Hello there.
I’m Clay Parker Jones, and this is my Readme file. If you're reading this, that means we're working together! I’m @clayparkerjones on most internet channels. I live in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn, with my wife Emily and my cat Ian, and fill my spare time with tennis and cycling. I also love to cook.
Work Preferences
Learning
- Learning is usually the primary motivator for me at any given moment of any given day.
- I'm happy to find out I'm wrong, because that means someone else nearby is right. Which means I can learn. That’s the best!
- I believe in strong opinions, loosely held. I might sound assured in the thing that I’m saying, but please know I’m more than willing to hear other views.
Writing
Writing is thinking. Before I get into slides, I always write an outline, and usually full paragraphs, first. This ensures I know what I'm talking about, because I've thought it through enough to write down what I really think, and what I really mean.
Scale
I'm kindof obsessed with the idea of leverage; I hope to use my working time to help as many people as possible work in more humane, energizing, and creative ways; I'm always looking for ways to lean harder in this direction.
Making
- The fastest way to my heart is to start: make something. Sketches count.
- Talking is important, but it’s not the same as making.
- I aim to set aside chunks of my days and weeks for maker time, and chunks for manager time.
Speed
- I'd rather my partners get quickly to "customer-facing value" even over creating something that conforms to my own ideals for what "good" looks like.
- If you can get things done fast, at a high level of quality – that's a superpower.
- When in doubt, pick up the phone. Me: +1 312 576 0600
Known Issues
These are things I like about myself, but that get me into trouble sometimes.
- I hold on tightly to my ideas (remind me of the strong opinions loosely held thing!)
- I jump straight to solutions when faced with a big, serious problem
- I readily over-subscribe
- I like to get my hands dirty
Thoughts on OD, etc.
These are a set of things I seem to keep repeating about this job.
- Every system is perfectly designed for the outcomes it gets.
- There is no "right answer" or "best organization design;" you're just choosing the tradeoffs/downsides you dislike the least.
- Most organizations, most of the time, come nowhere near their ceiling for performance, and the limiting factor isn't effort. The same applies for people and teams, so you should reframe performance conversations around the idea that "[person, team or org] can achieve so much more if we were to nail their surrounding conditions."
- Change isn't scary. Loss is scary.
- Don't jump to structural changes until other, smaller changes have been tried first. It's amazing how often the answer is "those two individuals need to talk to each other."
- Convincing people that a new way of working is the right thing to do almost never works. It's a much better idea to simply get them to try it.
- Imagine getting stoked about basketball because you learned the rules, first. Never happening.
- Here's a great, extremely random example of this.
Core Source Material
- A Pattern Language
- Notes on the Synthesis of Form
- Technological Revolutions and Financial Capital
- A Deeper Democracy
- The Second Machine Age
- Humanocracy
Personality Things
In general, I would consider myself an introvert, but I'm learning how to be outgoing and networky when the situation demands. And even though my introversion can show up like "me standing or sitting by myself," that doesn't mean I don't want to talk to you; I'm just shy.
- I don't put a lot of stock in MBTI, but the tests tell me I am an INTJ
- Same thing Enneagram: 7w8
- Insights Discovery: Accommodating Motivator