Faithful readers of this blog know that we have an axe to grind with bad workplace advice. Now we’ve decided we’re going to do something about it. Instead of (or maybe we should say in addition to) complaining, we’re going to take the offending articles and (lovingly) rewrite them.

First up, a story from the Wall Street Journal career blog called Ways Women Can Hold Their Own in a Male World. We’re tempted to make a cheap joke about how this piece seems like it should have been written in 1978 instead of 2008. But then again, as women who’ve experienced their share of workplace sexism, we understand the heart of this piece is in the right place.

Unfortunately, the advice in this article is geared more toward surviving a male-dominated workplace, than changing it. And since we’re all about change, here is our take on how we’d like to see a piece like this play out:

Make sure women are valued

The piece says you look for a culture that values women. Better to find a work culture that values results. At Best Buy, we found that a Results-Only Work Environment made affinity groups less relevant. A culture that focuses on results doesn’t eliminate racial or sexual bias, but it’s hard for a manager to discriminate if expectations and outcomes are crystal clear.

Identify alpha and beta males

It’s true that different people have different work styles. But it’s unnecessary for a woman to tailor her communication style in order to survive. The article notes that alpha males like “goal-oriented” language while betas prefer to collaborate. In a ROWE, people understand that everyone benefits from both approaches.

Find a mentor

No beef here. The only modification we’d like to offer is that your ideal mentor doesn’t have to be a woman. Your ideal mentor should be as committed to a results-only world as you are.

Speak assertively

Nothing wrong with speaking your mind. As long as it’s about results. Demand clear expectations. Demand constant communication about outcomes. Demand transparency. But don’t do it to show you’re just as good as a man. Do it because it’s the right thing for you and your company.

Socialize with the boys

We’re not big fans of forced fun. We feel that socializing for the sake of socializing actually undermines a work culture. If people believe that getting ahead means being a good person to hang out with, then that’s not good for anyone. We’re not advocating being rude, but being a professional who gets things done should be good enough for everyone.

Don’t assume stereotypical roles

The piece says as a woman you don’t want to appear servile. This will help you avoid falling into stereotypical roles. We agree. We’d also like to add a few other behaviors that will stereotype you: putting in lots of face time, staying late to appear dedicated, and lying about why you’re late. In short, anything that supports a work culture based on time and physical presence has to go.

Final note: If you ever run across any workplace advice that gives you chills, please drop us a note at caliandjody@caliandjody.com or leave a link in the comments.

Recently, we looked back. Today, we’re looking forward. If 2008 was a critical year for introducing the world to a Results-Only Work Environment, then 2009 marks the beginning of the long, slow process of changing the culture of work.

We’re optimistic about 2009, but we’re also mindful of the fact that debuts are easy. You walk out on stage, do your dance and then raise your hands up: Ta Daaaaah!

Encores and second acts can be anti-climactic. Which is why we’re publicly pledging that we are going to attack the problem of work with as much passion, commitment and energy as we put into our rollout. In short, we’re going to do this until it’s done.

With that in mind, here is a list of some of our ongoing projects, hopes and dreams for the coming year. We hope you continue to join us in the fight:

• We’re currently working with a major Fortune 50 company (to be named in 2009) on a ROWE pilot. If this effort is a success, then ROWE’s profile and credibility will grow even more.
• Thanks to our partnership with the Minnesota Department of Transportation, we will be piloting ROWE in a number of organizations in the Twin Cities. Not only will this provide us more ROWE case studies, but we’ll get a chance to have real, measurable results on how this new way of working can ease traffic congestion.  And that, our dear friends, could be something that many major cities in the country will take notice of.
• You never know if a television show is going to run until you actually see it on the air with your own eyes. That said, we have optioned some rights to Why Work Sucks for a ROWE TV show, currently in development.  We’ve seen the treatment - it’s good.  Really good.  It’s a docu-drama, starring yours truly, and follows multiple teams in multiple companies as they experience all the challenges and happiness that come with embracing ROWE.

