Estee Chaikin

Sharing the new currency of meaning

Hi there, thanks you for stopping by. I love designing new services and disruptive business models. Originally from the USA, I am currently living in Amsterdam.

Lost in translation..perhaps?

So recently moving to a new city and looking for a new job can throw up all sorts of learnings as well as challenges – cross cultural communication being one of them.

As I opened up an email from an HR manager at a company I just interviewed with these words of feedback truly perplexed me –  ‘We think you are too corporate’

I have not physically worked for a ‘corporate’ for 7 years and started to ask myself what this really meant.  You see this company is structured differently and is also trying to set an example for how future organisations should operate to stimulate a strong organisational behaviour. On that note, I feel the need to dissect this a bit more.

What if you take an organisation that is completely flat, doesn’t have any managers, uses a peer feedback system for performance reviews and doesn’t ask its staff to set goals or targets, can it be successful? How can it recruit new staff members when societal norms tailor our professional lives to perform and expect to be managed in a certain way? How do juniors hired into this organisation know how to develop in the best way possible? I tend to lean on the positive side here towards a working model and view it as a design for improving staff behaviour and engagement to unlock more value. It probably best for SME’s and perhaps isn’t for really large multinational organisations.

So back to ‘too corporate’….Definition by Dutch company (my best guess): one that craves structured and process-driven environments. Yes, I tend to think that I can come into the absence of just this and create it. I don’t need it to exist, but I like to create it in order to feel progression and development in any role to help support commercial growth. That is what a start-up is all about.

At this point, I want to put this bit of feedback in the lost in translation pile. It does strike me as vague, which doesn’t do anybody any good. However, behind it there is a good debate as I ask myself what does a successful organisation in 2030 look like?

The Archive

  1. 2020August
  2. 40 most relevant life learnings
  3. January
  4. My learnings in 2019: Time to create a more impactful road ahead
  5. 2019April
  6. When passion meets purpose: How my professional leaps got me to where I am today
  7. 2018February
  8. The hidden talent of a global citizen: Cultural intelligence
  9. 2016December
  10. Yes, yes, yes.
  11. June
  12. Smart Citizenship challenge
  13. May

  14. Lost in translation..perhaps?

  15. April
  16. The future human
  17. January
  18. Big.Energy.Data.Marriage
  19. 2015December
  20. Eye spy…the wanderlust trend
  21. May
  22. THE Biggest Barrier
  23. January
  24. Luffa: On the Sustainability Materials Radar
  25. 2014June
  26. Is it really about understanding evolution?
  27. Making solar mainstream
  28. March
  29. Earth Hour…say what?
  30. Recipe for Driving Sustainable Behaviour Change
  31. Turn the page
  32. 2013October
  33. London Sustainability Jam…nearly 1 month away
  34. August
  35. Proud to be 33!
  36. April
  37. Get up and create something
  38. March
  39. London Service Jam …what makes it special?
  40. January
  41. The future…
  42. Sharing is caring…right?
  43. 6 daily rules to reach your potential
  44. 2012December
  45. Our next raison d’etre…
  46. October
  47. When do you invent?
  48. July
  49. The importance of connection
  50. May
  51. What’s your little red paperclip?
  52. February
  53. The future of community energy
  54. January
  55. Iteration is a Lifestyle
  56. Believe in the drift
  57. Trend-oids
  58. 2012 Vow: Live in the ‘Wow’
  59. 2011September
  60. Lisa Frost.
  61. August
  62. The “Me-Too” Attitude
  63. May
  64. Intro to Paris: For newbie’s
  65. An idea…
  66. February
  67. Random acts of Thank You…like ya mean it!
  68. 2010December
  69. Time to put up and shut up. Bring it, 2011
  70. November
  71. Creating Change…
  72. Air BnB at Startup School
  73. October
  74. Work: A new found freedom
  75. January
  76. Free Events in London. Bliss.
  77. 2009December
  78. Get Excited and Make Things
  79. Internet Stats Galore – Just one Day
  80. November
  81. Giving Thanks Tribute
  82. Let’s combine global tastes for COP15
  83. Future of Green
  84. October
  85. 365 Ways to Change the World – Post for 31 October
  86. For all confused on the term social business and sustainability
  87. August
  88. Yes Please. Me likes these.
  89. July
  90. Co-Creation of Value = Necessary Change
  91. Interested in starting social change?
  92. June
  93. The Becoming of a Design Society: A New American Renaissance
  94. Best in Show – KitKatt Nohr Photo Competition
  95. May
  96. Great Solution for Closed Loop Recycling
  97. Re-think Play
  98. March
  99. Simple
  100. February
  101. MakeMeSustainable
  102. January
  103. Personal Dream Box
  104. 2008December
  105. Dream Box
  106. September
  107. Fresh ideas. Welcome.