Visit to get our entire library of TED Talks, transcripts, translations, personalized talk recommendations and more.
The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way we work for good. Can it also change it for the better? Consultant Patty McCord reviews four key insights employers and employees alike gleaned from their shift to working from home — and shares how companies can use what they learned in lockdown to creatively and innovatively rethink how we do business.
The TED Talks channel features the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world’s leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes (or less). Look for talks on Technology, Entertainment and Design — plus science, business, global issues, the arts and more. You’re welcome to link to or embed these videos, forward them to others and share these ideas with people you know.
Become a TED Member:
Follow TED on Twitter:
Like TED on Facebook:
Subscribe to our channel:
TED’s videos may be used for non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons License, Attribution–Non Commercial–No Derivatives (or the CC BY – NC – ND 4.0 International) and in accordance with our TED Talks Usage Policy (). For more information on using TED for commercial purposes (e.g. employee learning, in a film or online course), please submit a Media Request at
Transcriber:
I’ve spent the last couple of years
traveling around the world
giving talks to big corporations
and little bitty start-ups
and lots of leadership teams
and women’s groups,
and what I’ve been talking
to people about,
I’ve been trying really hard
to convince people
that we can change the way we work.
But every time I do a talk,
somebody comes backstage
or follows me offstage
and says, “You know,
I’m so inspired by what you say.
It’s so great, it makes so much sense.
But we can’t.”
“We can’t because we’re regulated.”
“We can’t because our CFO says
we can’t do it.”
“We can’t because we’re in Europe.”
“We can’t because
we’re a service industry.”
“We can’t because we’re a nonprofit.”
And then last year came the pandemic.
And the pandemic changed everything
all over the world.
Service people started realizing
that they had to suit up and wear masks
and take temperatures
and wash their hands.
We had to start standing
six feet apart in lines.
We started working from home.
We started working virtually.
And we started learning
all kinds of things because we had to.
All that muscle around innovation
and flexibility and creativity
that we didn’t think we had,
we had all along.
And we now have realized that we can.
So what have we learned?
I mean, what did we learn right away?
First of all, we learned we’re not family.
The family is the toddler
walking around behind you
in the Zoom call with the pet.
The family is somebody
needing their diaper changed.
The family is making sure
you’re taking care of your mom.
That’s your family.
This is your team.
And we’ve also learned
that that separation
between family and work
has become this balancing act.
And that when we used to say,
“Well, this is my work home
and this is my family home,
and those are two
completely different things,”
for many of us, it’s exactly
the same thing.
You’re no longer at home and at work.
For many of us, work is at home
and the home is —
and it’s confusing,
and it’s creating a whole different level
of complexity and coordination
so that we understand
that it’s easier actually to work
when we can separate
the work that we do as a team
from the work that we do in our family.
Furthermore, in order
to be able to do all that,
we have to recognize
that we’re all adults.
And here’s the deal about adults.
Adults have responsibilities,
adults have obligations.
Adults have things
that they have to commit to.
And do you know that every
single person that works for you,
from the shop floor
to the executive suite,
is a grown-up?
But we have been operating
as if they aren’t.
We operate as if only the smart adults
are the people who are at the C Suite.
And as we move through the organization,
everybody sort of gets
a little dumbed down
and the rules get a lot stricter
and we have to have more control.
And the truth is, everybody’s a grown-up,
we can see it now.
Everybody has all of these things
to figure out and coordinate.
And so now we’re expecting
from people adult behavior.
We’re now focusing on the results
that matter, not the work.
And the way we track it now
is we don’t walk by and see who’s working.
We pay attention to what people are doing.
And I think that that’s always
been the best metric.
And you know what?
For the first time in my life,
the concept of best practices
is out the window.
And you know what?
We don’t care what Google’s doing
because we’re not Google.
We don’t care what some
other company is doing.
Nobody’s doing it best.
We’re all figuring it out as we go along
and we’re figuring it out
for our organizations
in our teams at this time.
So in order for people to deliver
the right results,
in order for people’s hard work to matter,
it has to be in the context
of what success looks like
for your organization.
So if we start to think about context,
it’s really important that we think
about how we teach that.
