42+1 Interview with Robert Lavigne and Mark Ashford on “The Office is Closed- Work Remote – Work from Home. How, and Why”

About the Book “The Office is Closed”

Organizations are increasingly challenged by unparalleled competition and looking for ways to be more productive, flexible, and cost effective.

Real estate represents a cost that is continually increasing, but the value of which is declining. Real estate represents location dependence, in order to work and carry out tasks; employees commute from home to the location every day, increasing the organizations carbon footprint.

In response to these challenges organizations are increasingly shrinking their real estate portfolios, and leveraging Unified Communications and Collaboration Software tools to create location independent, “technology mediated, work environments”.

These environments allow remote, or home working, and new team formats such as High Performance Teams to improve productivity, and performance.

Employees win with remote or home working, they no longer suffer through commutes that equate to lost time, effort, stress, and cost, all factors on the negative side of the work / life balance.

This eBook looks at these challenges and responses, and how to implement an effective remote work/work from home strategy. Organizations need to plan thoroughly, and carefully, but above all, employees must understand and buy in to the initiative to make it a success. To be successful employees need training and support, management must know how to monitor, and mentor, employees they may rarely see.

42+1 Interview with Robert Lavigne and Mark Ashford on Virtual Offices (Part 1)

42+1 Interview with Robert Lavigne and Mark Ashford on Virtual Offices (Part 2)

42+1 Interview with Robert Lavigne and Kevin Green on Empire Avenue, Social Media, and Social Networking

On October 14, 2012, Robert Lavigne did a Live to Air Interview with Kevin Green using Google+/YouTube Hangout. During the one hour session, they discussed Empire Avenue, Social Media, and Social Networking. Of particular interest, a discussion on how Kevin Green became the most successful member of the Empire Avenue community.

42+1 Interview with Robert Lavigne and Doug Wolfgram on Empire Avenue, Interactive Media, Social Selling

On October 12, 2012, Robert Lavigne did a Live to Air Interview with Doug Wolfgram using Google+/YouTube Hangout. During the one hour session, they discussed Empire Avenue, Interactive Media, and Social Selling. Of particular interest, a discussion on the evolution of Multi-Media as a competitive business advantage.

Robert Lavigne 42+1 Interview with Stephen Shapiro, Best Practices Are Stupid, The Art of Leadership

Stephen M. Shapiro asserts, “well-intentioned leaders, in their attempts to boost innovation, are inadvertently destroying it,” in his latest book, Best Practices are Stupid. Stephen proceeds to present “40 ways to out-innovate the competition” in an attempt to rectify this all to common backfire.

I have been fortunate to have been introduced to Stephen Shapiro by my good friend Dan Keldsen. It is no surprise that Dan is mentioned in the acknowledgements for Best Practices Are Stupid. Dan is a genuinely smart man and tends to hang out with those who share his desire to innovate and collaborate.

Dan asked me to lead a Personality Poker session a few years back. It was then that I got introduced to the work of Stephen Shapiro. I was impressed by Stephen’s ability to take a game and convert it into a learning exercise. These games allow participants to share their insights collaboratively with the intent of innovating collectively.

When I started reading Best Practices Are Stupid, it was clear to me that new innovation and collaboration games would be introduced through the unfolding chapters.

I finally got to meet Stephen Shapiro in real life at the 2012 The Art of Leadership in Toronto produced by The Art of… Productions. Throughout the day we were exposed to insights by the likes of Marcus Buckingham, Carrot Guy, and other leadership visionaries.

At the end of the event, after Stephen Shapiro presented, we discussed The Art of Leadership Conference | Toronto | June 5, 2012 and his BEST PRACTICES ARE STUPID: 40 Ways to Out-Innovate the Competition.

Here are three segments that made up my 42+1 Leadership Interview with Stephen Shapiro.

Stephen Shapiro on The Art of Leadership, Toronto 2012

Stephen Shapiro on Innovation

Stephen Shapiro on Work Life Integration

42+1 Interview with Robert Lavigne and Kim Reynolds on Empire Avenue and Social Media

On September 16, 2012, Robert Lavigne did a Live to Air Interview with Kim Reynolds using Google+/YouTube Hangout. During the one hour session, they discussed Empire Avenue and Social Media. Of particular interest, a discussion on Social Media Pressure and Authenticity provided much insight.

42+1 Interview with Robert Lavigne and Rob Nielsen on Empire Avenue and Social Media

On September 15, 2012, Robert Lavigne did a Live to Air Interview with Rob Nielsen using Google+/YouTube Hangout. During the one hour session, we discussed Empire Avenue and Social Media. Of particular interest, a discussion on Social Media Fatigue and Weak Ties (Social Networking) provided much insight.