After more than a year of insights, re-imaginings and thought-provoking conversations, the Nature of Work podcast series is metamorphosing to a new life phase.   

Join co-hosts and authors, DWG’s CEO and Founder, Paul Miller, and Shimrit Janes, Director of Knowledge, as they reflect on this series of rich and diverse discussions, and look to the future.    

Since the publication of their ground-breaking book Nature of Work: The new story of work for a living age, the two have spoken with leaders from across the globe. They’ve discovered how nature’s patterns are influencing the creation of beautiful and varied workplaces, and delved deep into the quietly revolutionary concept that an organization isn’t a machine but a living organism. 

Evolution is certain and the next stage of Nature of Work’s lifecycle now beckons. For those drawn to the concepts and possibilities, there is the upcoming launch of the Nature of Work Forum, which marks the creation of a new community. Further research is planned and an exciting new channel, Rewilding Work, is on the horizon.  

So, to hear highlights from this first year of Nature of Work, as well as insights into how our two authors evolved their writing partnership into co-hosting a podcast, listen today. 

(Show notes, links and transcript for this episode.) 

Book: Nature of Work: A new story of work for a living age

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What are the possibilities for a better and more beautiful world of work, if regenerative and life-centred approaches become an embedded part of how we work? 

In this Nature of Work podcast, authors and co-hosts, DWG’s CEO Paul Miller and Shimrit Janes, Director of Knowledge, are joined by Dr Lauren ‘L’ Vargas, a ‘digital dragon wrangler’ who assists organizations with their community and communication strategies.  

Together, they unpack the fundamentals of regenerative practices, including big ideas such as the opportunity to step beyond being human-centred and becoming truly life-centred at work. Within this, every single action we each take can feed or regress regenerative practice. Humans are not the only thing in the ecosystem to be impacted by our actions – and indeed, does nature come first? 

In this passionate discussion, L takes us on a tour of her ‘Take ‘CARE’ to be ‘CALM’’ framework – a collaborative, anticipatory, leaderful and mindful approach she uses to guide digital transformation in a regenerative way.   

From using play and science fiction to unlock conformed realities, through to sharing how individuals can approach introspective work, L draws on her academic and real-life corporate experiences to explain how regenerative practices can really show up. 

Listen now for more about the potential to imagine and realize a more beautiful world of work. 

(Show notes, links and transcript for this episode.) 

Guest speaker:  

Dr Lauren 'L' Vargas, digital dragon wrangler

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Change doesn’t really exist in nature because nature is change. So what lessons can we learn to take a more regenerative approach to evolution within our organizations and in response to the world around us? 

For this Nature of Work podcast, authors and co-hosts Paul Miller, DWG CEO, and Shimrit Janes, DWG Director of Knowledge, are joined by thought leader, trusted advisor and author of Leading from the Roots, Dr Kathleen Allen.  

Together, they explore the concept of the organization as an organism, with Kathleen sharing how nature and its patterns have influenced her own leadership practices.  

Being adaptive is a human capacity and the three discuss whether a more ‘growthful’ approach to change could shift dynamics. Indeed, if organizations are considered as living systems, how can their interdependencies and connections be used to help cultivate future direction? And what is the importance of leadership emotional intelligence in helping people to adapt through such change. 

Follow the conversation, which offers new ways to view change through a nature-inspired lens.  

(Show notes, links and transcript for this episode.) 

Guest speaker:  

Dr Kathleen Allen, thought leader, author and trusted advisor 

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In this Nature of Work podcast, award-winning French entrepreneur, Céline Schillinger, talks with hosts, Paul Miller and Shimrit Janes, about her upcoming book Dare to Un-Lead: The art of relational leadership in a fragmented world. 

Proposing that there is an entirely different way to lead today’s organizations, the group together uncover how connections, living systems and the spaces in between, can create fresh opportunities for

more collective and transformational leadership. 

Is developing a collective capacity to lead the natural next step, and what part do emotional competencies play in this? How can we challenge the traditional aspects of leadership and the leader as a saviour? And what’s possible through new and unusual conversations grounded in liberty, equality and fraternity?  

The paradox and nature of daring to un-lead is brought to life, with Céline offering her own practical advice for those wanting to start such conversations today.

(Show notes, links and transcript for this episode.) 

