A phone? An office? A meeting? Huh?
Ok is it just me or is “working” totally different than it was just 2 years ago.
What’s a phone? The fact that my iPhone has a “phone application” amongst all of the other 50 apps probably says it all. But seriously folks, who actually uses a phone anymore. I just mentioned yesterday on UserFriendThinking, a BlogTalkRadio show with the Bizzuka guys, that I rarely use my phone on a typical business day. In fact, I don’t even have a desk phone because the cell phone that I have rarely even gets a call. So how do I communicate then? Emails and lots of them (maybe 200-400 sent and received a day), tweets and DM’s, IM, Yams (on Yammer), text messages and posts/comments. I expect it would take me 10 times the amount of time to do all of this on the phone. Actually, probably closer to 100 times more.
(Image credit – manyfires via Flickr)
What’s an office? What I’m referring to here is a typical cube or walled office with a door at the place that sends you a paycheck. Firstly, I have neither at my “place of work”. I also don’t typically “go to work” each day either. I work where I happen to be and that can include home, a hotel room, an airport, a restaurant, my car or heck anywhere my iPhone works, on or off WIFI. I create, collaborate, comment, and converse all electronically so really being tethered to a single location makes no sense to me. In fact, I don’t generally even tell people daily where I am physically located anymore (so no more emails to coworkers saying I’m working from home) because I’m just as reachable regardless of where I am. Heck, half a dozen of my iPhone apps share my GPS location anyway so if they really needed to know…
What’s a meeting? I remember 20 years ago, when I started my first job, I spent hour after hour in walled rooms with a table and chairs discussing things and taking notes in “meetings”. And all these appointments started and finished on the hour or half hour and expanded to fill in the time. I swear there were days when I would be in “meetings” all day long and it certainly didn’t feel all that productive. Kinda depressing eh. Today, I still have 1-2 meetings a week but often not in a room with a specified stop and start. In fact, all of my exec colleagues and I at Radian6 share a big open space – we always have. We are in a JIT (just-in-time) meeting environment. Want a meeting? Then ask for attention from the others for a minute or two (which can be difficult with all the distractions at times I admit) and discuss something, decide something, and go back to work implementing it. Even when it comes to customer meetings 99.99% of these are done virtually using Gotomeeting/Readytalk etc..all via the web.
Personally now I can’t imagine doing it any other way.
So, has your “work” changed?
February 7th, 2009 - Posted in social media | | 4 Comments
on February 8th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
This is an excellent post David! I agree that “work” has changed and continues to constantly evolve. Gone are the days of *needing* to be at a desk. I’m actually more productive when I’m outside of the office because there are less interruptions in my day.
on February 8th, 2009 at 6:52 pm
Hey thanks Justin. Interestingly enough I had several tweets from folks on this post longing for this type of setup. I guess there are folks still out there striving for this in the future.
on February 8th, 2009 at 10:47 pm
David,
Unfortunately there are still way too many companies that do not think like that. I agree that this mentality/approach will result in a way more productive and respectful environment. When will others see it that way too?
on February 9th, 2009 at 7:54 am
Agreed Rick, it will probably take some time. At least all of the tools are now in place ahead of the process and approach changes.