It’s time to give you the scoop on the other half of C&J.  Here are some fun facts you may not know about Cali:

1. Cali was born in Ecuador, South America.  They have the best bananas there, and she doesn’t even like bananas.  But they also grow the most beautiful roses, and roses are her favorite flower.
2. Cali is the oldest child in her family.
3. She has three kids, one dog (Smokey) and one husband (Marty).  Her kids are all boys, which gives us 5 boys between us!  Below, we have Keaton, Jackson, and Trystan in the first photo.  Keaton, 21 months and in the second photo, is devouring Why Work Sucks.  He says “Managers, I’m giving you 25 years to get on board with ROWE before I enter the workforce!”
4. Her dream (before college) was to be a professional dancer.  She started taking lessons when she was 2.5 years old and has been in many, many shows.
5. Cali interned with the Minneapolis Police Investigative Units and was on her way to a career in Criminal Justice before settling down at Best Buy.

So what happened when a violinist/swimmer and dancer/FBI wannabe got together to create ROWE?  Our next post will have details on the behind-the-scenes story… 

We love it when we get stories from the Why Work Sucks button, or when you share your points of view through blog comments or in e-mails to us.

And as we thought about it, we realized we’re asking you to share some personal stories about yourselves and your everyday lives with us…but you don’t know much about us at all.  Not fair, right?  We’re going to change that this week.

It’s time to get the inside scoop on Cali & Jody (and then we want to keep getting good Why Work Sucks stories and fun e-mails from you, okay?).  First up: Jody.  Here goes:

1. Jody can play the violin (she started when she was 8 years old). 
2. She owned her own fitness business for 5 years called National Fitness Association.
3. She has two kids, two cats and one husband.  From left to right in the first photo below, we have Colin (holding Rosie), Elliot (holding Stella), and Dave.  The cats had to be included - Jody is officially a cat lover.
4. Jody was a competitive swimmer.
5. Her favorite pastime is reading.  Jodi Picoult and Elizabeth Berg are her all-time favorite authors (she already has me hooked on Picoult!). 

 I’m compiling my list now.  Stay tuned for some fun facts about Jody’s other “other half”…

A must-read: Michael T. Kanazawa’s new manifesto People Don’t Hate Change, They Hate How You’re Trying to Change Them (go here to download the PDF). He tells the story of his “rude awakening” in corporate America (while, coincidentally, working down the hall from future Dilbert creator Scott Adams).

Kanazawa describes attending a meeting for a corporate change program that everyone knew was doomed for failure. He then puts a nice twist on the classic Dilbert moment:

I realized after a couple more of these programs that we weren’t in the land of Dilbert at all.
We were in the land of the Peanuts. People felt like Charlie Brown being baited by Lucy to take just one more run at the football to try and kick it. And, as we all know, running to kick that ball would always end up with Lucy pulling the ball away and poor Charlie Brown flat on his back. People had been fooled by these sugar-high programs that would spike up and be abandoned too many times. They were jaded about these corporate change programs, and rightfully so. So, as leaders, how do we break this cycle? What does it look like for companies that get it right and are able to turn their big ideas into big results?

When we read this paragraph, it was like we were back in grade school and the teacher had asked a question and we absolutely knew the answer. Pick me, Mr. Kanazawa! No, pick me!

In the years we spent helping transform Best Buy from a traditional work environment to a Results-Only Work Environment, we discovered four things that go toward starting to answer that last question:

Meaningful change can start in a corporate auditorium, but the real work is done by the people in their day-to-day jobs

Change doesn’t fit on a memo. Companies that try to pour new ideas into their employees’ heads are doomed to fail. Ideas can act as a catalyst, but people need the freedom (and the support) to bring those ideas to life. (And in their own individual way.) People will listen to what leadership says, but they’re much more interested in what leadership does. Model the desired end state and support, support, support. Otherwise, you’re just like Lucy.

Not everyone will change at the same time, or in exactly the same way

We use the word “migration” to describe the change from a traditional work environment to a ROWE. We chose this word because it implies a certain fluidity. Some people will arrive at the new state right away and with little prompting. Other people take more time. Still others never entirely adapt to the new change. The old command-and-control model assumed that an order given was an order taken. Adaptive change allows people to embrace new ideas at their own pace.

Real change requires a grieving process that is as unavoidable as it is necessary

You can never underestimate how hard it is for people to let go of old ideas, old behaviors, old beliefs. Even if the new reality is a better reality, it’s hard to adapt. Technologies we take for granted today (like e-mail) were hard for some people to embrace. To take this e-mail analogy a little further, we’re still struggling with the complications that e-mail creates. In other words, the process of change never entirely stops. So cut your people some slack, okay?

