Pros
I’m going to try to write this review so that, as much as is possible, it’s most helpful to those considering whether this might –or might not - be the place for them. -First, if you want to get a sense of this place: I’d suggest imagining you are working at an organization that has genuinely and openly reflected on the following questions (…however idealistic you might imagine such inquiry to be): 1. ‘how can we consistently extend trust so our team players know that it’s safe to innovate and design even-better ways of accomplishing our company’s purpose… ideally without someone going totally overboard/forgetting the financials/demolishing the lobby 2. ‘How can a company be structured so everyone is invited to take a leadership role? What would it look like to suggest to employees that our accountability is to the company’s mission statement - and not to a manager or a particular fixed role description ….even if that might produce occasional challenge and ambiguity? 3. And finally ‘what would it mean to ask that we govern our everyday choices through our shared values and through the purpose of our organization (with ‘purpose’ implying something prosocial/something significant and valuable that we seek to contribute to the world), rather than merely a reliance on often-stifling policies and context-dependent rules? (An example: Imagine a company that compassionately recognized that employees have different needs and that employees sometimes experience unique life circumstances and challenges such that employees might sometimes require considerable time off work. So - rather than enforce a policy of strictly capping the number of available vacation days – the company’s CEO says ‘we trust all employees to do what’s right in terms of taking vacations, we only ask that they authentically consider their team and work responsibilities.’ …and then to have the courage to stick by that system of trust and compassion -- even in the very rare situation where you just hired Ferris Bueller …(though, fortunately, when you extend such trust, surprisingly few people actually try to game the system) Now- those are the types of questions LRN really asks – and, more importantly, the answers it has derived, really do inform its choices. Such convictions produce: A) The possibility of truly transforming what a workday can feel like. B) A serious need for employees who are passionate, sufficiently integrious/ethical and sufficiently committed to leadership -- that they relish this trailblazing opportunity. And with that – you not only transform the capacity of your organization to guide client companies towards better futures …but you also have the chance to BE the company of the future. Now, you might think that such a trailblazing opportunity would be attractive to everyone. You might say ‘Well, who wouldn’t want such freedom?! Who wouldn’t want such an opportunity to innovate? Who doesn’t love the chance to be a leader?” And yet, to that I’d say… actually quite a few people wouldn’t. For any number of reasons, some people genuinely prefer more traditional organizational structures i.e. ones with clear hierarchies. There are individuals- and here I don’t just mean the stereotypical domineering/pompous type or the ultra-conventional type- but other very decent people who actually play a better game when they either have more formal power… or when they have a supervisor/boss actively guiding their important work decisions. And, even if it might sound ridiculous – many people legitimately value the ‘super clear policy manual’ which can be relied upon for a great many workday decisions. Give such people stability/authority provided direction…and they can actually be at their best. Personally- I don’t think there is anything wrong with such preferences. In some situations- hierarchies can be good, fairly healthy, effective and appropriate. But, with respect to those considering work at LRN: in my opinion, UNLESS such an individual was quite seriously interested in work that felt like a personal journey towards leadership/a greater capacity to direct new initiatives-– then I’d hesitate to recommend this place as a fit. Team: In my personal experience, and with the team that I work with: I’ve honestly been wowed by the courage that this organization demonstrates and the ethics it sincerely works to live each and every day. Whilst I realize that statements are difficult to evidence, my experience here has been a progressive realization that colleagues’ declared commitment to principles is not mere lip service (For what it’s worth, I was very worried about that possibility when I first joined LRN). In my opinion: the team, the governing mechanisms, the CEO- are definitely working towards fully living this. Yes- they also DEFINITELY fall short. Fortunately, they also definitely get up and try again. On my side- I can’t ask for more than that. (Though I think that many people here do :-) If you are a company that is trying to serve as a model for reinventing work – many of your employees might expect near-impossible standards from the business. This is why LRN can be easy to criticize. If it’s measured against the typical corporate