Experiencing changes at work? It’s normal. So normal, in fact, that we’ve
partnered with organizational and team design firm, NOBL, to bring you a Good Talk and workshop on Planning for Change.

The event takes place Tuesday, July 18th (6:30-8:30 pm.) at 176 Grand Street in NYC and consists of a fireside chat with Kristin Reilly VP, Associate Experience at, Jet.com and Walmart.com and Robert Weisberg, Senior Project Manager at The Met. The talk will be followed by a workshop on the same theme led by NOBL’s Bree Groff.

Reserve your seat here and read up on a few tips for project leads below.

It’s all too common to view employees as things to be controlled: workers are compared to lines of code, errant children, swarming robots, or ants in a colony. But people aren’t machines or insects, and can’t be directed as such. Instead, successful managers will optimize for the absence of control. They make explicit certain operating guidelines, but then they let their people flourish, each in their own unique way. When we counsel managers and executives, we’ve found five questions that can make managing better for both managers and employees.

Have I hired people who can do more with the work or am I just hiring to fill open roles?

Quit debating the talent “chicken and the egg” (which comes first, a stellar organization or stellar talent) and challenge your every operating rule by hiring only the best candidates you can find. They’ll reshape you because that’s the only way they know how to work.

Have I clearly explained the WHY behind how we work?

A clear process is good at reducing errors, but too often, processes are introduced without an understanding of the contextual errors needing to be corrected, resulting in new problems and overburdened workers. Think of the yearly planning cycle: while well-intentioned, it sucks the creativity and flexibility out of most organizations.

Am I setting direction or dictating everyone’s actions?

Everyone marching in lockstep looks great… until they march off a cliff. The more crowded and competitive a market, the more variety and spontaneity you want in your own workers. Once you explain the purpose, let the team work through the process on their own. Don’t mistake an orderly team for a productive one.

Am I actively investing in helping my people gain new skills?

Schools don’t train people to be creative workers, capable of generating inspired insights and taking ingenious action. Most organizations don’t either—but yours can. Training should be a persistent activity in your organization, and it should go beyond HR requirements. Find a learning and development program for your team, or carve out time weekly to teach your team something new.

Am I encouraging everyone to spend more time with our customers?

Management processes tend to insulate the organization from the market. Instead, strip away abstractions and distractions in order to knit the customer directly to each employee.

Join us to talk about these issues with NOBL’s CEO Bree Groff, Tuesday, July 18th 6:30-8:30 p.m. at 176 Grand Street in NYC. RSVP here to reserve your space.