The Future-Proof Workplace

Chapter 10Future-Proof WorkplaceWaves of Change

We must each lead our organizations, and ourselves, based on the reality of where we are today—not where we hoped to be. Leaders must have the courage to face reality and take action.

—Linda Sharkey and Morag Barrett

They say the sense of smell is strongly connected to memory.

This probably explains why we can still remember our most recent cab ride, even though it was years ago.

The cab was called the day before to schedule an early pickup to the airport. The taxi pulled into the driveway right on time. As we squeezed into the backseat, several things stood out.

First, the plexiglass barrier between the driver and us seemed excessive and made it difficult to communicate. But we needed to catch a flight and had no other options. Prisoner transport would have to suffice.

The second thing we noticed about the culture of this rolling workplace was that there was plenty of legroom—for the driver, anyway. After all, he had to be in the car all day and needs to be comfortable.

Then there was the memorable smell of breakfast and lunch. And the aroma of an exhausted industry about to be passed by.

Reflecting on the current state of affairs of universal taxi experiences, Uber seemed to be worth a try for the next trip to the airport. The driver pulled up on time in a clean and fresh car with a bottle of water in the backseat. It felt like being driven by a chauffeur. A very different experience indeed. Needless to say, taxis are out and ...