We will also continue to build on the work we did last year. That means getting in front of audiences for speaking gigs, giving our take on work-related news stories in this blog, updating you on which companies are going ROWE on their own with the ROWE Launch Kit, and looking for more opportunities to migrate companies big and small.

A final thought:

The continuing economic crisis is not going to change our mission or our message one bit.

Giving people more control over their lives and making sure that businesses get the most out of their employees should be the core mission of every company in good times or bad.

The conflict between an employer’s economic interests and an employee’s human interest is an unnecessary conflict. We will continue to do whatever we can to hammer that message home.

Once again, we express our gratitude for all of your energy and support. Here’s to a great 2009!

As the year draws to a close, we thought we’d take a moment to look back at the Year in ROWE. Frankly, we’re amazed, and not at our own awesomeness, but at yours.

We have so many people to thank. Early adopters at places like Best Buy, J.A. Counter & Associates, the Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council and the others on the ROWE list. We’re also grateful to fellow travelers like Tim Ferriss, Amy Tiemann, Joan Blades and others on our blogroll who believe there is a better way to work. Also, a big thanks to our beta testers on the ROWE Launch Kit. Most of all, we’d like to thank YOU, the champions of this blog, the readers of Why Work Sucks and How to Fix It, and the supporters of the ROWE movement.

It’s been a big year. Here, in no particular order, are some of the highlights:

• Separated from Best Buy and struck out on our own
• Published Why Work Sucks and How to Fit It
• Created and released the ROWE Launch Kit and watched companies take the ROWE migration into their own hands
• Entered into partnership with the Minnesota Department of Transportation to bring ROWE to Twin Cities companies to help reduce traffic congestion on major freeways
• Successfully migrated J.A. Counter & Associates from a traditional work environment to a ROWE
• Started a ROWE pilot at a Fortune 50 company (to be named in 2009)
• Spoke at Ohio SHRM, HR50 Summit, TN SHRM, WorldBlu, GAP, Medtronic, and for several other audiences
• Enjoyed the crowds at our Get to Know ROWE Events

We know we probably left some people out, but you’re in there, too! Thanks again for making 2008 an INCREDIBLE year. We owe it all to you.

Happy Holidays!

Cali & Jody

For those of you that have read Why Work Sucks (and liked it), you know the impact it can have on how you think about work and the way it happens.  Whenever we’re being considered for a speaking engagement, scheduled for a media interview, or going into a leadership team to talk about ROWE, we always strongly recommend they read the book first.  Our mantra is “Read the book!”  The experience and conversation is just so much deeper once people have read Why Work Sucks.

And on Friday, we saw it happen again.  An executive at a Fortune 50 company that now totally “gets” ROWE after reading the book.  Here’s how we know: He said “My assistant works flexibly - she sometimes gets here at X time in the morning and sometimes she leaves at X time in the afternoon.”  Normally, when we hear this from an executive, they end by saying “So I would say we’re already ROWE” and give a smug look.  But not Friday’s exec.  He said “But that’s not ROWE…because she asks my permission to do that.”  This company is showing great promise of being in line for a ROWE migration, and the fact that this particular executive had read the book cover to cover is a big reason for this.

On Friday, we also heard from one of our faithful readers, Persephone K, in the comments to our “Old School” post.  She voiced what a lot of you must be thinking - how difficult it is to try to behave in a ROWE manner in a very un-ROWE environment.  Given the time of year, we have a suggestion: If you’re in that spot of trying to get coworkers or bosses to understand ROWE (and you need a last-minute gift idea), give them a copy of Why Work Sucks for the holidays.  Let the book do the hard work.  Let the book scream to them how idiotic the current system is and give them the details of ROWE.  Some may never crack it open, but there’s the chance that some might.  And when they do, they might just want to talk about their thoughts…and you’ll be walking through the door that you never thought would open.

For those of you that have read the book. would you give a copy to your coworkers/boss?  Or have you?  For those that might think about it after reading this post, give them some advice…

As many of you have heard, Best Buy has made an announcement about a voluntary separation program that was presented to 4,000 headquarters employees this week.  We’re saddened by this news, but with same-store sales estimated to fall between 1 and 5 percent for the rest of the year, we’re not surprised.

