Joshua Feinberg discusses with Mark Bjornsgaard the challenges corporate refugees face seeking a career reboot in digital infrastructure, particularly in the sustainability and heat reuse movement.
Mark emphasizes the importance of resilience and flexibility, noting the difficulty of breaking out of one's "filter bubble" and the value of reading diverse perspectives.
He highlights the benefits of joining smaller organizations, which often offer different work dynamics and require more emotional and psychological safety.
Mark also mentions the practice of starting senior leadership meetings with group therapy to foster trust and open communication in smaller teams.
This video is excerpted from the podcast Ep. #40 Mark Bjornsgaard, Founder and CEO of Deep Green Technologies | Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast.
Action Items
- Reach out to former colleague who is interested in a career transition to the heat reuse/digital infrastructure space.
- Encourage a former colleague to consider joining a smaller organization. The culture and ways of working can differ significantly from those of a large corporate environment.
- Suggest that the former colleague focus on building psychological safety and trust within a smaller team through practices like regular group check-ins.
- Advise the former colleague to be open-minded and avoid getting stuck in their own "filter bubble" when exploring new career opportunities.
Outline
Advice for Corporate Refugees Interested in Heat Reuse
- Joshua Feinberg discusses encountering a former colleague at a conference who is feeling burnt out and seeking advice on transitioning to digital infrastructure.
- Expresses his inspiration for leading change in the sustainability and heat reuse movement, highlighting its significant value.
- Mark Bjornsgaard emphasizes the importance of resilience and flexibility in mindset, noting that people often get anchored in their current positions.
- Mark mentions the challenge of reading diverse perspectives, especially in a polarized environment, and the need to step out of one's comfort zone.
Transitioning to Smaller Organizations
- Mark Bjornsgaard explains that stepping into a smaller organization can offer a different approach and more social anchoring, especially in the context of the great transition and climate change.
- He highlights the benefits and challenges of working in a smaller organization, including the need for psychological safety and emotional check-ins.
- Mark shares that their senior leadership team meets every Friday for group therapy to check in emotionally and address any bad news.
- He notes that smaller organizations often have different working methods than larger ones, which can be surprising for those in a more structured environment.
Resources
Watch the full podcast Ep. #40 Mark Bjornsgaard, Founder and CEO of Deep Green Technologies | Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast
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