Coworking as Catalyst

Coworking is the most subversive influence in cubeland today. Even the Internet itself is less significant because the Internet is ultimately just a communication channel that is susceptible to filtering on its way into the office, while coworking is about taking the workers out of the office. Just try to filter that interface…

I heard exactly the same comment from two different friends of mine this week. One, from an educator; the other, from an engineer. The gist? ‘I wish I could just stay in my classroom/cubicle and teach/work and not have to deal with all of the bullshit…’

It’s a damning condemnation of the ineptitude of most managers and their companies that they can make us hate one of the most basic things we like to do—work (AKA build things, solve problems, help others, get things done…).

So, as a scene, coworking is great fun, but I think the big news is just over the horizon.

What is the end of coworking?

Consider the superficial changes coworking introduces into the company ecology.

1. A shift from peer is co-employee (with whom I may have nothing in common) to peer is co-worker (with whom I have at least made a conscious decision to associate with).
2. A shift from employer as supervisor to employer as customer.
3. A shift from face time to results.

Now consider the impact those changes may have in the long-term…

Here’s something to chew on while you think about it. At every point along our recent trek, we’ve met people who got into coworking together and who are now getting into business together…

During the Atlanta leg of our trip, Cameron Childress of Sumo Consulting laid out his thoughts on the benefit of a loose community of trusted collaborators who can be counted upon to round out a company’s services offerings. Cameron is exploring the possibility of a physical space in Atlanta.

Dusty Reagan cranked up the Austin Jelly in November 2007. It quickly moved from once a month to once a week. The next step? The Co-Company, made up of several members of Austin Jelly—exact business structure TBD and the planning process open for all to see on Google Groups. Austin, being Austin, is going to do things its own way.

Independents Hall started out as Cream Cheese, the Philadelphia take on Jelly. Having gathered the community, the physical space came naturally. But the story didn’t end there. With their peers groups redefined along coworking lines, what could be more natural than a first-class business entity comprising several of the members?

Finally, CommandShift3. I wrote about CommandShift 3 here and here. CommandShift3 came out of a lunchtime conversation at at New York City Jelly. It’s not a business per se although it could be.

Nap time is over

If I had $1 for every person I talked to while on the road these last few weeks who told me that, having tasted freedom, they’d “never go back to work for the man”, I’d have $43—but that’s $1 from all 43 people I talked to, so I think it’s a solid trend.

Managers, nap time is over. I strongly advise you to prevent any and all of your employees from tasting freedom, or you may not have any of your employees left.

- Bandit