Getting Work To Work

For the longest time, my identity has firmly been in the “Do It Yourself” camp. I’ve accomplished a lot in this frame of thinking, but I’ve also made a ton of mistakes. As I near the end of a 30-day business accelerator, I have had the opportunity to incorporate feedback and collaboration into my creative process, helping me see the value of the “Do It Ourselves” camp. In this episode of Getting Work To Work, I’m going to share how you can transform your creative process from DIY to DIO.

From The Innovators by Walter Isaacson: “The maker culture in America, ever since the days of community barn raisers and quilting bees, often involved do-it-ourselves rather than do-it-yourself.”

Do you have a structure for your perfect day? The other day I was having coffee with friends and they all seem to have the same question: How do you get so much done every day? My response, I have a pretty set schedule throughout the week. It’s not perfect, but I thought I would give a glimpse into my daily schedule and help you discover what your perfect day could look like.

In today’s interview episode of Getting Work To Work, I talk with Brian Robertson, experienced entrepreneur, organizational pioneer, author, and developer of the self-management practice for running purpose-driven, responsive companies known as Holacracy®. We talk in-depth about Holacracy and how it supports purpose-driven organizations, how tension drives learning and meaningful change, and why it is sometimes described as the “Trojan Horse of Personal Growth.”

As someone who connects with creative professionals, entrepreneurs, and leaders on a variety of levels, a common theme that I am seeing is the need for creative leadership. There are a lot of voices talking about building businesses, doing great work, collaborating, and producing amazing side projects, but surely there’s more than that? In this episode of Getting Work To Work, I’m going to explore what it means to be a creative leader.

The other day I was complaining about needing a win; wanting an external source of validation or a sign that I’m on the right track in the work I’m doing. In response, I was asked a simple question: “Why are you giving that power to someone else instead of figuring out what you actually need today?” In today’s episode of Getting Work To Work, I’m going to explore how my mindset has been shifting as I reflect on that question.

In today’s interview episode of Getting Work To Work, I talk with Christopher Swan, host of My Big Story with Christopher Swan and founder of Accidental Information. We dive deep into his big adventure of creating a world where everyone belongs, why our differences and stories matter, and how he builds community while also marketing his business.

As much as I love social media (give me that dopamine hit!), I’m noticing an alarming trend of people producing throwaway content to get noticed on social networks. Are we becoming a culture that only lives in the moment? In this episode of Getting Work To Work, I’ll be exploring this question, the throwaway content culture, and how you can build systems that allow meaningful content to thrive.

As a creative entrepreneur, I hear a lot about the importance of solving problems for people. Be a problem solver. Find problems you enjoy working on. Meet people who have the problem you can solve and help them. The more I reflect on this idea of being a problem solver, the more I see the lack in my ability to think this way. In this episode of Getting Work To Work, I’m going to explore five types of problems and how to solve them.

In today’s interview episode of Getting Work To Work, I talk with Mary Fox, Co-Founder and CEO of Marlow, a career design and management platform, about professional development and what people often get wrong in their careers. We also touch on the importance of boundaries and understanding the trade-offs we daily make, as well as fixed versus growth mindsets, learning how to ask for what we need, and the value of being scrappy.

I've been struck by a few questions recently: What are you working for? What do you want your life to be? What do you stand for? Whether I'm reflecting upon past job experiences, reading the latest business leadership books, or imagining what could be, at the core is this thought: Am I living to work or am I working to live?