Thanks to the reader who sent this through the Tell us why work sucks button:

Please be advised that the temperature in this office is set by me and ONLY by me. The thermostats are NOT TO BE TOUCHED - PERIOD. Should you find 21 degrees Celsius (standard room temperature) too chilly, put on additional clothing and speak to your manager.

ANYONE ADJUSTING THE THERMOSTAT WILL BE SANCTIONED WITH DISCIPLINARY ACTION

THIS WARNING WILL NOT BE REPEATED

Thank you for your co-operation.

After all veiled threats, controlling behavior and ALL-CAPS YELLING, we’re a little puzzled by the “thank you” at the end.  “Thank you” for amusing me by abiding by this insane rule?  “Thank you” for allowing me to think I can control everything that surrounds you - even the temperature of the air?  We’re a bit worried that the manager looks soft by thanking the readers of this memo, when clearly people need to know who’s boss.

We know there’s more crazy nonsense like this out there. Please send it to us. Stuff like this just makes us fight harder.

1. Listen for Sludge

At first, you’ll hear the obvious Sludge. You’ll hear the nasty comment from a coworker (”How nice of you to join us today!”) and you’ll recognize it as Sludge. The longer and more intently you listen for Sludge, the more you’ll start to hear all of the subtle Sludge that is all around you.

For example, let’s say you promise to get somebody something “by close of business today.” Is that Sludge?

It is. It’s not as demoralizing as the nasty comment, but the idea of “close of business” does just as much work reinforcing the status quo.

How can you have “close of business” in a 24/7 global economy? And why are you assuming that the person you’re delivering the goods to will be “at work” at that time? And what if by turning it in at midnight you would do a better job? Shouldn’t that be on the table?

The point is that even if you feel like you understand Sludge now, there is always more you can learn. A big part of making ROWE the future is deepening your knowledge about what is holding us back now.

2. Stop Sludging

Just as you’ll get more sophisticated in hearing Sludge, you will start to hear nuances in your own language. As your knowledge of the ins and outs of the traditional work environment become more sophisticated, you can continue to work on eliminating Sludge from your own daily speech.

3. Be forgiving of other people’s Sludge

The culture is changing, but it’s not going to happen overnight. One of the great things about adopting a ROWE mindset is that it frees you from the stress and guilt of the traditional work environment.

The downside of having a ROWE mindset is that you might start hearing Sludge everywhere and all the time, and find yourself wishing that more people thought like you. Be patient. If people keep standing up for results, this change will come, even if everyone doesn’t arrive at exactly the same time.

Have we mentioned that we’re very pleased about how our book turned out?

Well, we are pleased, especially with the stories that bookend the chapters. These “Voices from a ROWE” really make the book, because it’s not just what we say and think about ROWE, but what real people have experienced with ROWE.

Just check out this excerpt from Ami’s section:

A ROWE gives everyone the power to question value. It doesn’t take long for you to realize how strange it is that we weren’t going this before. Why weren’t we constantly questioning before? You have ten people in a meeting but only two people talking back and forth. Why am I here? Because I received an invitation. Outlook has ruined productivity. It’s just a joke. So what if someone is quadruple booked? You used to think that person was important. But now you look at that person and wonder what kind of value they could possibly be adding?

Now we’re in different places working at different times so communication sharpens. You get clearer about expectations and deadlines. And you are constantly figuring out the best way to work with one another, which is funny because you think you’re doing that already, but you’re not. That’s the paradox of ROWE. You used to think that we all have to get together to get this work done. Now maybe the answer is that we have to all separate to get things done. Then when we are together it’s strategic instead of assumed. It’s purposeful.

You see, friends, we’re not the only ones who are crazy about ROWE.

Those of you that have read the book, which “Voice from a ROWE” was your favorite? 

There’s nothing even remotely official yet, but we thought you’d like to know that we’re talking to a number of producers about bringing the drama of the Results-Only Work Environment to TV viewers everywhere.

Did we say drama?

Yes, we did.

Life gets easier once a team has migrated from a traditional work environment to a Results-Only Work Environment. When you eradicate Sludge and start focusing on results, people have an easier time at work. The tasks can still be challenging, but the work culture helps you solve problems instead of compounding them with nonsense.

