Where's the Office?

CHAPTER 1 Where's the Office? Section 1: What and where is it? Here we look at the transition 'the office' is making in the world and how we use it as an analogy to provide new, better ways of leading. The office isn't what it used to be. We can't hold fast to what it was, because we'll miss out on what it could be. "A room, set of rooms, or building used as a place for commercial, professional, or bureaucratic work" is how we've seen and used 'office' for so long. But the world has forced our hand in defining a space for growth and leadership that expands beyond the four walls of a traditional office… and this is a gift. During the COVID-19 pandemic, protocol was to send non-essential workers into a remote work environment. People were told to set up shop in their homes to stay safe and make it through the crisis. They were forced to figure out how to remain productive while dealing with smaller spaces that may be occupied with other family members with their own 'office' needs or other priorities. Families needed to navigate all of this while also home-schooling children. It was, in many cases, chaos. Some were unaccustomed to being disciplined enough to work with the extra distractions. Some didn't have those distractions; those living and working alone felt isolated and lonely. Above all, the uncertainty and fear people experienced couldn't be ignored. It's difficult to thrive when you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel. When you can't see an end in sight. Humans are resilient creatures. More so than we even realize. We learned to adapt. We figured it out. We made do, and some even flourished. The office isn't what it used to be. It doesn't look the same, it doesn't feel the same, and we cannot treat it the same. When companies started to say, "It's time to come back to the office" employees started to say, "Maybe I don't want to." There were benefits of this new work/life balance. Independence, flexibility, ease. There were benefits to returning to the office. Connection, collaboration, communication. The employees wanted a say. They wanted the freedom to choose. Webster Dictionary offers an alternate definition of office as "a service done for another." It's one of our favorites from the standpoint that it doesn't fit into a physical space but instead is in your mind and your actions, with a focus on how well you serve. In leading forward we cannot underestimate the importance of service. How we lead others influences their ability to adapt, transition, and make their own impact. Our individual actions make an impression on our teams, our clients, and, ultimately, the viability of our companies. What's possible when we engage ourselves in the difficult but rewarding practice of conceptualization? What's possible when delegation of influence, authority, responsibility, and reward are seen as pointless as the sun saying to the earth, "You're on your own"? Anyone approaching our solar system from a distance would know that in many respects—radiation, warmth, light, gravitational influence—the earth is well inside the sun. Our people are in our orbit just as the earth is within the sun's. Acting as the type of leader who guides, communicates, and trusts will shine a light on the uniqueness of who they are and what they are capable of. What's possible when leaders recognize that all who look to them for leadership can be empowered—and must be empowered, for effectiveness and self-esteem. This change in perception, as well as the reality of our world, is at the core of the most important takeaways you'll find here. We are not tied to old ways. Things are changing and that is positive. Top leaders can release their resistance and expand their minds to make the most of these changes. Doing so opens up opportunities to make a significant difference in their people, their companies, and the world. Today's office isn't a location but is, instead, a mindset Think about it. People are no longer tied to a physical office space. Why remain tied to the systems, processes, and mindsets that are rooted in that physical limitation? Moving forward requires new ways of looking at people, business, and the world. It opens our options, stimulates innovative solutions, and provides new ways of networking and collaboration. Companies need to look at many things, including the type of work they do, the need for in-person teamwork, the cost effectiveness of remote work, and many other factors, as well as the desire of their employees. Leaders need to combine big picture vision with customized, individual solutions. And they require a new way of communicating, a new way of thinking that ensures effective leadership in any scenario. You, as one of today's leaders, need to think and behave differently to optimize your situation, your team, your company, your community, and your mind. This book encourages you to cultivate your gifts, accurately assess opportunity gaps, and elevate your communication skills to create a new world of freedom for leaders to advance commerce while serving a bigger purpose. You'll receive innovative tools like Mind SPACE, that when introduced to the FBI opened their minds to the insight that enabled them to proclaim, "Now we can do long-range planning!" And the ABC concept that not only disrupted advertising but can focus all forms of messaging. Which leads to The Seven Levels of Communication, a tool that provides clarity in why there are communication breakdowns but more importantly how to elevate the way you communicate to better lead teams, initiatives, and yourself. To move you beyond where you are and what you expected to envision a higher level of thought and action. This isn't a lecture style book, it's an engaging discussion that provides questions, techniques, stories, and more to customize what this journey can mean for you in your world. Altering your viewpoint, opening your mind, and providing the option to chance to the world.