Photo by Flickr user Leo Reynolds
No doubt you’ve heard about the new book Why Work Sucks and How to Fix It. The publisher’s publicity machine has gained lots of coverage in the Twin Cities, from the Star Tribune article last Sunday, to an hour-long session with authors Cali Ressler and Jody Thompson on MPR’s Midmorning on Monday, to a feature on Channel 4 during Monday’s 10 o’clock news.
I’ve not yet read the book, but I’m not surprised by all the buzz. The concept, developed at local corporation Best Buy (an MCF member), completely dismisses our old notions of work time and work space. According to the authors, we can throw the time clock out the window and forget about work as a place you go. Instead, we should embrace ROWE, the “Results-Only Work Environment,” in which employees work whenever and wherever they want and as little as they want — as long as they deliver results and get the job done.
I wonder why ROWE works. While outcomes are what are measured, the concept’s success is probably not results-only. It must also be about values and principles — trusting and respecting your coworkers, communicating clearly and transparently, behaving ethically, etc.
In philanthropy we talk a lot about results, too, such as when we ask nonprofits to be accountable and report on grant outcomes. But underpinning all our work as philanthropists are fundamental beliefs about charitable giving and strengthening our communities. To join MCF, our members must subscribe to our Principles for Grantmakers. Among these principles are ethics, respectful relationships, transparency, and self-assessment. Sound familiar?
Join the conversation: Are you ready to embrace new ways of working? How are your personal and professional values demonstrated in the workplace? Which of the MCF Principles for Grantmakers help you achieve more remarkable results?
Posted by Wendy Wehr 
