An interviewer asked me this question last year—you can still find my response on the Web if you look for it. I’m still fairly satisfied with what I said to him, with one glaring exception. In my three-paragraph answer (good Lord, will I ever be able to say anything concisely?!), I said “I think you have to be a human being to be in a … [Read More]
Across the differences in the self-organizing work groups I’ve studied and been part of, there are also commonalities. One apparent commonality is the internal experiences that people have (and how people feel) as they let go of these groups. Here are eight internal experiences you might have as you let go of your self-organizing work group and its work: Feeling a deep internal sense of accomplishment and pride … [Read More]
What does a nerdy researcher who studies self-organizing work groups do in her spare time? Why participate in and observe other types of self-organizing groups, of course! This week it was a flash mob here in Seattle. Seven 2-hour dance rehearsals, one 7-minute performance, and tons of fun. It also involved about a dozen Advil over the week. And I’m still sore (although mastering the … [Read More]
When your self-organizing work group succeeds in accomplishing the work-of-the-moment that it came into existence to do, it may be obvious that the group needs to end. But it may also be unclear at what point–exactly–you as an individual should let go of the group and its work. From my perspective today, here are five signs that it may be time to let go of your SOWG and its work and ideas…
stay connected