The CTQ Mindbook on 'Decentralised and Remote Working'
In the wake of the COVID-19 situation of 2020, it feels like the world is paying attention to how ‘unusual’ companies like us work without a central office, and whether this is the future. Here’s all our experience & thinking about the topic in one place.
We’ve been ‘remote-first’ since 2014
90% of CTQ is co-located in Pune, India. But, from day 1, we have been deliberate about setting aside existing models, and designing our world so as to:
have the best chance of productivity
reduce common annoyances that plagued us in earlier stints
make the most of 21st century tools and thinking
Our job is to help others uplevel and be future relevant. We often start experiments on ourselves that help us test the future. We are a tiny-sized company (under 10). The bulk of our work involves thinking, reading, writing, enabling, and delivering (online+offline) ideas. So…
yes, not everything we say will directly apply to your situation
yes, there are many professions and activities which cannot be conducted this way
yes, working in niche areas and not having to transform existing structures gives us rare agility
But you can learn from how we think, act, and reflect. This is as much about mindset and a willingness to go beyond the status quo.
It’s not (just) about Remote-Work
We aren’t dogmatic about working from home or other forms of remote working. Instead, the question to ask is
How may we give ourselves the best shot at…
sustainably producing good outcomes
building better versions of ourselves as an individual and as a group
survive when things are tough and flourish when there are opportunities
balancing the inevitable trade-offs
Perhaps we’ll call it Decentralised Working: work that can be done outside the traditional 20th century legacy office, especially if that is more productive and satisfying than being stuck inside a stuffy, closed, packed, centrally air-conditioned hall of constant interruptions.
What’s here
A collection of short, punchy essays. (everything that doesn’t have a link yet is ‘coming soon’)
How we work
How we engage with each other regularly
Asynchronous >> Synchronous
Feedback and Monitoring
When we meet and how to Make Meetings Great
Working away from offices
The challenges with decentralised working
Taking care of Health and Self-Care
Why Intrinsic Motivation matters to this discussion
We need to talk about your writing & reading
Etiquettes
Dealing with Distractions
A Reading List for Remote Working & Productivity
Transitions post COVID-19?
Which of these modes is your team in?
Reducing fragility
Good/Bad Manager vs Good/Bad Maker
A simple checklist for moving to remote
Is the entire family at home? How to stay engaged
solving these challenges for others
Engaging R&D staff as part of fostering innovation culture
Weekly learning for consultants on the road
Enabling individuals to stay informed
(More nuanced discussions over coffee, perhaps?) Would you like us to cover a topic? Leave us a comment or ping us on Twitter/LinkedIn.