If we can teach everybody in the company
how to read a profit and loss statement,
if we can teach them
what the different teams do,
and what they’re setting out
to accomplish,
then people within their own small teams,
and within themselves,
can figure out what excellence
looks like for them.
And so then we can start operating
relatively independently
as a whole organization
because we’re all moving
in the same direction,
trying to do the same thing.
And there’s a really critically important
part of making that work,
and that’s communication.
And everything about
communication has changed.
We tend to think
that communication is this waterfall
from the top to the bottom.
The executives would tell somebody
and the next level would tell somebody
and we’d go all the way down
to the shop floor
and everybody would understand
what’s going on.
Well, it may not have worked
that well then,
but it certainly doesn’t
work that well now.
So now we have to recognize
it’s a different heartbeat.
What has it been before
and what should it be now?
How do we make sure that the messages
are clear and consistent?
Because that’s how people operate.
That’s how those adults
who get the freedom
and the responsibility to produce
great results operate best
is when they understand
what they need to know
in order to make the best decisions.
So that communication,
that skill around being
a great communicator
is something that each of us
needs to get better at.
One of the things we have to do
is think about what
the right discipline is for that.
If you used to communicate
to your team by walking by
and asking how they’re doing
or if they had heard something,
you’re going to have to schedule that now,
it’s going to have to have discipline.
We’ve got to check in
with the people on the shop floor
to make sure they’re hearing
what they need to hear
because it’s not going
to automatically happen.
One of the ideas I have
is just jot down at the end of every day
a sentence of what worked
and what didn’t work.
And you don’t have to look
at it for a month.
But when you look back, over a month,
you want to look for,
“Wow, that was surprising.
I didn’t really think
that would be as effective as it is.”
Or maybe it would be, like,
“We keep trying to have
this in-person meeting in Zoom,
and it turns out
that there’s 14 people on the call
and only two of them are talking.
Maybe it’s an email.”
So we have to rethink all of the ways,
not just the work we’re doing,
but the ways we’re doing it.
So now I’m starting to hear
a lot of nostalgia
around the way it used to be.
There are things we aren’t doing
now that don’t matter.
Maybe we don’t need to go back
for five levels of approval.
Maybe we don’t need to go back
and do that annual performance review.
Maybe we don’t need to do
a whole bunch of things
that were part of the way we do business
that just aren’t making a difference.
You know what?
The way we used to do it
not only is not the way of the future,
but we’re discovering
so many wonderful things right now.
Let’s not lose it.
We want to create
a new organization, new workforce,
that’s excited about taking
all of the things that we’ve learned
using that muscle, going forward.
One of the most important
things that we can do
is realize the things
that we aren’t doing now.
The stuff that we’ve stopped doing
and not go back and do it again.
What if we don’t go back?
What if we go forward
and rethink the way we work?
Thank you.
Science & Technology4 years ago
Wired5 years ago
CNET4 years ago
Wired5 years ago
Wired5 years ago
Wired5 years ago
People & Blogs2 years ago
Wired5 years ago
brittany ouldcott
April 6, 2021 at 3:37 pm
Stop thinking of ‘shop floor’ staff as inferior. Especially now anyone who deals with jo public puts themselves in harms way everyday from getting sick more to being at risk of being at the wrong end of someone with mental health issues.
Dan R
April 6, 2021 at 4:49 pm
Micro managing sucks. They should actually help you rather than drill into you.
Sain D
April 6, 2021 at 3:37 pm
Allowing the government to violated your constitutional rights for an emergency, well they’ll create an emergency to violate your constitutional rights…
Anton Wereta
April 6, 2021 at 3:43 pm
Ted is so pathetic now, It’s like a cosmo magazine.
Scottlp2
April 6, 2021 at 3:47 pm
The most valuable lesson of 2020 is that there is no truth, no science, only politics and Pravda.
Christopher Paluck
April 6, 2021 at 3:49 pm
You mean plandemic.
SCAM DEMIC
April 6, 2021 at 4:16 pm
Scamdemic
Manie /Meditate
April 6, 2021 at 6:37 pm
Sad but true.
