Getting Back to Work

Vol. VI of The Sunday Selects

Jul 14, 2021

Hi friends,

Welcome to the curatorial issue of Path Nine — content for the curious, contrarian, and creative.

This week’s curatorial issue is all about working better. As employees and employers navigate the turbulent waters of a post-pandemic workforce, it’s important to zoom out and reevaluate what’s working, and what’s not. Take the time. Do the research. Read the data. Or, as they say, build back better.

Let’s get down to business.

Before we begin: If you’re reading this but haven’t joined the Path Nine community, hit the button below to join the entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, architects, psychologists, designers, and engineers that read Path Nine to learn the strategies reshaping our work and lives.

Here’s a look at what we’re exploring in this issue:

Insights: Process Hacking, The Law of Unwritten Expectations
Ideas: Why Do We Work So Damn Much?
Information: 1) How to Manage ‘Invisible Transitions’ in Leadership, 2) Hire people who give a shit 3) Remote Work Is the New Signing Bonus
Innovations: Principles You

/Insights

Articles and Essays from Path Nine - <1 min read

In case you missed it…

If you’re new to Path Nine, here are some ideas you may have missed:

Process Hacking — Why "Process" Falls Apart and How to Fix It. Companies spend a lot of time talking about, thinking about, and designing processes. If we assume everything is a process, we set it in stone. Processes can be very powerful when used correctly, but they should be the last stop on a journey to maximizing efficiency.
The Law of Unwritten Expectations — Where's the "Off Switch?". As humans, we naturally feel compelled to be busy — or at least look busy. We’re quick to confuse high demand with high value. Remote work seems to tap into a part of our psyche that focuses on signaling value, and it can be difficult to unwind that instinct. In a world where your value is based on output alone, people are particularly aware of the risks of work.

/Ideas

Notes from Kevin Kirkpatrick - 2 min read

Why Do We Work So Damn Much?

Despite listening to dozens of podcasts each week, I rarely share them in this newsletter. For some reason, it feels counterintuitive to post audio content within a text-heavy newsletter — but here we are.

As a perpetual over-worker, this podcast really struck a nerve with me. I’ve personally struggled to find the off switch, but I’ve noticed something far more concerning — everyone is experiencing this problem! Anyone who follows Path Nine knows that I’m heavily invested in better understanding how we can work better, in order to live better. The future of work most certainly shouldn’t be more work.

/Information

Information from the interwebs - <2 min read

How to Manage ‘Invisible Transitions’ in Leadership

Job transitions have skyrocketed, and, for many, substantial role changes have taken place without changes in their job’s title, description, or authority. Transitions have become increasingly informal and invisible.

Hire people who give a shit — Alexandr Wang

A recruiting team that looks like a college admissions office is certain death for a startup. If you’re built to simply sift through a swarm of homogeneous candidates, then on the other side you will simply get a higher credentialed homogeneous soup. Recruiting done right looks more like courtship. You need there to be a spark, and sometimes that is preceded by months of convincing and pursuit. Ultimately, you’re searching for people you’d be willing to spend every waking moment with, since if things go right, there will be many long nights.

Remote Work Is the New Signing Bonus

“Remote is going to be the new signing bonus,” he says. “Instead of dangling, ‘We’ll give you $10,000 if you sign for this job,’ it’ll be: ‘Instead of having to commute 35 minutes every day, go to work, and get in your car and drive 35 minutes home, you can work from your home office all the time.’ ”

/Innovation

Products and tools for creators - <1 min read

Principles You is yet another take on a personality test. But this one was co-created by the infamous organizational psychologist, Dr. Adam Grant.

Now look, I’m not a big proponent of personality tests like Myers-Briggs or enneagram, because I think they’re not the most scientific way to measure the complexities of the human personality. But, I decided to give this one a try to see if it could be a helpful tool for me to better understand myself and others. And, to my surprise, I found the data to be more informative and thought-provoking than other tests I’d previously taken.

Whether you manage a team/family/etc., or are just looking to learn more about your natural tendencies in order to better communicate with those around you, I’d recommend giving this test a try.

/Inspiration

Mindful meditations - <1 min read

“No time is lost – it is a necessary part of the R&D phase for your work, career, life.”
— Neil Strauss