That said, getting from a traditional work environment to a ROWE would make for some great TV. Here’s why:

1. People will fight to the death defending their beliefs, even if those beliefs don’t serve their best interests

We see this a lot. Leaders, managers, and rank-and-file employees get all red and hot resisting ROWE. We can’t let our people just do whatever they want! It’ll be anarchy!

2. People get incredibly emotional

It’s not unusual for people to tear up or break down in a migration session. Managers realize they’ve been treating their employees like dirt. Employees realize they’ve been wasting their lives stuck in a cube, and for what?

3. People undergo intense personal transformations

That hardcore, drill-sergeant manager turns into the most supportive work partner you’ve ever seen. The meek employee stands up to her boss when he gives her unnecessary work. The kind of boring coworker . . . well, he’s still kind of boring, but he’s got hobbies now and he’s getting more interesting!

4. Work gets done like never before

Okay, this last one wouldn’t make for good TV, but it does make for good business.

Stay tuned . . . .

We previously wrote about the Toyota engineer who allegedly died from overwork. (In Japan, the phenomenon is called karoshi.) A Japanese labor bureau has recently ruled that excessive overtime was indeed the cause of his death and that his family is now eligible to collect benefits from his work insurance. This is still an incredibly sad story, but we’re heartened to learn that the engineer’s case was taken seriously.

We could easily see a case like his not being taken seriously, because in many cultures there is a core assumption about work:

WORK = SUFFERING

If work weren’t suffering . . .

why else would we praise people for their “dedication” and their “sacrifice”?

why else would we complain so loudly (and elaborately) about how many hours we put in?

why else would it be socially acceptable for (some of) our bosses to treat us as less than human?

In other words, we assume that part of our pay is compensation for the misery inflicted by work. Even that word “compensation” suggests loss. The loss of freedom. The loss of time. The loss of autonomy. We’re sorry you had to waste 50 hours of your life in this place this week. We know we can never truly pay you back for your time, but we hope this check provides some compensation for your loss.

We also assume that we’ll get credit for the pain. It’s not whoever does the best job wins, but whoever does a decent job while enduring the most pain.

Is this really the best we can do?

What happens if we didn’t assume that work is suffering? What if work wasn’t something to be endured but something to get done in exchange for money? Would people still die from overwork if there was no nobility in killing yourself over your job?

There’s a little buttony, widgety thingy over to the right that says “Tell us why work sucks.” (It’s right above the RSS buttony, widgety thingy.)

Many of you have been clicking on it and telling us your stories. Thank you! We can’t solve the problem of work unless we’re all talking about it as a problem. Please keep writing and venting and sharing.

Here are three stories that we hope inspire you to tell us yours.

Work sucks because . . .

I’m micromanaged, work for someone who is completely anal, controlling and swears at his employees on a weekly basis. Everyone of my co-workers, except the “boys club”, feels sick to their stomaches to come into the office everyday, unless our boss is gone. We are all afraid of making mistakes…and that right there leads to numerous mistakes being made. We over-analyze everything because we are always second guessing ourselves. I call it the 50/50 rule; you have a 50% chance of doing something right but chances are its going to wrong!

**

Work sucks because . . .

When clients need my help, I’m asked to search the internet for a book because someone else is too important to that for themselves.

***

Work sucks because . . .

I work for a large university with over 45,000 employees. You’d think there might be some open mindedness, right? I draft benefit plan documents, employee newsletters, respond to high level employee complaints. I spend over an hour driving 60 miles round trip to work. I have discussed the possibility of telecommuting with my manager. Oh no, no, no. He even has issues with requests to work from home when I need a repairman over or weather conditions are inclement.

Why? He cannot be assured my home “work space” is safe and there are liability issues. What if I fell and broke my arm at home while on “company” time? He is more comfortable when I am available on the spot if he needs me (I’ve seen him twice this week for a max of 3 minutes).

And, he really cannot monitor my productivity if I am not there.

I write for crying out loud! What is not measurable?

Work sucks.  Or at least the way we work sucks.  Sometimes the best solace is griping over it at happy hour.

It’s good to rant about this stuff every once in awhile - and we’d like to rant with you!  Can we tag along, Twin Cities?  Of course we can’t hit every happy hour, but maybe we can crash yours.  

Tell us when your next happy hour is happening - date/time/place - and tell us why your gathering is the best one for us to crash.

Can’t wait to hear from you at caliandjody@caliandjody.com.

P.S. For now, we’ll be crashing Twin Cities’ happy hours.  Watch for future posts for when we’ll be in your city and we’ll drop by…