Best Buy is clearly reacting to the drastic changes in the global economy. Like all retailers, there are only so many ways to attack expenses. You can’t eliminate salespeople, and you can’t clear the shelves, so you must cut payroll.

What we find encouraging is that so far, there is no plan to change the culture. Best Buy Corporate remains a Results-Only Work Environment, and we believe that this will serve them well.  As Best Buy spokesperson Susan Busch states, “Now, more than ever, the focus of our employees needs to be on delivering the results that will allow Best Buy to survive in this tumultous economic environment.  We expect that our managers will continue to foster environments that enable our employees to achieve the maximum results given the demands of the business model and diminished resources.”

In recessionary times, every company will be even more focused on the bottom line. For companies with a more traditional work culture this means circling the wagons, cutting down on telecommuting and flexible work arrangements, increasing face time, and encouraging longer hours.

In our experience, fear and uncertainty only feed into the fallacy that more time in the office means more productivity. Asking more of your workforce is one thing, but asking them to give up even more control over their lives is a recipe for disaster. If anything, people need more control over their time in order to meet the growing demands that life in a bad economy puts on people.

It’s too early to tell what ROWE looks like in down times, but we’re optimistic. A ROWE promotes a workforce that is relentlessly focused on results, that communicates regularly about outcomes and expectations, and that can solve problems with more speed and transparency than a traditional work environment. We’ll be watching Best Buy closely and will report back in this blog on their progress going forward.

A couple weeks ago, Jody had the opportunity to speak at an event in Chicago at the Kellogg School of Business.  The theme of the event was The Next Generation of Work Flexibility: Find Your Flexible Career in a Down Economy.  Several organizations were represented at the event, and the “usual situation” presented itself: Many well-meaning professionals touting the saving graces of flex hours and other traditional band-aids for the lack of control employees have in their work environments.  We’ve been in these situations time and again, and this particular event shed light on three things that always disappoint us when we hear people talking about the current state of work/life balance or schedule control:

1. Even at events where the “cream of the crop” ideas in terms of flexibility are presented, employers are still talking about flexibility as a privilege.  We can’t tell you much that makes us bristle - to hear such an analogy to childhood when speaking about adults in the work environment.  Almost like “If you’re on your best behavior while we’re at the store, we can talk about an extra half-hour of TV tonight.”
2. Your chances of being hired will be diminished if you mention flexibility at a job interview, so the experts advise against it.  So, in other words, hide your innermost desires so you can get the job, and then suffer in silence as your family life, hobbies, friendships, and community commitments crumble to pieces all around you.  Now that sounds like a healthy, happy situation if we’ve ever heard one.  When can we get our heads out of the sand and admit we’re all human beings in the work environment, not robots that can be programmed to forget we have lives?
3. And, finally - the overwhelming focus on hours vs. results.  You would think that we’d at least be starting to hear a shift in the language at these events, but alas, no such luck.  Old beliefs die hard, and this one is hanging on ’til the bitter end.

And, of course, there was a large focus on flexibility in the current economic situation.  In our estimation, ROWE is of vital importance in a down economy.  Now, more than ever, the ROWE philosophy is important to embrace and maintain.  There is a huge competitive advantage baked in to ROWE in tough economic times because when leadership expects teams to “tighten their belts”, everyone is able to voice, without hesitation, whether activities are adding value or whether they’re a waste of time.

Nobody wants wasted capacity in good times, but in tough times, there is NO room for waste.

Companies are also trying to figure out how to do more with the resources they have.  In a ROWE, it’s been proven that a given employee population will produce more - on average, 41% more - than they did pre-ROWE.  Same bodies = more work.

At the end of the day, we understand that companies are working hard to create flexibility and we applaud that.  We give a lot of credit to the Kellogg School of Business and YourOnRamp for sponsoring an event to continue this dialogue - that’s how things will change.  We have our sights set, though, on the day when no one needs to be “accommodated”- people are simply paid for a chunk of work, not a chunk of time.

