Reimagining The Workplace: Miguel McKelvey | Rich Roll Podcast

[@cUser691]

Thanks for this Rich. Working out of WeWork 7 days a week for over a year is refreshing (non-traditional age Flatiron student)--it's a place to focus with networking opportunities, and a positive vibe. Their eco/vegan /kindness is evident in their meditation/mothers room, vegetarian fare only for when they personally cater, thoughtful and light interior spaces, notices they're trying to cut down on dishwasher usage, changing from styrofoam cups to metal and to silverware that's reusable. They seem to walk-the-walk; celebrating the Pride month and featuring and especially supporting their staff, some of whom are recently arrived from other countries. Sure, the location has a youthful hipster vibe that can border on loud and noisy and be generationally off-putting at times, ( 'hippie/bohemian/let's just chill' and play in the clubhouse") but a lot of work can get done with good noise cancelling headphones. As a company, their actions seem in true alliance with their 'brand'.

[@chantlady]

I came back to this podcast (which I listened to in 2019) after just watching WeCrashed on Apple TV. Depending on when this was recorded, it was 1-6 months before the IPO failed, and I imagine Miguel knew things were precarious and was surely under a lot of stress. My lesson from this: Take EVERYTHING anyone says with a grain of salt, be skeptical of everything, the public message is always less than 1% of the true story.

[@evelynbaron2004]

Sorry I went off on a tangent; watching inspiring podcasts is what I do to procrastinate when I should be doing other things, but so often new ideas emerge so time is definitely not wasted. I forwarded this conversation to someone who lives nominally in Sao Paulo and grew up with great wealth but with an ingrained distrust of the class she was born into. She practiced architecture for quite a while and transitioned into museum curatorship so gets to go St. Petersberg etc. What struck me was Miguel's admitted aversion to confrontation which he overcame with a brilliant impassioned employer, and also, the variety of work experience he had that put him in touch with people in all walks of life, and my experience living in Toronto (Canada) has been the evolution of a parochial low-land Presbytarian Scott dominated, very limited social landscape -- in 1953 when Stratford Ontario began people like Maggie Smith had to declare herself an alcoholic in order to have a glass of sherry -- the mind reels. But my Dad who was a freedom fighter in the former Yugoslavia in WWII was incredibly charismatic and vr much a total individualist; his background in architecture emphasized the practicalities of, will this building stand up, so his passion for design was entirely his own. He designed film sets for Cinecitta in Rome before coming to Canada and the deal at that time was that when applying for citizenship you had to agree to spend a year in a remote area of the country so he was a lumberjack in the Yukon until able to come to Toronto where he quickly understood that he couldn't work for anyone else so began his own firm which was exceptional; he favored talented people who had languished in refugee camps ; it was the most wonderful microcosm, and all his work was way ahead of its time in the emphasis he put on ecological viability, even before Rachel Carson's Silent Spring. But he was also tempestuous, would pound the desk if he thought something was hastily or unmindfully done; absolutely no-one took him seriously in that regard; summer thunderstorm, soon over. This really was the most delightful conversation. Tx again.

[@jacoby.h.3667]

I haven’t heard about WeWork before. So I’ll trust Rich on this one again🙏🏽

[@j.6263]

'Reducetarian' is my new favorite word. Thanks MM

[@evelynbaron2004]

I watched the whole podcast and sent it on to people; really great. There was a recent Ted Talk by someone who vaguely reminded me of Malcolm Gladwell (god I wish I could write like him). This talk was also about the workplace and the title was, are you a taker or a giver? Initial findings were that in the short term 'givers' didn't contribute to an impressive outcome in profit margin, but in longitudinal studies, they were essential for the well-being of the organization. And the bottom line was not ultimately, should human resources hire more givers (or people in the middle of the continuum who were all about quid pro quo), but instead, get rid of the takers expending a lot of energy taking credit for work they hadn't done. I've been out of the corporate world for a long time but can certainly attest to the kind of job satisfaction one could report depending on that environment. I think another theme that was explored in a different interview was the level of agency people felt in their work; places where people all had shares in the company and each person felt heard was crucial. Another great podcast!! When my sis and get together we end up having impromptu 12 step meetings and the tendency of many people who end up in the 12 steps apart from engagement in many other weapons of self-destruction is people pleasing. When does self-forgetfulness and generosity turn into the inability to say no? We had a great lunch. Carry on the good work!!!!!!!!

[@daanvan]

You probably saw Adam Grant, he wrote a book about it also called Give and Take.

[@Marilyn88-]

I invested the time to entire podcast to every minute. I consumed it 😊- love his energy as well as yours Rich. Your interviewing technique is so sincere, efficient and mindful.

[@jrod78415]

Everyone in the world what the heck is we work. And who cares

[@Thesdlefty1]

Rich, I think we need to have Miguel back on with his insight now that we are going through covid.

[@CheamCreese]

Interesting interview given the Wework CEO's recent pre-IPO cash-out. It's always a challenge to differentiate between the spin/marketing/BS of these entrepreneurs and the true value of what they're doing. I was surprised how much Miguel talked about the community/interpersonal communication aspect of the Wework endeavor. I have been to a couple of Wework installations (all in Mexico City, so maybe not representative of Wework U.S.) and I never got the community/communication vibe. They just seemed like Starbucks with more space. They also just seemed like another "exponential" business of the 2000s that depends on a very few, very well paid people and a lot of low-paid drones. Miguel even touches on that a bit when he talks about the challenges of trying to offer pod-cast spaces. I also wonder if behind the curtain and the marketing/spin there isn't a healthy dose here of a variation of the health club business model where memberships are sold with the hope/understanding that they won't be used.

[@Carlos_Castro_]

Great Podcast! Very inspiring..

[@justinkiddrummer]

Soooo good! I've only watched half because it's midnight now. :-D The rest will be watched tmrw night. Thank you for this, Rich and Miguel! Goodnight. :)

[@svettaa.8784]

Really enjoyed the podcast. Very inspiring!

[@GrayPill-v3w]

Came here to learn more about the legendary Miguel of AppleTV WeCrashed. Did the same thing for Rebekah Nuemann on Lewis Howes podcast.

[@zezty4295]

This guy sounds like Adam from no jumper but way smarter lol this was an amazing listenthanks guys.

[@DoctorRevers]

Really enjoyed that. Thank you. Great job with the interview all the way through. I’m wondering why the name Jacque Fresco didn’t come up. Would have been very interested to hear what Miguel thought of his designs and ideas.

[@elanastahl1929]

Good stuff but American Apparel has a disgusting add campaign. Hopefully he wasn’t apart of that roll out

[@jrod78415]

Theme of life. Money. Did it for the money not to connect. Please

[@jrod78415]

When do you do actually work. 7 hours later get to work man

[@kennethsouthard6042]

Anyone still drinking this Koolaid?

[@kismetology8031]

poor mans jason segel

[@jrod78415]

Sounds he needs facebook and Instagram in his no life wework