Washington Wisdom from Michael Bloom

Converted a midday, cabin-fever inspired walk on a Washington DC snow day into a deep thought solo Street Wisdom session.
When all meetings were cancelled. Found myself working solo from my hotel room. Tempted to stay connected to my screen all day I realized I needed to get and stretch. I also felt a day inside in DC would be a waste. Why not get outside and at least observe the monuments and White House under a thin coating of fluffy snow?

But instead of wandering aimlessly, I thought about using the skills learned during a November Chicago Street Wisdom session.
I found myself asking deep business-related questions, and finding answers.

I’m a Green Buildings and Sustainability program advisor responsible for putting research into practice by those who build and buy green. Too often we create resources for our target audience without connecting well. Why not? How could we better think like the professionals we wish to reach? How can we speak their language and link our informative, free and impactful resources ( see https://sftool.gov) to questions they care about?

As I strolled around d the White House I began to notice the signs noting the organizations occupying offices nearest the White House– AFL-CIO Union, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, The Veterans Administration– disparate organizations for sure, United by a common geography. I found myself thinking how I would pitch Green Building differently to a Union, or a small business or a Federal health-based agency, all based on the literal signs around me.
Answers right in front of me.

Michael Bloom

Windy City Wisdom

What is the future of the workplace? What does it need to be? Does work even have a future?

These are the sort of questions The Workplace Conversation #TWPC is asking and on 21st November they mounted a Street Wisdom in Chicago to get fresh inspiration.

It was the first SW in the city, And the first ever Street Wisdom, as far as we know, to be held INSIDE. It was freezing in the city, so we took to the Merchandise Mart, a vast 1930’s industrial temple that was, when it opened the largest building in the world.

Today it’s a fascinating warren of art deco interior streets, home to – among thousands of other companies – Google, Motorola, Discover and the bustling digital start up hub 1871.

It turned out to be the perfect environment to hold a Street Wisdom. And this kicked off a really inspiring conversation about the road ahead for our workplaces and the work we do in them.