You, Me, We

About the Authors

Morag Barrett, Eric Spencer, and Ruby Vesely are leadership consultants at SkyeTeam. Together, they bring a wealth of experience and insights into building effective relationships in the workplace. Morag Barrett is a business expert and author, known for her work on leadership development and team dynamics. Eric Spencer is an HR and leadership development coach who focuses on enhancing organizational effectiveness. Ruby Vesely is an executive coach and leadership development expert, dedicated to helping individuals and teams achieve their full potential.

Main Idea

In "You, Me, We: Why We All Need a Friend at Work (and How to Show Up As One!)", the authors present the Ally Mindset, a model for fostering proactive and thoughtful work relationships. They emphasize the importance of close relationships at work and how adopting the Ally Mindset can improve leadership effectiveness, career results, employee engagement, and overall well-being. The book offers a systematic approach to nurturing work relationships with intentionality, demonstrating how to heal adversarial relationships and strengthen weaker ties.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction: Relationships: The True Currency for Success
2. The Remarkable Power of Being a Friend at Work: Why Be Robin to My Batman?
3. The Ally Mindset: We're All #BetterTogether
4. Abundance and Generosity: Be the Flame That Lights Another's Candle
5. Connection and Compassion: Empathy Rules!
6. Courage and Vulnerability: When You Let Your Guard Down, the Magic Happens
7. Candor and Debate: Stop Dancing with the Elephant in the Room
8. Action and Accountability: It's All Wishes, Ponies, and Unicorns Until the Money's in the Bank
9. From Adversary to Ally: Even Darth Vader Left the Dark Side
10. Trust: The Secret Sauce to Friendships at Work
11. Conclusion: Always Do Your Best

Introduction: Relationships: The True Currency for Success

The book begins by exploring the central role of relationships in achieving success at work. The authors introduce the Ally Mindset, which is about showing up in the relationships that matter most to you with intentionality and engagement. They highlight the importance of friendships in the workplace, stating, "When you have best friends at work—colleagues who have your back—you thrive."

“The Ally Mindset is the guiding principle that drives intentionality—what you feel, think, and do—and ultimately the health of the relationship and the mutual success that comes from it.” - Morag Barrett

The Remarkable Power of Being a Friend at Work: Why Be Robin to My Batman?

Friendship at work is a powerful driver of success. The authors discuss the Relationship Ecosystem, which emphasizes the dependencies we have on our bosses, teams, peers, and industry experts for success. The Ally Mindset connects deeply to personal values and personal brand, encouraging a shift from a "me" to "we" focus.