The NWbD key practices

In my opinion, New Work is to

Include people in decisions that shape their work → Co-create, don’t dictate. Involvement creates commitment.
Share all relevant information openly and proactively → Radical transparency builds trust and enables smart decisions.
Lead in a way that inspires voluntary followership → Authority by integrity, not by title.
Set clear, meaningful goals that provide direction and purpose → Give people a “why” worth moving toward and let teams self-align.
Let teams own topics from start to finish → Trust them to take full responsibility—and pride—in the outcome.
Turn conflict into fuel for innovation and personal growth → Face tensions directly. Use them to grow, not divide.
Give feedback that challenges and supports growth → Honest, respectful, and focused on potential.
Support growth based on individual strengths and intrinsic motivation → Develop people, not just roles. Help them become more themselves.
Foster healthy relationships where people can fully contribute and be real → Work is human. Create space for authenticity, connection, and belonging.

Over the past decade, I've worked with three companies full-time, transforming them into New Work role models. Through these experiences, I've distilled nine key practices necessary for a sustainable New Work implementation.

These key practices are...

Decision-making

Distributing decision-making and defining how to make decisions in a way that creates commitment, so you don't have to micro-manage people anymore.

Transparency

Make all necessary information transparent, so people can make informed decisions.

Leadership

Aligning on an understanding of leadership that doesn't restrict people's autonomy and makes them want to follow.

Goal Alignment

Setting up a way for your teams to align their goals, so they all pull in the same direction while keeping their autonomy.

Org structure

Structuring your company into teams that can adapt quickly to their customers and that let people get in touch with the purpose of their work.

Conflict Resolution

Defining how to resolve conflict in a way that makes it a source of growth and innovation.

Feedback

Creating feedback mechanisms where salary negotiation doesn't drown out advice and appreciation.

Individual Growth

Setting up mechanisms that support people in their personal and professional growth.

Relationships

Helping people understand themselves and others and their interactions in a way that enables thriving relationships.

You might ask yourself:

Why are there nine New Work by Design key practices? Why not eight or ten?
Why these nine in particular and not others? Could you leave any of them out?

The answer is:

Taking any of them out substantially reduces intrinsic motivation.
They support and enable each other. Leaving any of them out destabilizes the whole system.