We’ve seen a lot of change in the work world over the last year and a half. I know a lot of business owners, and managers have been left scratching their heads wondering just how they will make it forward with a workforce very much shifting the definition of what ‘work’ and what the ‘work place’ is.

You may find it odd to tie a Pixar film to how business can and should act in this mid pandemic world. But that's exactly what I intend to do and I think it’s a great template for positive change in the workplace. Mild Spoilers to Pixar’s ‘Inside Out’ below

In Pixar's film ‘Inside Out’ we follow the protagonist Riley as she is uprooted from her Midwest life and moved to San Francisco, her emotions - Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust and Sadness - conflict on how best to navigate her new life.

Most of the movie takes place inside of Riley's head as Joy and Sadness struggle to deal with the changes and feelings that Riley is going through in her new environment. This is reflected in the systematic destruction of the various ‘islands’ within her brain. Family Island, Friendship Island, Hockey Island, and Goofball Island.

It is only when Joy accepts these changes, listens, and embraces Sadness and what she has to say, that we see the rebuilding of these islands into something new and stronger.

I personally think this is a fantastic template for dealing with and positively moving forward in the current work world. As business leaders, managers, and employees we must accept the destruction of the old way of doing business and be OK with it. Not traditionally allowing work from home? It’s time to embrace and extend it.

 

As a direct example, the destruction of goofball island crumbling as a metaphor for the happy hours, and team building gatherings that are no more. But, Friendship and Family islands growing in the absence of that particular activity still bolsters the workforce as we all deal together with this continuing pandemic ultimately makes this destruction of a past business habit a good thing. Broccoli on pizza? Maybe in the past that would have been a hard no. But now, let's try it, turns out it isn’t all that bad.

The companies that can embrace this type of change and lean into the new islands and try the new types of pizza will be able to survive, and even flourish. The ones that don’t, will end up down a dark path of misery as employees leave for greener and more flexible pastures.

Change is hard. **Really hard.** But, what makes it easier is an openness to that change. An openness to listening and pivoting when you inevitably run into a stumbling block or misstep when undertaking change. And, that is exactly what I hope you take away from this allegory between ‘Inside Out’ and where the business world is moving right now. Because like it or not, the world is changing in some very real and fundamental ways. We in business should be able to change as well.

We at Ridiculous Engineering are passionate about promoting positive, healthy, and diverse business environments. It should be stated that as a company we love pizza of all types. Even with broccoli on it. Also San Francisco is a great city. We are ridiculously excited about the opportunities that lay before us. Ridiculous Engineering. “We make hard problems ridiculously easy”