As always, it was fantastic to be able to talk about ROWE with a new audience.  And it’s at times like these that we’re reminded just how important it is to have people like you out there helping us spread the word.  We have a thick, thick layer of beliefs to break through - and every person that has that light-bulb moment about ROWE is one more to add to the movement.

Many of us have been there.  In the airplane, at the time of landing, everyone turns on their mobile phones.  And, since it feels like everyone is sitting within 4 inches of you, you hear practically every conversation that’s taking place.  Some folks are talking to relatives or friends who will be picking them up, and some are having the “work conversation”.

“Hey - just landed.  What’s happening?”

Pause.

“Oh, so not much?  Does anybody need anything?”

Pause.

“You’re sure?  Everything’s under control?”

Pause.

“Okay then.  Well, be sure to call if anything comes up.”

The good old “check-in call” that wouldn’t happen in a ROWE for three reasons:

1) Trust.  If there is a need for your mind, your skills, or a response from you on something, you will know.  You trust your team members and your employees, just as they trust you, to get the work done.

2) Proactive communication.  In a ROWE, people don’t wait for check-in calls.  They reach out to whomever can assist with questions and issues.  If that happens to be someone who is on a plane, they will leave a voice-mail if they are needed.  No voice-mail = no need.

3) The value of time.  No one wastes time making check-in calls and no one wants to waste time on the receiving end of them.  Time is only spent on productive activities that lead to specified outcomes.  You know how you feel on the receiving end of these calls: “If we needed something, we would let you know!”

We’d love to hear about check-in calls you’ve received or amusing work conversations you’ve heard on the plane…we know you’re bursting with them.  Tell us your stories!

As ROWE has gained momentum as a movement, we’ve found ourselves in front of all kinds of audiences. We’ve spoken to Fortune 50 companies, 20-person companies, cutting-edge tech companies, and people in academia, government, healthcare, HR, law, and so on. Usually, we encounter people who are at least a little open to changing the status quo, but once in a while we come across a work culture that’s more resistant.

They say ROWE is not for them because they already have the best culture you could possibly have. Management is cool. Schedules are flexible. There is a ping pong table in the break room.

Now, we’re not interested in tearing anybody down. As part of our research into work-life issues, we’ve read a number of studies that talk about how it’s not uncommon for managers at large organizations to “fly under the radar” with their own pro-employee, results-oriented work culture. These managers look the other way on vacation policy or sick time policy as long as their employees produce. And there are also entire organizations that value results over perception.

But we’ve also encountered a number of organizations that suffer from what psychologists call the actor-observer bias. Usually, the actor-observer bias comes into play in the workplace when it’s time to lay blame. When a coworker screws up, it’s because she’s incompetent. It’s because of a personal defect. But when we screw up, then we find blame in external circumstances. We were victims of the market, the weather, the voodoo curse that was placed on us when we were on vacation in New Orleans.

We’re all familiar with the actor-observer bias when things go wrong. But this psychological quirk also comes into play when life goes well. When a company is happy and successful, it’s easy for people to ignore the flaws in their work culture.

These flaws start to reveal themselves when we begin asking questions:

Q: Does everyone have flexibility?

A: Yes. Everyone except administrative assistants. They need to be in the office in case we need them.

Q: Are you flexible all the time?

A: Yes. Except during September, October, and November. It gets crazy right before the holidays so people have to be in the office.

Q: Do people of all levels have the right to question whether or not work is necessary?

A: Of course. Except if the work direction comes from Bob…or Nancy…or Larry. If they tell you to do something, you pretty much have to do it.

There are a million variations to this conversation. And you’ll never know what your organization’s blind spots are until you start looking past what makes you exceptional and start closely examining what makes your work culture like any other. We know you’re sweet. But you can always be sweeter.

We were gathered with our families, watching the evening news, the night before Thanksgiving.  There were the stories about the Presidential Turkey Pardons, the heartwarming stories about families reuniting for the holidays, and…the depressing story about how, at least in the Twin Cities, the night before Thanksgiving is the worst for drunk driving (even worse than New Year’s Eve).  The reason they cited?  Because people have the long-awaited 4-day weekend ahead of them.

