Async agile 1.0, is distributed agile 2.0!
This blog expands on the ideas from “The Async-First Playbook”. You can either browse through the posts using the grid below, or start at the very beginning. Alternatively, use the search bar below to find content across the site.
Embrace the disconnect
Regardless of how passionate you are about your work, I encourage you to find ways to separate your professional life from personal time. It’s a win-win-win for you, your colleagues and your employers.
3 ways for super managers to keep their ears to the ground
Super managers, i.e. managers of managers must monitor if their direct reports demonstrate care for their team members. In this post, I discuss three techniques for super managers to hear directly from their direct reports' direct reports.
Workers of the world, unite
IT workers successfully pushed back against a draconian 70-hour work week proposal in Karnataka. But such victories are shallow if we don’t stand in solidarity with our other, worker brethren, who often endure far worse working conditions.
Don't want the office? But you may need it!
Remote work is popular, but its not for everyone. Some people may do better in an office.
The joy of being insignificant
When I look back at my life’s experiences - by accident or design - I’m glad I ended up being insignificant enough that no one misses me too much when I go away for a bit. I may not have made my dad proud, but I’m happy.
The dark side of remote work
All’s not well in remote work paradise. For many employees a remote work arrangement is a Faustian bargain. They have to endure the dark side of remote work.
Sabbaticals are amazing, but...
Sabbatical policies can benefit both employers and employees. But these extended leave arrangements need careful design and inspection.
In 2024, be the manager your people wish for
Middle-level and people managers play a crucial role in companies, but they also model many corporate dysfunctions. It’s time for people managers to get back in service of the people they lead.
4 ways to throttle your shallow work commitments
Our time is a zero-sum game. We don’t want shallow work commitments to steal our deep work time. Shallow work is unavoidable, but we can control it. In this article I explain four ways to do so.
Why everyone needs a hobby
You won’t hear from me for the next few weeks, because I’ll be out practicing my hobby; i.e. photography. I believe everyone needs a hobby that they practice for its intrinsic value.
Are you “that” company?
It’s easy to look at headlines and imagine that all tech workers are headed back to the office. While some part of this assumption may be true, the narrative deserves more nuance.
The async worker's guide to finding balance
For remote workers the boundaries between work and life can often feel blurred. In this article I discuss seven strategies to achieve work life balance.
Cohesion at work through prosociality
Can random acts of unsolicited kindness bring us together at work? Let’s find out in this post.
Reframing our relationships with employment
The recent slew of layoffs should give us all pause for thought. How should we view our relationship with employment? I’d like to share my perspective.
In 2023, don't disrupt yourselves
With their return-to-office (RTO) strategies, I see many IT firms take a passive-aggressive stance with their people. This, I fear, can be disruptive, in an industry where people matter most.
What are your people upto?
If you learned to be a manager in an office-centric setup, async-first remote work may seem like an opaque way to lead your people. How do you manage without walking around and listening? In this post, I’ll unpack the risks of leading unhappy, disengaged or struggling team members in remote teams and what you as a manager can do to pre-empt these problems.
Manage your people with care
In an async-first culture, the role of a manager is crucial. If the company is the mother-ship, the manager’s the employee’s bridge to it. They should be the individuals that know the most about their people, their skills, abilities and strengths, their personalities and their aspirations. You need managers who lead with care. In this post, I want to address how you can show that care as a leader and a manager.