Working Out Loud

Image by Microsoft Designer

One of the best life-hacks I learned is Working Out Loud (WOL) a concept that encourages sharing your ideas openly to build relationships, learn, and achieve goals. First introduced by Bryce Williams in 2010, IT Lead at pharma Lilly, Indiana US. He described it as a combination of “Observable Work” and “Narrating Your Work,” meaning that you share your work as it happens, making it visible and accessible to others. Bryce was using Yammer.

John Stepper, MD of IT for Equity Derivatives at Deutsch Bank, New York later expanded on this concept and developed it into a structured method. They used Jive. I had the absolute privilege of meeting both these men and introduced me to Ikigai (ee-key-guy) a Japanese concept that combines the terms iki, meaning “alive” or “life,” and gai, meaning “benefit” or “worth.” When combined, these terms mean that which gives your life worth, meaning, or purpose. Ikigai is similar to the French term “raison d’etre” or “reason for being.” 

By embracing Working Out Loud I experienced a welcome shift in my professional and personal life, which has helped me stay on track as a Microsoft MVP for the past 8 years. To retain this status we are expected to share tacit* knowledge and insights from work-life experiences in the community in our own time. This has enriched my professional relationships and significantly boosted my emotional well-being with serotonin hits, providing a more positive outlook. 

My journey to working out loud began a decade ago when I worked in GSK Digital Corporate Comms in London. I helped the Yammer network grow to over 100k staff and it became clear that Working Out Loud was not just a strategy but a better way of life. I wrote this fun 6 Yammer Hats framework and blog #6YammerHats. I received lovely community feedback on its helpfulness in framing the value of Yammer – now Viva Engage for collaborating with colleagues you do not work with regularly but have things in common. This sense of community and connection, whether volunteering, pets, sports, baking, D&I, H&S, and now aha Ai Copilot moments make working out loud amazingly creative and inspirational!

My top tip is to follow as many people as possible you meet professionally – and follow folks they are following this can be on Viva Engage and LinkedIn where one of my favourite words comes into play, serendipity …

Copilot says working out loud with serendipity is:

To cultivate an openness to the unexpected. Instead of fearing surprises, embrace them as opportunities. See connections where others see gaps. Be alert to potential intersections and shared interests. When communicating with others, cast “serendipity hooks”—concrete examples of your current interests and objectives. These hooks increase the chance of finding common ground.   Eliminate overloaded schedules, meaningless meetings, and inefficient routines. Free up time for curiosity and joy. An unprepared mind dismisses unusual encounters. Overcome this by staying open and curious with unplanned inspirations and creative breakthroughs. Remember, working out loud creates a ripple effect—connecting dots and turning the unexpected into possibility!  

Follow #workingoutloud on social media and I promise you will be pleasantly surprised what you find.