Seth Godin’s recently published book, The Song of Significance, looks at how we organize our work, and the message is profound if we’re ready to hear the song.
I’ve written about Seth Godin many times over the years. Seth writes about issues of work and education and making a difference. He’s done this through 22 bestselling books, hundreds of podcasts and videos, and a daily blog for over 15 years. In his latest book, Seth uses one word to frame his discussion of the nature and consequence of work in 2023 (and beyond). This is not a technical book or scholarly treatise. It’s not just about work but the significance of what we make from it.
His message is about education, organizational design and culture. While the book's byline is “A New Manifesto for Teams” I think this doesn’t really capture the book’s focus. I see this book as being about leadership in the age of AI, climate change, work transformation, and social change.
What stands out from this work is the keyword: significance.
Significance Unpacked
Readers familiar with Seth’s work will identify the rant-like, short-burst format of his writing. Over 140 short chapters, Seth presents a case for why significance is a word worth cultivating in our work and how we might do it.
significance
sɪɡˈnɪfɪk(ə)ns
noun
the quality of being worthy of attention; importance. the meaning to be found in words or events. the extent to which a result deviates from that expected to arise simply from random variation or errors in sampling.
Oxford English Dictionary
In previous articles, I emphasized the importance of prioritizing trust in organizational design for 2023. Trust is built on significance, focusing on quality rather than quantity. To achieve significance, we must create an environment that enables individuals to perform their best work, demonstrating our commitment to their well-being.
Designing for significance involves considering the most effective methods supported by evidence to produce exceptional outcomes, nurturing the well-being and performance of our employees, and staying attuned to the dynamics within our communities, markets, sectors, and industries. It’s a holistic view of what we do as people working together in service of goals.
Significance encompasses both a process and an outcome. When we incorporate significance into our design, we resist the temptation to prioritize quantity over quality, avoid dehumanization in favour of personalization and compassion, and acknowledge the importance of sustainability. This is precisely why strategic design, health, and evaluation are interconnected pillars. By designing for significance, prioritizing well-being, and gathering feedback, we can uphold quality standards and foster resilience at the same time.
These principles are not abstract concepts detached from reality.
Foresight and Significant Futures
The systems that shape our lives are complex. Our understanding of these systems is limited due largely to the lack of clear measures or data that indicate how the various STEEP-V (social, technological, economic, environmental, political, and values) forces interact. These forces are diverse, far-reaching, and challenging to quantify.
Consider the state of affairs in the summer of 2022: generative AI discussions revolved mainly around tools like DALL-E for image creation, while ChatGPT received little attention. Wildfires were viewed as localized issues rather than continental concerns. The world was still grappling with the aftermath of COVID-19, and the return to office environments was still being negotiated. Twelve months later, our discourse has undergone significant changes on all of these fronts.
What a difference a year makes. What lies ahead in the coming year?
If our aim is to design for significance, we seek to establish stability within an unstable environment. The specific actions we take may change, but the underlying principles guiding our approach do not have to. By prioritizing quality, well-being, and meaningful outcomes in our organizational development and product creation, we adopt a principled approach. These values endure, even if the products we create do not.
To not only survive but also thrive, we must earn and maintain trust while delivering something noteworthy and meaningful to people. The phenomenon of massification, or what Cory Doctorow refers to as "enshitification," occurs when things cease to function effectively, lose their meaning, or fail to deliver on their promises. For instance, it has become progressively more challenging to find relevant information on platforms like Google. Consumer goods often have shorter lifespans than before, necessitating more frequent replacements. This exacerbates economic and environmental challenges. As Richard Rumelt aptly illustrates in the quote above, more does not always equate to better.
Looking ahead, it is difficult to envision any scenario where this trend benefits humanity. We have depleted our buffers. Currently, there is no reliable foresight model that confidently predicts a healthier planet, happier people, and stronger economies without substantial changes in how we operate.
Meaningful change is necessary for progress, and significance provides a pathway forward.
Designing Significance
Instead of engaging in a race to the bottom, there is an alternative path we can choose to follow. While many companies and service organizations may not opt for this path, there are some that might.
Seth Godin, in his book "The Song of Significance," concludes with the powerful statement: "Lead together." The book also includes an Appendix referred to as an Encyclopedia of Real Skills. This section outlines the valuable attributes and abilities that we can bring to our work, enabling us to create significance. These skills are organized into five categories:
1. Self-control
2. Productivity
3. Wisdom
4. Perception
5. Influence
Within these categories, we find words such as honesty, resilience, enthusiasm, and delegation, which contribute to productivity. Seth Godin approaches these concepts as a pragmatic optimist and realist. He believes that artificial intelligence (AI) should replace mundane tasks that offer little value to humans but benefit only the bottom line. He encourages us to engage in meaningful missions rather than complying with arbitrary goals. Seth also emphasizes the importance of being critical of our work while supporting the individuals performing it. Learning, adapting, growing, sharing, and caring are simple yet powerful ideas that can be embraced by nonprofits, public service and healthcare institutions, as well as businesses of all sizes.
Seth has a forward-thinking perspective and recognizes that the industrialization of human work is becoming outdated; it is either leading us towards extinction or we have the opportunity to adapt.
The choice is ours. Let us design for significance.
Lead together.
Thanks for reading.
Image credit: Cameron Norman
Cameron Norman supports and leads organizational transformation and change initiatives for his clients. He is the President of Cense Ltd., a consultancy that works with the Third Sector to innovate, change, and assess impact.