VIM Executive Coaching applauds co-working, but not in the workplace. Now that we’ve caused more than a little head scratching, some explanation might be required.
A co-working space is the perfect opportunity for a small company or even a one-person shop to escape isolation, have the amenities of an office and, if lucky, to meet and greet others who may share common points of interest. In some cases, when co-working is effective, there may be synergies that can lead to something much bigger.
To be sure, co-working spaces may prove counter-productive for certain types of businesses. For example, a group of writers being in close proximity to a group of tele-marketers, software developers, or similar situations where there are apparent “cultural” differences. Nevertheless, the right co-working situation may be just the thing to develop an organization.
But not the workplace
However, executive leaders sometimes make the mistake of visualizing their departments or offices as a series of co-working spaces, where managers are given autonomy to such an extreme that there are fiefdoms rather than cooperation.
We well remember one executive who told us that he viewed his managers and departments as a fleet of sailboats. When questioned, he explained that he only got involved when it appeared as though a sailboat was drifting off-course. It makes for an idyllic picture, we suppose, but if the sailboat is large enough, it will run aground even though the captain (executive leader) may be frantically playing with the rudder and the crew (management team) is scrambling over the sails.
The point is, that no matter how we wish to view the situation, in today’s modern workplace with inter-dependencies, outside workers, contract workers, digital platforms, off-shore offices and the like, if something goes wrong it had better be a tiny sailboat. Or a one-desk co-working space!
Now, more than ever, the executive leader must interrelate and be involved. Reacting to major problems instead of responding to them, leaving departments to sail off on their own, rather than authentically guiding them, is a recipe for disaster.
The modern workplace cannot be equated with a co-working space though they co-exist in the current business climate.
Be Mindful
Not to over-extend the sailboat analogy (because it really doesn’t work), it is easy to see that in the modern workplace an involved, mindful and authentic executive is infinitely better than the lazy captain swaying on a hammock to the Caribbean breeze.
Truth is, anyone joining a co-working situation must be aware it is not much different than moving to a new neighborhood. There will be neighbors you love, neighbors you loathe and neighbors who could care less one way or the other.
What makes the more “far-flung” workplace work is common purpose and a shared – make that determined – direction.
Co-working spaces are where many successful organizations have started, but after the start, the mindful executive leader needs to guide where she or he needs the organization to go. At the helm (and we do mean that analogy) must be a compassionate, mindful and authentic executive charting a purposeful course.