Shreeveda Consulting
April 6, 2021 at 3:49 pm
Nature had its own way of shaking up mindsets of humans, in 2020 (in 2021 too). Business models, methodologies, work-cultures, geo-political realignments, social responses, etc… are changing. It’s good. Adaptation is natural to humans, though it’s tough times for most.
Sannidor
April 6, 2021 at 3:52 pm
it’s a fake pandemic and all responsible and contributing this hoax should face the consequences.
Bee
April 6, 2021 at 3:55 pm
What covid?? What pandemic?? Only thing we can all really agree on, is that the pandemic gave us many stretchy sweatpants.
Karla Valentina Cardenas Avila
April 6, 2021 at 4:44 pm
ahahahaha
bj0rn
April 6, 2021 at 4:41 pm
So her point is basically that we should try to learn from this period instead of going back to business as usual? Wow, what a novel insight.
Gary Boyle
April 6, 2021 at 9:06 pm
It’s an insight that most people will probably have forgotten by this time next year, so a point well worth making.
The Maven's Havens
April 7, 2021 at 10:10 pm
Some people need to be reminded of the obvious.
Dan R
April 6, 2021 at 4:48 pm
Being treated as adults is key. The people who who take the Mickey need to go
Gugan Kailasam
April 6, 2021 at 4:54 pm
4 lessons are below??
> Understand seperation between Family & Team
> Give responsibilities & freedom
> Communicate the needed information
> Rethink on the way we do things
George Gray
April 6, 2021 at 6:31 pm
Thanks so much for this. You saved many of us 8 minutes of our life!! Really appreciate your summary friend 😊
Gugan Kailasam
April 6, 2021 at 4:54 pm
4 lessons are below
> Understand seperation between Family & Team
> Give responsibilities & freedom
> Communicate the needed information
> Rethink on the way we do things
Gugan Kailasam
April 7, 2021 at 6:40 am
@George Gray – you are welcome 🙂
Alliance of Light
April 7, 2021 at 12:28 pm
@Gugan Kailasam You Have Been Duped… Your a Fine Candidate for the Great Reset… Thanks For Obeying
Reven Douglas
April 6, 2021 at 4:57 pm
*In times like this,the best thing any American can do for him or herself is to have another source of income apart from his or her salary,invest wisely people!*
Patricia maria
April 6, 2021 at 5:02 pm
Starting early is the best way of getting ahead to build wealth,investing remains the priority. Forex trading has plenty of opportunities to earn a decent payout,with the right skills and proper understanding of how the market works
Sophia Leon
April 6, 2021 at 5:03 pm
But successful people don’t become that way over night,what most people see is a glance wealth,a great career,purpose is the result of hard work and hustle over time
GuitarZombie
April 6, 2021 at 11:11 pm
want less need less
bravojr
April 6, 2021 at 5:11 pm
That people will believe anything with enough Media Coverage even enough to destroy their lives and not know who to blame even when it’s infront of them.
Doctor Goop
April 6, 2021 at 5:39 pm
We’ve learned two things. One – necessity is the mother of invention – it comes from Plato and was written in 380 BC – not exactly news. Two – government is the ENEMY. They take away our rights and will use any excuse to do so and CONTROL US. Think about 9/11 and fast forward to Covid. Less rights and more control. This is also not news – what did our Founding Fathers fear most – the government.
Shaun Rankin
April 6, 2021 at 5:44 pm
It’s taught us nothing 🙈 only a fool thinks this isn’t an orchestrated event designed to remove our freedom.
PrK Zoomin
April 6, 2021 at 5:45 pm
Good Quote, The Greatest Challenge in Life is Discovering who you are.
Sagar Barot
April 6, 2021 at 6:01 pm
Now every employee will be valued as per the performance which will be visible not the “Cleavage” or the “Short Skirt”
Self-Education Methodology
April 6, 2021 at 7:06 pm
👋👏👏👏 SEM AUDIOBOOKS
MAKE YOURSELF PROUD 🏅
Maxi Miliana
April 6, 2021 at 7:18 pm
Crap
Hriatpuia Chhakchuak
April 6, 2021 at 7:22 pm
When some random person on ted tell you you are an adult, 😢
Alessio Rossi
April 12, 2021 at 6:22 am
It hurts right? 😭
A S
April 6, 2021 at 7:39 pm
Lesson 1 – The W.H.O. works for China.
