sam Spurlin as they talk about HR’s current state of affairs; the bright, adaptive, and resilient future we think it can achieve; and why evolving HR matters for everyone who's invested in the future of work 💪 Listen to our first episode ✨ right now ✨ (https://lnkd.in/gpyfVYbd) and tune into the teaser trailer 👇 #futureofwork #futureofhr #podcasts And just like that…it’s a wrap! Posting is a rarity for me. But I had to come off mute, recover my LinkedIn password for this one and I promise you, I will not be brief! The photo attached represents the day we announced our partnership with Tabitha Brown exactly one year ago. And the time has come for this incredibly joy filled ride to end. Tomorrow marks the first day of our last limited drop. I have to say that of all the partnerships I have been blessed to cultivate and nurture, this one just hits different. Tabitha is joy personified and I will be forever grateful for her trust. She had one requirement of me and that was to allow her to be her authentic self. As a Black woman of faith, I understood the weight of her request. I promised her that as long as I sit in this seat that she would not be required to be anyone than who she is. It was that promise fulfilled that made her feel seen and heard and it is that return on relationship that has contributed to the success of each launch. One day, there will be a full recap and case study of all the results, wins and opportunities but for today I just want to sit in this seat of gratitude. To the entire team and our agency partners, you know who you are, congratulations on four outstanding drops! You all did not miss a beat. The products, designs, experiences, the OOH, the programs of influence, the livestream and just letting Tab be Tab were all hands down incredible to see. You all tackled so many firsts with thoughtfulness and collaboration. I am honored and humbled to mind meld with all of you amazing humans each day. To Gigi Guerra, you are a fearless leader, champion, sister and friend. Thank you for reimagining what could be. And to Tara Russell, thank you for being the first to say yes. You are magic and I appreciate you so. As a leader navigating through the current climate, it's essential to get back to basics and remind yourself what people like about working, why they join a company, and why they leave or stay. Research shows that when we enjoy work, we are fulfilled by it, and flourish at work, there are three key threads that connect us to work: autonomy, mastery, and relatedness. In today's environment, with rising prices and a tight labour market, it's more important than ever to strengthen these threads. It's not a question of money, but good management. So let's focus on providing autonomy, opportunities for mastery, and fostering connections with colleagues. In my latest article for The Times, I share my best advice for managers. You can read it here Strategic convergence means that over time most firms end up in the same place. This is what happens if you all read the same books, watch the same Ted talks, hire the same consultants and use the same case studies. This is accelerated if you use benchmarking which involves watching what your competitors are doing and copying them. Emulation gets you to parity. But when everyone does it it gets you to strategic hell. Dare to stand out in a world of mediocrity. You might not be first at the finish line but you will be first off the starting line. After that it’s up to your execution. An ode to Nevada Lane, MSOD. Nevada, I've been meaning to write this note since Thanksgiving. This is my note of gratitude for everything you have brought and gifted to my life unknowingly! I was lucky the day I attended the community meeting about District 11 back in 2017 (Stephanie Cajina) and saw your graphic recording for the first time. I had no idea it was even a thing! And when the meeting notes came out, I thought, "What a nice neighbor!". Then I saw the logo in the bottom of the chart, checked out your website and thought, "THIS IS A JOB???" 2018 was a huge year for me, I discovered CliftonStrengths® (thank you to Chris von Dohlen and Sarah Singer-Nourie rest in peace) which started a long journey of leadership development I didn't even know I cared about. April of that year, I decided to invest in myself and partner with Nevada in a Leaderstory coaching engagement. That engagement gave me clarity about my professional journey, identify the unique traits about my own experience and leadership style, and helped me truly value and appreciate the journey that brought me to present day. I have been able to use that illustration hundreds of times in the last few years, leaving a lasting impression and spark of interest with those I meet. I was blessed with Heidi Kraft in the form of six months of great executive coaching at the same time. Her help with my inner work, along with your help with my external story and leadership clarity, have been some of the most impactful growth I've experienced. I've worked with Nevada to consult on helping as I designed my first ever World Cafe meeting (those that know me know I can't shut up about this meeting format), facilitate my own team through our own transitions and identity evolution, create jaw dropping strategic illustrations that bring strategies to life - changing the way we communicate to thousands of Target HQ team members). Because of Nevada, I found a side passion in visual recording and graphic facilitation. This realization, combined with being stuck in my home office for 18 months during the pandemic, unleashed my creativity and color into my universe. Because of Nevada, I've since captured notes at Target for great visitors like Brené Brown Education and Research Group, Caroline A. Wanga, Gary Vaynerchuk, Cy Wakeman, Humanize My Hoodie (Andre Wright and @jason sole) and Howard Ross (he/him/his). Outside of Target, I've scribed for Craig Spiezle and Bruce Schneier at RSA Security 2018 and 2019, Organize 365's Lisa Woodruff, phyl terry, Women In Product and Sally Thornton (she/her), Avivo, and, incredibly, more. Apparently there's a character limit here and I hit it. More in comments I have been looking forward to this day for over a year! I spoke to Phyl last year while he was developing his book, and I immediately started recommending it to friends in need. I have encountered many mid-career professionals that try to go through a job hunt (or even a slow search) alone - but there's no need to. You can greatly impact your next role by building out a power team that provides support, networking and real talk. Never Search Alone, by phyl terry launches next week on September 13. I've known Phyl for years, he is an incredible connector, taught me the power of asking for help, and is a real pioneer in developing peer coaching communities for digital and product leaders. Now you can benefit from Phyl's systematic way to make a career change yourself. #career #coaching Collaborative Gain #futureofwork #neversearchalone I can't wait to get my hands on this new book by Gustavo Razzetti! I am so grateful for the choices Target is making around the Future of Work and our hybrid headquarters. For the last six months, I've had the opportunity to observe the leadership behind these choices, the importance of team member voice, and the humility of knowing there's still so much we don't know. I am lucky to have a seat at this table, and so excited to do this kind of work! #hybridworkplace #futureofwork #transformation #workplaceculture Today’s noodling: Which leadership skills, new or existing, will take center stage for Hybrid teams? If teams and individuals find ways to be connected all day long and leaders are limited in their ability to “MBWA” (manage by walking around), what will leaders need to do differently to maintain a strong leadership position in their team’s eyes? Right to disconnect - discuss! #futureofwork