So how are you doing work?

Tools, technology, technique… yes and trust.  As we work in a mobile, and ever increasing, global world the challenge I face is understanding who I am working with.  There is a name on an org chart however, that does not a relationship make.  Harold Jarche recently stated the “bigger change to manage is getting people to work transparently. Transparency is a necessity for cooperation and collaboration in networks .”   As Harold’s image shows it is based on the central core value of trust.

Shaky ground we are entering here.  Trust begins inside our self; we must be authentic in our self-assessment. “Being authentic sometimes requires us to be humble, to reveal our foibles or imperfections.”  A challenge I face is working with someone I may not truly know and have to admit I may not be able to provide them the information they are seeking right then, right now. 

I find it amazing that in the midst of the technological revolution we are in that the skill I need to focus on the most is creating relationships with people I may never meet face-to-face!  The day of simply doing your job and being left alone is gone as we work on the road at all times of the day and night.   As a leader, I find it wonderfully challenging to interact and work with people ranging from different business groups and expanding social communities.  Lance Secretan said that this new style of work world “depends on a new level of transparency and authenticity.  This is how enlightened leaders are earning back the confidence of employees, shareholders, and customers.” 

I will share a secret with you.  As scary as it has been for me to admit that I don’t know something I have discovered a new freedom in this openness and have been granted the gift of learning from others who share what they know willingly, transparently, and with a trust that fosters a desire in me to continue the sharing process.   So, how are you doing your work?