• Dare to Un-Lead. The Art of Relational Leadership in a Fragmented World.
• Processes of Emergence with Jack Manning Bancroft, Tyson Yunkaporta and Fritjof Capra 
• Thich Nhat Hanh 
• Myron Rogers 
• Stowe Boyd 
• Gilles Deleuze  
• Félix Guattari 
• Margaret Wheatley 

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Are we really experiencing the great resignation or is it a great migration? What does the idea of biodiversity mean for diversity and inclusion in organizations? And what is the habitat of hybrid working?  

It’s a year since the book Nature of Work was published. Since then, the ground-breaking ideas shared within it have provoked conversations internationally, on the power of new ways to describe and think about work as a living system. 

In this latest Nature of Work podcast episode, the book’s co-authors, Paul Miller and Shimrit Janes, are joined in conversation by Priya Thummalapalli, Director of People Experience Solutions at software company Intuit. 

The discussion brings to life Priya’s own reflections on some of the 12 elements in practice. She highlights the language of fear often used today and how this can shape everyday experiences, preferring instead to engage with alternative descriptions, a listening culture and approaches to growth and leadership that are reflected in nature.  

This wide-ranging conversation sees the group delve into areas relevant to leaders everywhere. What, for instance, does the concept of anti-fragility (first introduced by Nassim Nicholas Taleb) mean for

us and how should we approach our organizational roles as ancestors of future generations? This episode gives useful insights on reframing the world of work during constant change. 

(Show notes, links and transcript for this episode.)

Book: Nature of Work: A new story of work for a living age

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we mark the first anniversary of the launch of the ground-breaking book, Nature of Work, the co-authors, Paul and Shimrit, are joined in the podcast studio by Lucy Colclough and Mark Catchlove. 

Lucy, Founder of bio-inspired consultancy, workWILD, and Mark, Director of MillerKnoll’s Global Insight Group, are both passionate about improving how and where we work. 

In this episode, Lucy and Mark share their first impressions of the book when it was published last January, offer their reflections on the 12 elements, and outline their visions of where this new ‘movement’ could take us over the next few years. 

To celebrate the first anniversary, you can receive a 30% when you buy the book via natureofwork.com – use BIRTHDAY1 at the checkout. 

Show notes, links and resources for this episode:  

• workWILD 
• MillerKnoll

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“There is a new university in Istanbul, designed with lots of open, outdoor spaces and indoor spaces with glass walls. So, you have this feeling that you are sitting in nature. And I think this shift is becoming more and more a reality.” - Christine Kohlert 

The past two years have sharpened our focus on topics such as empathy within the workplace, and helped to accelerate others, such as the physical and mental health of ourselves as well as our colleagues around us. Much has already changed, so what will the next generation of workspaces look like? 

In this episode, Paul and Shimrit are joined by the formidable Christine Kohlert – author, architect and professor. Christine shares her insights from her extensive research and experience, and offers us a glimpse of a more beautiful way to work. 

Aligning with the ‘Habitats’ element from the book Nature of Work, their conversation covers everything from the beauty and power of biophilic design to the functional and clever furniture that can enhance our working lives. This bright and optimistic discussion will leave you dreaming up your ideal workspace. 

Show

notes, links and resources for this episode:  

Space for Creative Thinking: Design principles for work and learning environments, by Christine Kohlert and Scott Cooper   

Digital Workplace Impact episode 19: How and why physical workplaces change the way we

work (with guests Christine Kohlert and Sally Augustin) 

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“The people who we call lazy, who we admonish for not committing themselves hard enough to some task, are almost always the people facing the biggest barriers, overcoming the greatest challenges and juggling the most responsibilities of all.” -Dr Devon Price

When you look to nature, do you see lazy trees or lazy animals? No, they simply rest. But turn the lens on to humans and laziness is widely recognized and, in most cases, reviled through prejudices such as fatphobia, ableism and classism.

Dr Devon Price challenges the concept and even the existence of laziness in their new book, Laziness does not exist: A defense of the exhausted, exploited, and overworked. At the core is the ‘laziness lie’, which falsely tells us we are not working or learning hard enough. Dr Price joins Paul and Shimrit, and together they begin to unpack the term, the stigma and the damage caused when we insist on measuring our self-worth in terms of our productivity.

This conversation is a powerful wake-up call to slow down and rethink what we value in life, to shake off workplace guilt and, most importantly, to trust in our colleagues.

Show notes, links, and resources for this episode: 

lazy - Dictionary Definition : Vocabulary.com

Laziness does not exist: A defense of the exhausted, exploited, and overworked, by Dr Devon Price

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