Rodney Evans and Sam Spurlin have helped teams around the world adopt more modern ways of working and on At Work with The Ready they’re sharing the inside scoop...
Brave New Work: Making Layoffs More Human [Rebroadcast]
Rebroadcast note: With everything happening in the world right now, we're taking a quick break from our miniseries to reshare this episode about layoffs. Because sometimes large layoffs are necessary, but they shouldn't be the norm and those being let go should still be treated like humans, rather than a line on a spreadsheet. If you listened the first time around, share this episode with someone in your network who might need it (especially if they're a government employee 😬). We'll be back in two weeks with a brand new episode.
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We won’t mince words: Layoffs suck. They heap very real stress and chaos onto very real people’s lives. And as we’ve seen reported lately, big waves of layoffs are hitting several companies—and thousands of people—hard right now. This pile of not-good news sparked some questions for us, like: Why are layoffs a go-to cost-cutting lever? What pre-layoff org design decisions put employers and employees in this gnarly position? And why does every CEO letter announcing mass layoffs sound like it was written by the same robot?
In today’s episode, Aaron and Rodney, who’ve been on both sides of the layoff aisle, spend time with these queries and dig into:
The all-around messiness of the traditional layoff process
Why companies default to short-term thinking when the boom times boom
Dehumanizing layoff practices we should shelve for good
Creating clear containers and agreements for handling layoffs
How we could design a layoff moment that’s truly people-positive
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Mentioned references:
"RIFs"
ConvertKit episode: BNW Ep. 36 with Nathan Barry
"life stress inventories": Holmes and Rahe stress scale
Office Space, 1999 movie
Up in the Air, 2009 movie
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53:37
Depthfinding: The Midnight Zone - Experience, Emotions, and Reactions at Work
In this miniseries, we’re exploring Depthfinding—an easy-to-grasp framework designed to help leaders and teams solve their gnarliest cross-functional challenges.
This week, Rodney and Sam dive into the Midnight Zone—the deepest layer of organizational life, where the lived experiences, emotions, and unspoken reactions of individuals shape everything that happens above. While many organizations focus on surface-level solutions, ignoring the human realities of work leads to burnout, disengagement, and resistance to change.
Leaders who acknowledge and engage with the Midnight Zone create organizations where people feel seen, supported, and empowered to contribute fully. Understanding the emotional undercurrents of work isn’t just about empathy—it’s about unlocking real, lasting transformation.
Download the Depthfinding guide to get the template and examples of how to use it.
Want to learn more about Depthfinding? Head here: theready.com/depthfinding
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Mentioned references:
First depthfinding episode
Conscious Leadership Group
ACT Matrix
Iceberg model
"workers deriving identify from their job"
"knowledge work is at peak inefficiency" - Jared Spataro from Microsoft at Charter's "Leading with AI" summit in Jan 2025. See his statements about 60% of a knowledge worker's time being spent on overhead
Gareth's episode: BNW Ep. 5 with Dr. Gareth Holman
This episode's theme music is Yaggadang by BG & Coyote Radio.
Sound engineering and design by Taylor Marvin of Coupe Studios.
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48:56
Depthfinding: Twilight Zone - Where Work Happens
In this miniseries, we’re exploring Depthfinding—an easy-to-grasp framework designed to help leaders and teams solve their gnarliest cross-functional challenges.
This week, Rodney and Sam step into the Twilight Zone—the often-overlooked but deeply influential space where teams navigate the “how” of work—the “how” of collaborating, meeting, deciding, and experimenting. Many organizations put all or most of their focus on visible outputs and assets, but the rubber meets the road in the Twilight Zone. It’s the organizational depth where strategy actually gets executed—which means it’s worthy of more than a passing glance.
When an important initiative stalls out, when teams side-eye change, when a leadership team’s decisions never translate into clear and meaningful action, it’s time to investigate the Twilight Zone. Leaders who want real progress—not just compliance—must foster cross-functional collaboration and create space for meaningful iteration. Because strategy isn’t about what’s declared. It’s about what actually happens.
