What the Experts Think: Darren Murph

We’ve been fortunate to have leaders from across the future-of-work space read WORK then PLACE before it officially hit shelves. Their feedback has been both humbling and affirming—proof that the book and its transformation process deliver on the mission we set out to achieve.

One of those voices is Darren Murph—dubbed “the oracle of remote work” by CNBC. As GitLab’s Head of Remote, Darren helped the company scale into a global pioneer long before remote work was mainstream. He’s since guided countless organizations in building cultures of accountability, productivity, and flexibility, and is the author of Living the Remote Dream and GitLab’s influential Remote Work Playbook.

Darren’s perspective matters deeply to us because we designed WORK then PLACE to be universal—relevant to fully remote companies, hybrid teams, and in-office organizations alike.

Here’s what Darren had to say:

Systemic change at work requires systems that change. Historically, the physical spaces that house workers change every 20 years or so, but that set-it-and-revisit-in-a-score approach doesn’t pass muster in the world of modern work. I’ve long believed that in the current era, every organization at scale is a distributed company. The blueprint and mindset shifts outlined in WORK then PLACE are just as applicable to fully remote and hybrid organizations as those who identify as in-office firms. No matter where the majority of people arrive each day, the way that progress is made involves distributed networks of people, information, and communication flows.

Escobar and Murray go to great lengths to see around corners. Any leader bold enough to lead the rearchitecting of a company’s operating model will face wave after wave of resistance. WORK then PLACE equips these leaders to navigate that resistance with grace and intelligence, enabling them to remain focused on the ultimate prize: creating smarter companies through empowered teams.

We’ll be sharing more expert reflections in the weeks ahead. And if you don’t have your copy of WORK then PLACE yet, you can purchase it by following the link below: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1960299980?ref=ppx_pt2_mob_b_prod_image%20