ROWE on the TV!
July 23rd, 2008 by Cali & Jody
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 . . . .
Cali & Jody - Have you thought about a post of “Top ROWE-like Things You Can Do On Your Own”? (Needs a catchier title…)
But I’m thinking of something like; 1) Stop SLUDGE. Even though my manager ignored my email with Chapter 1 of the book attached, I’ve stopped sludging my coworkers entirely and have started talking to people when I notice them sludging others.
Are there other things we can do on an individual basis to start shifting the culture of a workplace, even if ROWE isn’t really on our managers’ radar yet?
-howie
Howie -
You’ve sparked our next post - look for it coming within the next couple days.
We like the way you think - just because your manager might ignore your attempts to interest him/her in ROWE, you take matters into your own hands. Keep it up and we’ll give you some other things to start doing very soon…
P.S. You can call yourself an Environmental Sludge Eradicator now
Cali and Jodi -
What an eye opening book. I have fought for some of these concepts for years, but to see them written down really gives it form and structure. I fight the sludge makes constantly, and currently fighting the battle in a major cancer hospital to get to a ROWE mindset, but as you can imagine, getting through the barriers of physicians, nurses, and administrator is a chore. Hints for implementing, as Howie suggested, would be very helpful, not only as a blog post, but perhaps a follow up book?
- John
I’m assuming this will be a reality based show. The tone of the show will be dictated on who you get as the celeb host:
The Donald? “Work Sucks” (in the You’re Fired tone)
Hulk Hogan? “Work Sucks Brother!!!”
Maybe someone from The Office?
@ Jesse G
Dwight from The Office. Definitely Dwight!