Author

John O’Duinn has written code and led engineering teams in companies ranging from four person startups, to non-profits, to multinationals – including in the US Government as part of the U.S. Digital Service in the Obama White House.

John has worked in distributed companies of one form or another for 32 years, led distributed teams for 19 years, run workshops and mentored distributed companies for 13 years.

John’s book “Distributed Teams: The Art and Practice of Working Together While Physically Apart” was first published in 2018, with a fully updated second edition published in January 2021. This business management book covers essential practical mechanics of how to work in and run distributed organizations, as well as the wider diversity, environmental, urban planning and community renewal benefits of distributed organizations. John helped write the State of Vermont’s 2018 “Remote Worker” law – a very different approach to Economic Development which was so successful that it has become the model followed by multiple other jurisdictions. John also advised on the State of California’s 2021 Telework Policy. John consults, gives testimony, helps draft bills and write policies for jurisdictions worldwide.

In April 2022, John joined the U.S. General Services Administration as a Senior Advisor helping with various “Future of Work” initiatives, including the U.S. President’s Management Agenda and the Chief Human Capital Officer (CHCO) Council. In April 2024, John joined the U.S. Internal Revenue Service as a Senior Advisor to the Chief Human Capital Officer, working on various initiatives to accelerate the largest hiring phase at the IRS in over 20 years.