I get asked periodically how companies will maintain and grow healthy corporate cultures in an environment of hybrid and/or fully remote work. The argument goes something like this: If my people aren’t together everyday, how can culture thrive? Sometimes, this question is a mask for unspoken undertones like damnit, I’m paying for this physical office space, I want it full of busy humans, or I don’t trust that the work is getting done if I can’t see it happening in front of me. https://www.andrewtemte.com/

Today, we’re talking about one of the most important questions we must ask ourselves. That question is: Am I Adding Value? Am I adding value at work? Am I adding value to my friend group? Family unit? The board I’m a member of? https://www.andrewtemte.com/

I love puzzles that test my mind. My go-to right now is Sudoku at the “Beware: Very Challenging” level. I find the task of searching for patterns within number grids both soothing and energizing. It may sound odd, but I like working through the frustration of a difficult puzzle, in part because I’ve learned enough about brain science to know that I’m making new neural connections within the ball of gray matter that sits between my ears. I’ve also learned enough about brain science to know that puzzle diversity is the key to a healthy brain—much like muscle confusion has been shown to be an essential element of physical fitness. https://www.andrewtemte.com/

Last week, we outlined the pre-conditions to effective self-reflection and introduced the concepts of self-awareness, cognitive (unconscious) bias, and taming the negative voices that swirl within our heads—what Jane Pike calls our “itty bitty shitty committee.” Now lets get into the logistical specifics of an effective self-reflection session. https://www.andrewtemte.com/