Work 4.0 [005]

bringing work back to life

Mathew Lazarus
October 11, 2024

Hey MatterMolders – I feel so lucky and humble to share this note with you.

Over the past few weeks, I've gotten to meet executives from Stripe, Netflix, Braze, Disney, and Royal Caribbean.

These leaders have personally created the most innovative, high-performing cultures of our time.

Coming out of these conversations, I've been hit with an undeniable truth.

We are at a massive inflection point, not only in business but as a society:

Where the infrastructure that powers how people collaborate is gaining recognition as more important than revenue, financial, or operational infrastructure.

Why is this?

I see 3 reasons for this among many converging factors:

1. AI is letting us analyze organizational data to show how People Management and Collaboration impact bottom line.

2. As AI automates complex functional tasks, what's left.... The Creative... Strategic... Relational... i.e. where humans uniquely thrive.

3. We understand the science of well-being and leadership better than ever – we have the tools and the skills.

A generational shift is happening.

We have the opportunity to transform how humans work together.

And even more deeply to redesign how all human-beings learn and grow.

I feel like one of the most exciting times to be alive.

But it's not going to be easy.

We're up against old ways of doing things that have suppressed human ingenuity and exhausted the brightest and highest intentions.

That's why I'm extremely grateful and humbled to share this with you.

Because I know you know what's possible too.

The more of us who believe it... the more possible it becomes.

So thank you for believing in a better future and joining us to make it reality.

-Mathew

OrgOS SKILLSHARE

Supercycles of Innovation Impacting Work

What technological innovation is going to do to our lives and why designing workplaces of trust will matter.

*A clip from our weekly LinkedIn Live series Trust By Design

NEWS STORIES FOR LEADERS

SPOTLIGHTS

Research: Why People Will Pay a Premium to Complete a Task Sooner
By Annabelle Roberts and Ayelet Fishbach

Summary: Traditional economic theory holds that people should always prefer to receive money as soon as possible and postpone paying debt as long as they can. Yet, a recent series of studies found that people are often willing to pay more money if it means they will finish a goal sooner. This is because the mental cost of an unfinished task can outweigh financial gains. The researchers offer insight into how to use their findings to boost motivation on your team

The Studies
In a series of studies, involving nearly 2,000 U.S. participants, researchers uncovered insights that challenge traditional economic theory. In one experiment, participants were asked to choose between paying more for a service immediately or paying less later. Surprisingly, 86% opted to pay more sooner.

In another experiment, participants were asked to choose between receiving payment for work right away or waiting for a higher payment. Strikingly, those who preferred to be paid sooner for less money also showed a preference for making payments sooner, even if it meant paying more.

The Motivation
What drives this behavior? The researchers found that people prioritize the mental relief of completing a goal, such as paying off a mortgage, over financial gains. The satisfaction of closure often outweighs the benefit of waiting for a better deal. This urge to finish tasks drives decision-making, even at a higher cost.

For Managers
For managers, this insight offers practical applications. Employees may prioritize smaller, more easily completed tasks over more critical ones. To address this, managers can break larger goals into smaller, more manageable tasks, allowing employees to experience a sense of closure along the way. Understanding this need for closure can also help managers better support workers who struggle with procrastination, guiding them toward more effective work habits.

Research: How Anxiety Shapes Men’s and Women’s Leadership Differently
By Ivona Hideg, Tanja Hentschel, and Winny Shen

Summary: New research challenges long-held stereotypes that cast women as emotional leaders and men as rational ones.

Challenging Stereotypes of Leadership and Emotion
One of the most persistent gender stereotypes is that women are too emotional to be effective leaders, especially in times of uncertainty. However, a study of 137 leader-report pairs during the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic challenges this notion.

The research found that women, despite reporting higher levels of anxiety, were less likely to let their emotions negatively impact their leadership behaviors. Unlike their male counterparts, who exhibited more hostile supervision when anxious, women consistently demonstrated family-supportive behaviors regardless of their emotional state. The findings highlight the unique strengths women bring to leadership roles, particularly their ability to lead with compassion and prioritize others. However, the study also points out that caring leadership behaviors are often perceived differently depending on the leader’s gender.

PARTNER SPOTLIGHT: NEBULA

Start Searching A World-Class Talent Pool.

Nebula contains the world’s best talent – validated by the world’s best sources, educators and employers. You will discover exceptional and hidden talent often missed by the usual professional networks or job boards.

learn more

MATTERMOVERS: 🔥 3 Upgrades for the Future of Work

Mark Cruth — Modern Work Coach @ Atlassian | Modern Workplace Systems

🗝️ Autonomy + Alignment → "We want teams to have ownership because we find that teams that own their ways of working are much more likely to be successful. But there’s also a need for minimal viable alignment across teams to ensure coordination as companies scale."

🗝️ Intentional Continuous Change, Not One-Time Transformations →
"Companies often think they need a massive transformation, but most transformations fail because they don't focus on continuous, intentional change. It’s about experimenting, learning, and iterating over time rather than a one-time overhaul."

🗝️ Human-Centered Design → "It’s not just about solving problems for people, but also solving problems for how people work together. The key is being intentional about how goals are accomplished and understanding the barriers to productivity and collaboration."

UPCOMING EVENTS

On November 14th we’re hosting an invite only event in Manhattan on Bringing Work Back to Life: Redefining Leadership in the Age of AI from 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM. Click here for more information
Join us every Wednesday @ 3:30pm ET as Matt and Sydney host a Work 4.0 LinkedIn Live Series with people leaders, researchers, trainers, and consultants calling in live from the trenches