“We are all doing each other’s job right now…” Lori Lynn

When I first started Dynamic Work, I explored a four flexibility dimensions – Geographical, Time, Role, Commercial. Geographical (where you work) is now very much accepted even before the COVID19 crisis hit, and now it predominates (and may continue so even after the crisis subsides). Commercial flexibility has also surged in the past decade (much more than I anticipated) enabled by the “gig economy” platforms which match workers to work on all sorts of terms (eg. Uber, Deliveroo, PayPerHour). Consequently, as I start to post more about the blossoming world of Dynamic Work, I will likely focus a bit more on the areas of Time (when you work) and Role (what you do).

For the latter, Lori once again provided inspiration sharing an account of how her workplace has had to adapt to the coronavirus situation:

• There is great overlap in knowledge base and skill set between the therapies, especially between OT and SLT; OT and PT.  For example, PT and OT overlap in supporting a person to move safely, achieve optimum postural support and maintain physical strength and function. To a degree, we are able to support each other and take up some slack when resources are stretched.  In order to do so, we take on complementary specialist training to enable us to work together to provide specific therapies that target two or more areas.  Examples would be the combination of Communication work and Physiotherapy during Rebound and Veronica Sherbourne therapy sessions.  In the absence of the lead therapist, other therapists or assistants can deliver therapy, because we adhere to the specific plans set out by the lead therapist. This ability to support each other in provision of therapy to our clients will be put into greater effect during the upcoming COVID-19 crisis, when we will be trying to maintain the  respiratory health of our clients who are most at risk of chest infections and serving as liaisons between clients and therapists who are not able to be on site.”

Seth Godin’s post “What kind of org?” cleverly distinguishes between the conventional, rigid “organisation” and this more dynamic entity that behaves more like an “organism”:

• “Maybe you work with an organization. They have systems and charts and boxes. But the very nature of an organization is that someone developed it, figured it out and has to approve its changes. After all, it’s organized.Perhaps you work with an organism instead. An organism constantly changes. The cells develop, die and are replaced. It adapts to the current environment.”

“Within 10 years, the majority of ‘office work’ will be worked outside the office.” – Bruce Lynn

It’s been a long time since I wrote a post here, and an even longer time since I wrote those words above. That vision statement was written in 2009. A bit over the predicted decade ago. While “Dynamic Work” has gone from being a radical notion back then (judging by the quizzical and sceptical responses I received) to being a commonplace and even mainstream notion recently, it is not yet the “majority”. All that has changed overnight.

I wish it had been under better circumstances that my vision became a reality, and that I was inspired to post more material. But now that the once revolutionary concepts are becoming the new normal, I thought it would be useful for me to add to this trove of resources and information that might be useful for new adopters of these modes of working. I’ve seen a spike of traffic to this site and people seek out useful information on this new mode of working.

I also thought that I would start with my fellow detainee, my wife Lori Lynn. As it happens, she has followed in the family footsteps starting her own business called “Dynamic Therapy”. It focuses on “therapy that supports the development and transformation of your voice.” She works will all types of voice users, but one area of focus for her is voice feminization for transgender transitioning. While I’ve focused on work practice fluidity, and she is supporting gender fluidity. The world is becoming a less rigid, less pigeonholed place all around.

I thought that I would (re)kick things off by sharing one of her posts was especially germane to the current COVI19 situation. Her piece “Togetherness – Do We Really Need It?” offers some sterling perspectives on applying remote working to something one might think would an archetype instance of intimate working with another individual – therapy:

• “Using Skype allows my sessions to be more affordable. Clients do not need to travel to see me in London or Buckinghamshire, the cost in time and expense of which is considerable. It allows me to offer evening sessions, which also is beneficial to people who work, as they needn’t take time off to attend a clinic. Lastly, I don’t have to pay for room rental. As such, I can pass the savings on to my clients in the form of a 25% reduction of my fee. There are drawbacks, however. My style of teaching can be rather tactile, so obviously, I have to alter how I explain concepts and how I demonstrate…I realise I rely heavily on face-to-face teaching strategies, so I am now considering how I might adapt my instruction to better suit remote teaching, such as use of pictorial illustrations to enhance understanding of vocal concepts.”

The world has clearly changed in many indelible ways in the past month and many will be difficult, but just maybe some aspects of life will become a bit more…dynamic.

Hello world…again.

The time has come to retreat from my Microsoft roots and get onto some proper Internet technology to take the website forward. Much as I appreciated Microsoft’s enthusiasm for all things web in the latter part of my career there, they never quite “got” the Internet. IBM dominated the era of big computing…but never got the PC world despite some brief successes. Microsoft dominated the era of personal computing…but never got the connected world of web and devices despite some brief successes. As a result, most of their technology is in this area is lagging woefully and just becoming a burden to developers like me.

One of their cul-de-sacs was their “Community Server” product. I kind of had to base my blog on this tool since at the time I set it up, it was one of the products in my portfolio at Microsoft. But I should have read the writing on the wall when I had to fight the UK board to keep them from shutting down an internal community “social media” forum that they though was a “time waster” (I made the case that it was actually useful from a productivity point of view to get questions answered quickly, that it helped to bring an increasingly disparate and fractured staff closer together, and that it allowed employees to get used this thing called “social” media which was going to be big some day). Soon after, Microsoft ditched the CS product to Telligent who has now sold it off to Zimbra. It’s really focused more on niche enterprise intranets now.

It’s a big step to migrate an entire platform. I have over 6 years and over 100 posts that had to move. I’ve chosen the now de facto standard for blogging – WordPress. A big shout out to Dimitris P. who did the work extremely professionally, promptly and at a reasonable price.

Happy 6th Anniversary to Dynamic Work. I started this website back in 2009 having just left the megacorp of Microsoft to spread the gospel of flexible working. Actually, Microsoft inspired my first insights into its possibilities with some of their own forays into the area, but they never really followed them through (a bit like most of their initiatives and “visions” in recent years).

Now I have recently departed from another megacorp – Ericsson – with a similar mission in store. I haven’t been posting much here due to work and other demands of late. But that might change a bit with my new focus.

Stay tuned. And stay Dynamic.

PAST: Workers of the World Unite
FUTURE: Workers of the World Untie

PAST: Revolution
FUTURE: Evolution

Dynamic Work trends, captured succinctly and effectively in the infogram above are driving greater and greater flexibility for workers unshackling them from the chains of time, place, role and terms.