Download the Depthfinding guide to get the template and examples of how to use it.
Want to learn more about Depthfinding? Head here: theready.com/depthfinding
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Follow us on your favorite platforms for more org design nerdery:
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Mentioned references:
Twilight Zone, tv show
layers of the ocean
sea anemone
The Mom Test, book by Rob Fitzpatrick
Liberating Structures: BNW Ep. 49 with Keith McCandless
"IDM" (Integrated Decision Making): BNW Ep. 43
This episode's theme music is Yaggadang by BG & Coyote Radio.
Sound engineering and design by Taylor Marvin of Coupe Studios.
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48:50
Depthfinding: Sunshine Zone - Artifacts, Org Charts, and Metrics
In this miniseries, we’re exploring Depthfinding—an easy-to-grasp framework designed to help leaders and teams solve their gnarliest cross-functional challenges.
This week, Rodney and Sam dive into the Sunshine Zone—the highly visible work of organizations, from strategy decks and OKRs to mission statements and financial targets. While these elements are easy to track and refine, spending too much time in the Sunshine Zone often leads to performative goal setting, misaligned priorities, and a disconnect from the deeper work that actually drives change.
Leaders who want real progress—not just a well-polished plan—need to balance the visible with the essential. Cultivating adaptability, feedback loops, and space for creative, cross-functional work is the key to moving beyond surface-level success.
Download the Depthfinding guide to get the template and examples of how to use it.
Want to learn more about Depthfinding? Head here: theready.com/depthfinding
--------------------------------
Want future of work insights and experiments you can try delivered to your inbox? Sign up here.
Follow us on your favorite platforms for more org design nerdery:
LinkedIn
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Mentioned references:
EBITDA
ACT Matrix
"womperjawed"
"90% of executives failing to reach strategic goals"
operating rhythm: BNW Ep. 118
Deming quote
"Bach suite"
SMART goals
This episode's theme music is Yaggadang by BG & Coyote Radio.
Sound engineering and design by Taylor Marvin of Coupe Studios.
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48:16
Depthfinding: Sky - Threats and Opportunities
In this miniseries, we’re exploring Depthfinding—an easy-to-grasp framework designed to help leaders and teams solve their gnarliest cross-functional challenges.
This week, Rodney and Sam look at the Sky—the external forces like market shifts, technological disruptions, and political changes that shape your organization. While most companies are comfortable staying heads-down in the day-to-day, failing to look outward creates costly blind spots that lead to org debt, misaligned strategy, and even existential risk.
Cultivating a regular practice of looking up and outward is the key to successfully meeting this moment—and all the ones to come.
Download the Depthfinding guide to get the template and examples of how to use it.
Want to learn more about Depthfinding? Head here: theready.com/depthfinding
--------------------------------
Want future of work insights and experiments you can try delivered to your inbox? Sign up here.
Follow us on your favorite platforms for more org design nerdery:
LinkedIn
Instagram
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Mentioned references:
lido deck
Deep River potato chips
the giant Snickers
"building the bridge to the next thing" - dual transformation
Kodak's digital revolution moment
the Information age
"op rhythm": BNW Ep. 118
"Liberating Structures": BNW Ep. 49 with Keith McCandless
Critical Uncertainties
red team
"essential intent": BNW Ep. 90 with Greg McKeown
This episode's theme music is Yaggadang by BG & Coyote Radio.
Sound engineering and design by Taylor Marvin of Coupe Studios.
Rodney Evans and Sam Spurlin have helped teams around the world adopt more modern ways of working and on At Work with The Ready they’re sharing the inside scoop with you, too. Whether you’re struggling with a carousel of ineffective meetings, annual strategy sessions that go nowhere, or decision-making churn that never ceases, they’ve seen it all and are here to help. In each episode, they'll break down common workplace challenges and show you the moves—both big and small—to start making real, lasting change. (Formerly “Brave New Work” with Aaron Dignan and Rodney Evans)
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