Hello my friends,
Nobody yet knows what the long term effects of work from home will be. What we do know, however, is that “business as usual” has been flipped on its head.
Public speaking, for example, the centerpiece of the competent (and incompetent) knowledge workers’ skillset, has been made practically obsolete.
The lack of in person interaction puts increased focus on the “Credibility” and “Reliability” components of The Trust Equation. As a result, the ability to work asynchronously and produce persuasive business writing became critical competencies almost overnight.
A recent study by Andreesen Horowitz found that 90% of employers will continue to hire remote employees. I believe, as an outcome of this, the convergence of real self and digital self will accelerate. At what pace I don’t know, but the importance of a high quality digital presence is inevitable.
Creatives will continue to move away from generic platforms like LinkedIn, opting for control over how they present themselves and their work with no code website builders like Super.
The anxiety connected to constantly trying to prove you exist to your manager and colleagues will disappear, replaced by synchronous presence on server based communities like Discord. Being invited to the right servers and WhatsApp groups will become a competitive advantage. Value will be measured by ability and merit.
For some, this will provide the flexibility to live and work from anywhere. Long term rentals and “community houses” will be the norm.
Airbnb is perfectly positioned to take over where WeWork left off by offering a co-working + living subscription plan that enables workers to bounce around the world, working when and from wherever they choose.
Would you sign up?
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Product
Everyone’s favorite footwear brand, Crocs, announces Net Zero and Vegan initiatives. Goals include becoming 100% Vegan by the end of 2021, transition to bio based foams, sustainable packaging and donating unused pairs to those in need.
Simplify. Sounds easy, but most of us solve by adding rather than subtracting. (Thanks to a friend of the newsletter, T.N., for the link.)
Listen to your consumer, focus on their needs, creatively present the product. The fundamentals of Apple’s marketing philosophy.
People
Employers are losing the work from home war. How to avoid hybrid work becoming the worst or both worlds.
An economic moat is a business’s ability to maintain a competitive advantage. Use this framework to apply the concept to your career.
Who are you talking to when you self-talk? How to deconstruct your sense of self.
Methods
Public speaking used to be the most coveted business skill, but with the work from home movement canceling in person presentations, business writing has become a contender for the top spot. Here’s a guide on how to treat your writing like a product.
Faced with increasing competition from “digital first” outlets the New York Times realized that producing high quality journalism was no longer enough. This 2014 report is an outstanding audit that outlines the specific strategies and tactics they employed at a critical point in media transformation.
“If I tell people I went offline for a month, it’s like telling them I set up camp on Mars.” How to get your attention back.
Out of Office
The family office of the Nintendo founding family has the best corporate website on the internet.