Dr. Brennan Jacoby is a philosopher and the founder of Philosophy at Work, an organisation helping businesses think their best. He delivers learning and development training sessions that teach sharp thinking skills, facilitates team sessions and delivers talks that spark curiosity. Originally from Detroit Michigan, Brennan studied in Australia and is now based in Oxfordshire and London.
Feeling truly understood and accepted by others is one of life’s most beautiful gifts. And yet, it is a consolation made all the more luxurious by its rarity. Friendships and familial relationships where we feel others really ‘get us’ can be like gold dust. And it may be even harder to achieve depth of connection in the professional context – especially when we and our teams are physically distributed.
Article by 12 November 2020
The best awaydays were never really about the unique location, the food and drink, or the activities. And though it ... View Article
Article by 28 October 2020
What would you say is the biggest challenge facing managers at the moment? Keeping a great culture alive while working remotely? Onboarding new employees effectively in a virtual environment? Motivating and engaging people when the energy of face-to-face is lost?
Article by 15 September 2020
Uncertainty can make managers do strange things. In a recent interview for Philosophy at Work’s Virtues of Virtual report, Bruce Daisley (ex Twitter VP, author and host of the leading business podcast ‘Eat Sleep Work Repeat), told me the story of a manager who asked a member of their team to WhatsApp him in advance of restroom breaks. It would seem that the uncertainty involved in managing a dispersed, remote team caused that team leader to do something, let’s assume, they would not have done if they could see their colleagues working diligently in the office.
Article by 13 August 2020
What is the best piece of tech your people are using right now? How about the worst? Most likely, as you scroll through your mental files of recent team successes and pain-points, the tools that stand out are not those with flashy functionality but the ones enabling people to shine.
Article by 16 July 2020
Abigail Hunt, Associate Director, Mindset, Deloitte Ventures, Tax & Legal interviews Brennan and asks what role does pausing play in your ... View Article
Article by 11 June 2020
One thing is clear, we are working at a time when the world needs ‘ethical working’ and ‘corporate responsibility’ to ... View Article
Article by 19 May 2020
It is said that we are living in a “VUCA” [BJ1] world – one characterised by volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity. This somewhat unpleasant sounding acronym originated at the U.S. Army War College. Originally used to articulate life after the Cold War, VUCA hits the nail on the head for many, if not all, sectors, industries, companies and colleagues today. Perhaps, though, it’s nothing new: uncertainty and complexity have always featured in the human condition. We are simply not omniscient nor omnipotent – a reality that persists despite the advent of the fourth industrial revolution[BJ2] with the access to the powerful Big Data it affords.
Article by 23 July 2019