It’s true.  In a traditional work environment (and yes, we lived that pain for many years!), you are zoned in on those four days.  They can’t come fast enough.  The stress and frustration from incompetent bosses, annoying coworkers, inefficient processes, mundane work that you consider a waste of time, and being punished for coming in “late” or leaving “early” take their toll, and that 4-day weekend is the beacon of light that keeps you going.  Then it’s here.  Wednesday afternoon rolls around and the boss sends out an e-mail:

“Team: Thanks for your commitment to our work over the last months.  As a token of my appreciation, you have my permission to leave at 3:00 this afternoon.  Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families.  Have a wonderful weekend.”

And the angels start singing.  You are released from the jail cell.  Now - we’re not, by any means, condoning drinking alcohol as a means of dealing with the stress and frustration of the workplace.  But according to the statistics we recently heard, people do their fair share (and more) of imbibing once the jail door closes behind them.  During 2005 to 2007 in the Twin Cities, 23 motorists were killed (13 of these deaths occurred in alcohol-related crashes) and 63 were injured during the holiday travel period of Wednesday through Sunday.

Granted, in a ROWE, people still have their glass of wine every now and then after a stressful day (we are both Chardonnay lovers).  But our guess is that ROWE folks are less likely to overdo it on the cusp of a 3 or 4-day weekend because they’re creating the time they need for rejuvenation and relaxation whenever they need it.  We’ve had countless ROWE teams tell us “We didn’t even realize Labor Day weekend was here” or “I don’t even think about 4-day weekends anymore.”  When the on/off switch is yours to control, it’s amazing how those engrained times of the year that are full of anticipation and jubilation eventually go away.  And instead, you get those moments all the time - whenever you want them.

So here’s our toast: To more teams going ROWE to help in the effort of drinking responsibly.

No, we haven’t proven that yet, but we think it’s a solid theory

Interesting and terrifying piece over at WSJ.com about office saboteurs. It never ceases to amaze us - how the traditional work environment allows (and even encourages) this kind of behavior:

Managers who protect their jobs by undermining their employees

Coworkers who take credit for your good work

Coworkers who lay blame for their bad work

Gossips who accuse innocent people of spreading rumors and gossip

The WSJ article gives some good advice based on the rules and norms of the current system. But we feel the very existence of this kind of article is yet another argument for getting rid of our old beliefs about work. A Results-Only Work Environment isn’t perfect. But it’s much harder to play these kinds of games in a ROWE. Here’s why:

1. Increased accountability

In a traditional work environment, workers serve two masters: time/physical presence and results. So even if you’re doing a great job, if you’re not always on time, or sitting in your cube, or putting on a good show in meetings, then you’re vulnerable to backbiting and gossip. “You ever notice how Jolene is never here? She can’t possibly be putting in 40 hours.”

In a ROWE, you are only accountable to results. What’s more, the entire culture supports this focus on the bottom line. If you try to undermine someone based on perception, others in the office will stand up for what really matters: getting the job done.

2. Increased communication

The old command-and-control model of business is based on orders. You do as you are told and you don’t question why. But this method institutionalizes silence and ignorance, which creates natural opportunities for saboteurs to work their dark magic.

But what if leaders, managers and employees were talking all the time? What if there were a healthy dialogue about the outcomes people were trying to drive? In a ROWE, that’s what happens, and it makes it much harder for office snakes to work the shadows.

3. Increased transparency

Isn’t it weird how an office full of people can all be working toward the same goal, and yet no one knows what anyone else is doing? Managers withhold upper-level conversations from their employees for fear of giving them too much power. Employees hide mistakes from managers for fear of retribution. This lack of transparency is another source of cover for saboteurs.

In a ROWE, work is transparent. People at all levels work very hard to make sure everyone understands both the desired outcome and the reasons behind that desired outcome. When the work is transparent, it’s hard for saboteurs to play the perception game, because people aren’t managing perceptions - they are working the results.

We’d love to hear from you on this topic. Can you think of any instances in your career where you or someone you know was sabotaged by another employee? If so, how did the culture of your workplace contribute to the sabotage? And what did you do to make it right?