Welcome to the We Economy
Jun 02, 2024
How do you best create a positive work culture today?
Check your ego at the door and embrace a new way of working. A culture that is about more than what you can control and manipulate.
The Ego Economy is dead.
Welcome to the We Economy.
This rising tide of the We Economy lifts all of our work ships on thrilling waves of positive growth of people and profits.
Here are three positive work conversation transformations to have today that say “good bye” to the Ego Economy and “hello” to the We Economy.
“I did it” becomes “We did it.”
You could afford in the Ego Economy to get by on what you alone could do. Not so today.
The We Economy requires the creation of a culture of partner relationships with teams, customers/clients, vendors/suppliers and more to generate a profit built on what “We” can do.
How?
Ask the teams, “How can we build a better work culture?” They are on the front-line of interaction daily. Listen deeply and tap their wisdom. Act to implement.
Ask customers/clients, “What can we do to serve you better?” They bring you their hard-earned money in exchange for your services and products. Listen deeply for themes and respond immediately.
Ask vendors/suppliers, “What are some best practices you see out there?” Take notes about those that make sense for your company. Then ask the teams what they think and how they would implement it.
We succeed in the We Economy as we create a culture of partner relationships with everyone who touches our work. “We” do it, not “I.”
“I already know that” becomes “Please show me how.”
You stayed on top of the change-of-information trickle with little effort in the Ego Economy. “I already know that” was a reflection of the predictable growth of knowledge.
“I already know that” are the four deadliest words you can say in today’s We Economy.
The info flow is more like a fire hose than a trickle today. You simply can’t drink from it alone.
“Please show me how” replaces “I already know that” to generate the growth of people and profits.
Be coachable.
Your positive work culture pays the tuition to matriculate in Work U.
Invite people smarter than you to join teams and learn from them.
Cultivate an “always on the learn” environment in which results are shared, graded, and evaluated for next time and do-over’s.
Keep saying, “Please show me how” until it rolls out of your mouth with delight because you’re about to learn something that makes work better.
“I pulled myself up by my own bootstraps” becomes “We wear loafers.”
We all wore boots and bragged about pulling ourselves up by our own bootstraps in the Ego Economy. We did it our way as self-made men and women.
We wear loafers in the We Economy.
Loafers are innovative—more comfortable, easier to pull on and off, with no socks.
You’re comfortable in responding to the changing demands of your partners and learning as you go in the We Economy. You’re pulled onto and off of teams according to project needs, not siloed departments.
And who needs socks anyway?
Relating with all who interact with your work and creating new learning generates creative innovation which leads to the greater growth of people and profits.
In an economy of boot-wearing, ego-driven, know-it-all’s, innovators who are loafer-sporting, team-focused, and learning-as-you-do-it have more to say about a positive work culture that drives growth than anyone.
Avoid talking about “I” because the Ego Economy is dead.
Instead, start a positive work conversation about “us.”
Welcome to the “We” Economy.
(Wear your loafers.)
Get your free mini-course, Something to Talk About, that helps you transform 5 work conversations, at https://www.workpositive.today/somethingtotalkabout.
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