Technology is the campfire around which we tell our stories.
— Laurie Anderson
Whether you have been away enjoying the sunshine ☀️ or huddled up staying warm during the winter 🌨️ — it’s time to get back into the Connectle network and help co-create connected work.
Curating our conversations (which we call Connectle Con’s️), requires all of us to join in and get involved. We don’t want to rely on one leader to pull it all together — or one expert to present their version of knowledge for each topic. Instead, we want to crowdsource our ideas and conversation starters through the network and the connected ecosystem around it. We want to use our connections to identify those that could contribute their experiences to each conversation. We want to co-create connected work.
One good conversation can shift the direction of change forever.
— Linda Lambert
And so, to connect the dots for our upcoming Connectle Con’s, we ask you…
What are the conversations we need to have?
Let’s start with 10 ideas from inside our network.
1. ETHICAL TECHNOLOGY— Who Decides What?
SERIES: Socially Conscious Business
CHANNEL: Connected Economy | Exploring the Future of Us
Fake News. Algorithms. Filter Bubbles.
What should we filter/censor/automate? Who should get to decide what and when do these decisions get made?
In a world that praises failing fast, innovation and disruption — when is the right time to reflect on the consequences and when should these decisions be made? Who decides? Is it the programmers? The Tech companies? Governments? Academics? The public? Who is in charge of considering the ethical dilemmas that may arise?
2. REGENERATIVE BUSINESS — Consciousness of Overall Impact.
SERIES: Socially Conscious Business
CHANNEL: Connected Economy | Exploring the Future of Us
There has been some movement made towards sustainable business and being a “green” business — but should we go further and address our overall impact. Being more conscious of how our company/product/business — depends on and impacts the environment around us. Being restorative and regenerative in all that we do. Contributing to a circular economy.
3. TRANSFORMING EDUCATION — Learning in a Digital Age.
SERIES: Transforming Organisations
CHANNEL: Connected Organisations | Exploring the Future of Work
As the world changes, do we need to reevaluate education and the way we teach and learn? What is the role of education and teaching in a digital age. What skills do we need to focus on for the 21st Century?
4. BEYOND BITCOIN — The Promise of Blockchain.
SERIES: The Blockchain Effect
CHANNEL: Connected Economy | Exploring the Future of Business
There is a lot of “buzz” around blockchain and the dangers of bitcoin — but what exactly is blockchain and what are the uses beyond cryptocurrency?
5. SCALING COMMUNITY — Distributing Trust.
SERIES: Building Community
CHANNEL: Connected Economy | Exploring the Future of Business
How can you scale a community beyond the initial fans and groupies? How do you scale when you have disparate members and/or multiple working groups? How do you distribute trust and encourage advocacy and self-organisation?
6. HEALTHY WORK — Creating a New Work Narrative.
SERIES: Being Human at Work
CHANNEL: Connected People | Exploring the Future of Me
How do we “switch-off” — with technology allowing us to be always on? Is the 4 day week a reality? What should we be aspiring too?
With famous leaders in the news, declaring they sleep on the factory floor and work 120 hours a week — what does “healthy” work really look like?
7. ANCIENT WISDOM — Trusting our Human Intuitions.
SERIES: Being Human at Work
CHANNEL: Connected People | Exploring the Future of Me
With digital and technology, automated many of the processes and routine work — the work we will increasingly be asked to do, will require us to be more creative and empathetic. There will be fewer guidelines and we will need to rely on our decision-making skills. Many of these skills we have been trained to ignore.
As we relearn how to be more human at work — what are the traditional, ancient wisdoms we can integrate back into our lives? Should we trust our more primal instincts and human intuitions?
8. SMART MACHINES — The Effect of AI on Learning.
SERIES: Integrating AI and ML
CHANNEL: Connected Economies| Exploring the Future of Us
Artificial Intelligence promises to speed up or eliminate much of the manual labour and administrative work we do. But as the “machines” get smarter — do we get dumber and lazier? We are free to do more complex and rewarded work — but does it mean we miss out on learning the basics? Without the building blocks, will it be harder for us to understand the bigger picture?
Did the calculator make us lazy at math? Has the keyboard deteriorated our handwriting? Have status updates and texting, affected our ability to write? What happens when AI and Machine Learning infiltrate our lives — will it affect the way we learn?
9. SELF-MANAGEMENT — Grassroots Movements in a Flat Hierarchy.
SERIES: New Work Practices
CHANNEL: Connected Organisations | Exploring the Future of Work
What is the impact of the organisational structure on grassroots movements? With a defined hierarchy, there was a need a passion to push things through the ranks — but as these structures flatten and employees are increasingly autonomous and self-organising — do grassroots movements still have a place? How can movements take hold and gain roots — when everyone is a leader and everyone is free?
10. CULTURAL DIFFERENCES — Lost in Translation.
SERIES: Connecting East and West
CHANNEL: Connected Economies | Exploring the Future of Us
Preserving face. Respect for leadership. Attitudes to failure. Loyalty.
Our perceptions and responses to our environment are greatly influenced by our upbringing and culture and how we see the world. When it comes to some of the fundamental differences, that are open to being lost in translation — what can we do to be more understanding and aware of what our colleagues feel, need and understand?
*. WHAT DO YOU THINK? — Your Idea Here.
What would you like to bring into a conversation to explore?
Which of these topics shall we cocreate into a Connectle Con?
Who should be involved?
What do you want to talk about next?
Be brave enough to start a conversation that matters.
- Margaret Wheatley
