johnmaconline

You’re human. You’re team is human. Sometimes you miss.

You can follow all the rules of hiring, yet fundamentally, it’s still a risk. It’s a gamble. You gather data. You make an educated guess. You choose. Sometimes, it works. Other times, it doesn’t.

You’ve invested time. Energy. Hope. And it didn’t pan out. That’s OK.

Perfection is a mirage. Even if you’ve done everything right.

Give yourself grace. Embrace the missteps. They’re not failures. They’re lessons. Insights wrapped in discomfort. They show you where to improve. They shine a light on blind spots.

A missed hire is not a life sentence. It’s a detour. An opportunity to reassess. Reframe. Realign.

Fix the problem. Don’t dwell on the miss. Focus on the fix. Is it training? Is it a different role? Or is it time to part ways? Each miss gives you data. Use it. Learn from it.

Sometimes, you hit. Sometimes, you miss. Both are part of the game. Both lead to growth.

Boldly roll those dice.

We’ve seen paradigms shift before. We’re living through another now.

Today, we stand on the precipice of a seismic change. Not just a shift, but a shattering of the old paradigm. 

So, what’s next? An orchestra — the composer, the conductor, and the orchestra.

We’ve already discussed the composer and the conductor. Now, musicians. 

The orchestra members share the purpose, but each contributes uniquely. The violin does not attempt to mimic the trumpet, nor does the cello envy the flute. An interplay of autonomy and unity.

This is the future of work.

We’re artists in an ensemble. Work isn’t about syncing our steps; it’s about harmonizing our tunes. The new work paradigm isn’t just about how we work. It’s about who we are.

We’re embracing diversity, not just in race or gender, but in thought, in skills, in points of view. Each individual brings their unique instrument to this grand symphony, contributing to a melody richer and more dynamic than we’ve ever heard before. 

The most extraordinary part? This orchestra is boundless. With the rise of remote work, our ensemble is expanding beyond borders and time zones. We’re tapping into global talent, harmonizing with individuals we may never meet face-to-face.

The symphony of the new work paradigm is playing. Do you hear it? It’s time to pick up your instrument and join the ensemble. 

It’s time to make your music.

The industrial machine valued meetings.

Top-down. Front of the room. Presentation. Here’s what you need to know. Consensus by org structure. Do what I say.

The new work paradigm values discussions.

Exchange ideas. Argue convictions. Respect each other. Consensus not required. Push forward. Re-evaluate. Change direction if needed.

Leaders in the new work paradigm understand the difference.

We have a mantra on our DevOps, Automation, and Tools team:

“Make the right thing to do the easy thing to do.”

This is the standard to which we hold everything we make. We don’t always hit it, and many times (most times?), we have to iterate to get there, but it’s always our goal.

This mantra does two things:

One, it provides a target — a north star. One which we can always apply to whatever it is we’re building. It’s simple to say, see, and understand.

Two, we acknowledge a fundamental truth about our audience — humans usually take the easy road when available, even if it’s the wrong road.

That’s not a judgment statement. It’s just a truth.

In an ever-increasingly complex world, we gravitate towards easy, or maybe one could say simple. Simplicity encapsulates elegance. Simplicity accelerates understanding. Simplicity finds common ground. 

Know your audience. 

If the org chart, micromanagement, and compliance are out as effective leadership tactics in the new work paradigm, then what is in?

How will we get stuff done on time and on budget? Even though we’ve deemphasized machine-like productivity in favor of significance, we still need to produce something.

We use agreements, standards, and interfaces.

We agree (even if we disagree). We agree to deliver. We agree to take responsibility for this and you for that. We agree to work together. We agree that when the shit hits the fan, we’ll dig in.

Standards set the quality, the bar that we collectively aim to meet or exceed. They give us a shared understanding of what ‘good’ looks like and motivate us to bring our best to the table. We rise to the standards.

Interfaces define the interaction between teams and individuals. Interfaces aren’t just about technology; they’re about communication, about how we exchange information, ideas, and feedback. Effective interfaces streamline collaboration and ensure that everyone stays in sync.

Agreements, standards, and interfaces fit perfectly into the new work paradigm built on trust, empowerment, and commitment.

We leverage the unique strengths of each individual, fostering a culture of shared responsibility and collective success.

The beginner digs in.
The beginner observes.
The beginner is curious.
The beginner applies focus.
The beginner sets aside her ego.
The beginner approaches with humility.
The beginner knows it will be a journey.
The beginner learns from those before him.
The beginner tries things that might not work.
The beginner understands there will be setbacks.
The beginner combines apprehension with excitement.

All masters started as a beginner.

Lunch break.
Evening chill.
The weekend.
A week on holiday.
An earned sabbatical.

Cyclical — work and rest. Micro and macro. Do and do not. Flow and wander.

Connect and disconnect. Balance plus integration.

Two rhythms in the same dance. Together, they create a sustainable, satisfying work-life symphony.

Respect the effort and honor the rest.

The two most important people in the symphony performance don’t even play an instrument.

First, the composer. She’s the one who writes the music. She may play some of the instruments for which she is writing, but not all. And she doesn’t play anything on the night of the performance. Her job is to create the framework for the feeling; the roadmap for taking the audience from point A to point B.

She’s the original gig worker, entrepreneur, and intrapraneur. She creates and then lets it go into the ether. She’s the visionary.

Then, the conductor. He’s the one who drives the audience from point A to point B on that particular night. He makes the decisions on who needs to give more or less, which part requires emphasis, who must do what, and how to adjust the flow to create that emotional journey. His role is to unite individual performances into a harmonious collective that meets the composer’s vision and his interpretation, even if those individuals are machines.

He’s the leader in the new work paradigm. He gathers his team around the stage, and they’re all better than him at their individual roles. But he’s the one that turns the musicians into the symphony.

Both of these roles have been around since the dawn of work, but now more than ever, the new work paradigm emphasizes these roles.

Find your place.