yardstick – I’d humbly suggest that this company is a revolution. It operates as an extraordinary leader in ethics and innovation. BUT -- If the company is judged against its incredibly lofty vision and unabashedly idealistic aspiration– then, yes, every single flaw is going to come under the microscope. Of course, for visionary companies – such scrutiny comes with the territory. (But I do wish that we – i.e. those who work here- more frequently recalled where we are relative to the VAST majority of corporations. I find that those who engage in such reflection- tend to feel a lot of appreciation for LRN. It is a pretty remarkable place.) OK- that’s my meta-background on what it’s been like to work at LRN. Now for some specific Pros & Cons: -The team I work with is probably the best I’ve known. Phenomenal people who are both very talented and genuinely dedicated to camaraderie and support. Many of them also exhibit a degree of humility and openness I have rarely seen amongst persons with such ability. (Sometimes I think – such traits are ‘bound to break at some point’. And yet – time after time – the group has shown elevated character and care for their colleagues. ) -At the risk of sounding like I’ve ‘drunk the kool-aid’ - I will say that my experience with both the CEO and the leader of my team has been …deeply inspiring. I’ve found them to be visionaries …AND that they are sincerely committed to finding a way to elevate company ethics. This is clearly an idealistic imperative but, from everything I’ve seen, -- these leaders sacrifice for this goal every single day. Day in, day out. This is especially impressive to me because, much of this leadership could, quite easily, slow down in trying to co-lead such an ambitious vision and focus more exclusively on profits. (Profits are definitely important here. But they are definitely not the sole yardstick.) And yet –from what I’ve seen - the top leaders refuse to do that. Rather, they’ve intensely dedicated themselves ‘to staying in the ring’…constantly battling for a corporate evolution even when detractors claim this to be near-impossible (detractors who, when they hear about the LRN mission, say to us “ ‘Business ethics’ – isn’t that an oxymoron?') . And beyond these leaders’ dedication to their work and their clients - I’ve also seen them constantly work to better live these values personally. Again, I fully realize that such a view might seem like hyperbole or unconscious naiveté. It certainly could be. But I will say, when I first came to this organization- I was VERY wary. And yet, from what I’ve seen throughout my time here… the leadership at LRN is the real deal.
Cons
There are also definite issues. First and foremost- if LRN is sincere about its mission of ‘helping companies become more principled, self-governing and oriented towards a mission of significance’– then I believe that the company needs to draw upon whatever solutions & supports are best– whether those solutions have been invented at LRN… or whether they’ve been invented elsewhere. This approach has not always been embraced. Ironically, the commitment to LRN’s lofty mission of reinventing ‘How we do what we do’ is sometimes challenged by the (what would normally be an honorable) commitment to be ‘a trailblazer’. One example- I feel the company could- and should- consider integrating research and solutions created by the academic world whenever that significantly improves our leadership solutions. We should partner with such scholarship. And yet - LRN can be wary of learning from frameworks and thought leadership that doesn’t originate from within team and its research. Personally - I believe that if outside experts’ findings and insights could be of great help –we should be open to learn. And if we are serious about being the best in the business – we need to consider whatever best helps our clients. To be fair-- there seem to be emerging improvements in this area. But there is still a lot of work to be done and - if there is a weakness that I’ve seen here: this would be it.) Lastly-- ADVICE TO POTENTIAL APPLICANTS: If you are considering applying here, or if you are already in the process of joining the team – I’d humbly suggest the following: YOU NEED TO DELIBERATELY LEARN and ASK about the company’s ‘self-governing’ paradigm. There are very few companies operating this way- so you need to be familiar with the short list of examples. Beyond LRN – I’d suggest looking at articles about Morning Star and W. L. Gore. (Google them along with the word ‘self-management’) Make sure to read up on how LRN operates – as well as how these other self-governing companies function. In terms of specific reads: I’d say your first stop should definitely be the CEO’s book ‘How’. That will give a lot more insight. If you can skim two others – I’d say it’s extremely helpful to review Laloux’s ‘Reinventing Organizations’ and possibly one of the following: Gary Hamel’s ‘What Matters Now’ or even just Daniel Pink’s accessible ‘Drive’ . Just quickly skimming some of those will really help you understand this company’s vision. With that understanding, you can better decide if this is the right fit for you.
