New Work Conversations

Manuel from New Work by Design

Conversations about how to create fulfilling workplaces full of engaged people. What makes this channel different: 🔧 Derived from hands-on EXPERIENCE. 🌳 Grounded in RESEARCH from psychology and sociology. ❤️ Informed by how EMOTIONS influence human behavior. 🔄 Informed by how RELATIONSHIP patterns affect collaboration. 🔥 Fueled by a desire to create FULFILLING WORKPLACES.

Episodes

  1. 12/12/2025

    #7 On Accountability with Lisa Gill

    Most organizations struggle with accountability. Either they lean into punitive, shame-based systems that kill motivation, or they avoid the topic entirely and hope things work out. Neither approach works. In this conversation, organizational coach Lisa Gill and I explore what accountability actually means in progressive organizations and why it's one of the hardest things to get right. We discuss: Why accountability feels so uncomfortable (and what shame has to do with it)The paradox of choice and responsibility: you can't truly say yes if you can't say noHow to make commitments relational instead of abstractWhy explicit agreements are essential (and how to create them)The difference between blaming and supportingPractical tools like confirmation practices and self-scoring systemsHow to have difficult conversations without making people wrongWhy true accountability is actually an expression of love If you're building a more human workplace but finding that people aren't following through on commitments, this conversation offers a different way forward. Key insight: Accountability without shame requires friction and discomfort. There's no system that removes the need for difficult conversations. But when done well, it helps everyone become bigger versions of themselves. --- About Lisa: Lisa is an organizational designer, coach, and host of the Leadermorphosis podcast. She works with organizations exploring more participatory and human ways of working. Learn more: https://www.reimaginaire.com/ --- Mentioned in this conversation: Peter Koestenbaum & Peter Block - "Confronting Your Freedom"Doug Kirkpatrick - Morningstar & commitment keepingMia Mingus - Disability justice activist on accountabilityAdrienne Maree Brown - "Loving Corrections"Helen Sanderson - Confirmation practicesFrederic Laloux - Self-correcting systemsJan Carlzon - "People with information cannot help but take responsibility"

    1h 3m
  2. 07/15/2025

    #6 Exploring the Art of Community with Richard D. Bartlett

    I talked with Rich about the essence of community. We dive deep into what defines a community, the importance of community in personal and societal development, and practical ways to foster a sense of belonging and solidarity. Rich shares personal anecdotes and experiences from his journey in community building, touching on topics like emotional maturity, hierarchy, and the impact of hospitality.Here are my favorite quotes from our conversation: “Community is the people that bring you soup when you're sick.”“Consistent repetition, orchestrates attention and builds shared identity.”A key aspect for creating connection within a community is hospitality.“When a community is really alive  it is like a super organism. Whatever is the issue, someone is at hand. Whatever is the need, someone is there with the skill or the resources. Whatever you need is gonna get met immediately”“ When a community is really alive  it is like being accepted in a transformative way.” “That internal polarization, is like a knot that just keeps getting tighter and tighter.” “It’s my belief, my orientation in the world, my understanding that all of the challenges that we face as a civilization are solved by better coordination, better collaboration, namely more community, more shared identity, more investment in each other, more care for each other, and that we need an enormous number of people to be taking responsibility for weaving the social fabric for constructing shared identities.

    1h 21m
  3. 12/12/2024

    #2 A Founder's Journey with Steffen Reitz

    My conversation with Steffen focusses on how he came to be interested in self-organization as a founder of a SaaS company and consequently going all-in and transforming the company. The central theme is Steffen's journey to consciously work on and transform company culture. He highlights the shift in his leadership approach, including breaking up the company's functional silos into cross-functional teams, and the challenges faced in delegating power and fostering intrinsic motivation among employees. Steffen also openly reflects on his internal struggles and insecurities, touching on personal crises, therapy, and the impact of ego and extrinsic validation. We explored how his day-to-day work evolved, his relationships with employees, and the creation of a more authentic and motivating work environment. We concluded with a broader reflection on how these transformations in the workplace parallel changes in other areas of his life, including parenting. I’ve known Steffen for 7 years. We worked together for 2 of them, after he hired me at the beginning of the company transformation. I still remember on my very first day helping to rearrange desks because all teams were reshuffled from functional into cross-functional teams. I have very fond memories of these two years. Not only did I refine my thinking around organizational design during that time which eventually turned into the nine org key practices that my online course is built on, but I also formed many lasting relationships with people I care about. And for that I am very grateful. I appreciate Steffen for his seemingly insatiable hunger for learning and growth and I admire his courage for making bold moves with uncertain outcomes. You can find Steffen at https://thriveculture.com/. And if you want to find out more about me, you can do so at https://newworkbydesign.com Music by audionautix.com

    52 min

About

Conversations about how to create fulfilling workplaces full of engaged people. What makes this channel different: 🔧 Derived from hands-on EXPERIENCE. 🌳 Grounded in RESEARCH from psychology and sociology. ❤️ Informed by how EMOTIONS influence human behavior. 🔄 Informed by how RELATIONSHIP patterns affect collaboration. 🔥 Fueled by a desire to create FULFILLING WORKPLACES.