Teri Scallon
April 6, 2021 at 8:01 pm
fabulous as always
Mike Wendland
April 6, 2021 at 8:35 pm
Taught us what? That the media is all trash nowadays!
Chris Wong
April 11, 2021 at 3:34 am
They are just propaganda
Lacius_Balacius
April 6, 2021 at 9:40 pm
You mean the PLANDEMIC, yeah
Brea Regans
April 6, 2021 at 10:14 pm
Christ the lord has risen, he died on the cross for your sins. Salvation is a free gift given by grace once you believe.
rad c2
April 7, 2021 at 3:19 am
we need covid to teach that…still a lot waiting to go back to what it was before covid…
Meme Man
April 7, 2021 at 5:48 am
Certainly showed that most of humanity are spineless cowards in the face of authority
Jj Jjj
April 7, 2021 at 6:36 am
Covid taught me how to be a good slave
William Spohrer
April 7, 2021 at 6:55 am
None of her commentary is new or a revolutionary way of leading an organization. It is finally becoming mainstream …
Luuza Qurux
April 7, 2021 at 7:25 am
I like to speak english what do you do😏
Dedu Tedy
April 7, 2021 at 11:39 am
Do not stress to much, in a few years only machines will work and humans will be obsolete.
Shahaf Yefet
April 7, 2021 at 2:26 pm
just FYI, it requires an at least 60% DNA to be
Yam Yefet
April 7, 2021 at 2:26 pm
just FYI, it requires an at least 60% DNA to be
J F
April 7, 2021 at 4:09 pm
Covid taught me that those in charge should never be trusted. Ever.
Android Generic
April 8, 2021 at 8:26 am
That there is no work life!
Bridgette D
April 9, 2021 at 4:30 am
👏👏👏
mrp
April 10, 2021 at 1:51 pm
“We’re all adults…”
No…
“…adults have responsibilities…”
No.
“…adults have obligations…”
No!
“…adults have things they have to commit to…”
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
Kar H
April 11, 2021 at 9:51 pm
Love this!
Aren Henr
April 11, 2021 at 9:51 pm
Love this!
Manny Rae
April 11, 2021 at 11:29 pm
A great presentation should be a public service announcement on tv or radio. This video separates the chaos and makes you think and wonder what’s going on around us. This critical and common sense here in this presentation is what we need, and it’s what makes America a country that needs embrace right about now.
Worth It Candy
April 11, 2021 at 11:29 pm
A great presentation should be a public service announcement on tv or radio. This video separates the chaos and makes you think and wonder what’s going on around us. This critical and common sense here in this presentation is what we need, and it’s what makes America a country that needs embrace right about now.
CREA Y TRANSFORMA
April 15, 2021 at 6:22 pm
I was cured from herpes through the help of herbs from Agbafor Chike you can reach him to get cured from your illness.
Train Wreck
April 15, 2021 at 8:44 pm
It taught me not to trust the media, the government or doctors
Ashique Desai
April 22, 2021 at 10:40 am
This talk is just stupid or just opportunistic. If we had learned anything from this pandemic we wouldn’t have had the 2nd, 3rd and 4th waves of the pandemic.
This content is just pure personal branding and marketing. You are using the pandemic to further your own personal agenda and objectives and this talk has nothing to do with what we learned from the pandemic. Nothing at all. Non!
It is sad to see that TED talk has become just a marketing platform for these so called “Self help” gurus.
Sinath Yourn
May 9, 2021 at 3:49 pm
You hit the point! Very grateful for sharing useful lessons.
No u
May 10, 2021 at 4:52 pm
watching this for career class
TJ Wilson
May 16, 2021 at 12:24 pm
Do you think you could increase the room echo more? There is not enough reverberation yet, as I can still understand most of what you say.
Why do people make talking-head videos with such shabby sound quality? Who want’s to struggle to listen to this? Fortunately, I was able to save myself the echo-chamber headache, while saving 75% of the time by just reading the transcript.
rainy summer
May 31, 2021 at 2:45 pm
OK boomer
Zero Hero
June 13, 2021 at 4:10 pm
Boring.