Welcome back to Impactful Teamwork! I’m Julia Felton, your host, and I’m excited to dive into a topic that’s more relevant than ever: boosting productivity in hybrid teams. The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed the landscape of work, compelling many organizations to adopt remote or hybrid work models. In this blog, we’ll explore how to enhance productivity in such environments, drawing insights from recent research by Gallup.

The Evolution of Work: From Office to Hybrid

Before the pandemic, the idea of remote work was often met with resistance. Many organizations, particularly in sectors like accounting and law, insisted on a five-day office week. However, COVID-19 forced a rapid shift to remote work, demonstrating that businesses can operate successfully with remote teams.

Now, we see a spectrum of approaches to work: fully remote, fully in-office, and hybrid models. This shift has highlighted the critical need for effective collaboration in hybrid environments. The challenge lies in replicating the informal learning and spontaneous interactions that occur naturally in an office setting.

The Challenge of Learning by Osmosis

In traditional office settings, employees often learn by osmosis—absorbing knowledge by observing and interacting with colleagues. This informal learning is harder to achieve in a hybrid or remote setup. Technical sectors, in particular, miss out on this crucial aspect of skill development.

To address this, organizations must find new ways to facilitate collaboration and knowledge sharing in hybrid teams. Let’s explore four key strategies recommended by Gallup to boost productivity in hybrid teams.

1. Plan for Success

The Importance of a Formal Collaboration Plan

Gallup’s research, involving 2,877 workers in the U.S., revealed that nearly 50% of hybrid workers lack a formal or informal plan for effective collaboration. Clear policies defining when and how remote work should be conducted are essential. This includes setting expectations for work hours, communication protocols, and availability.

Flexibility and Structure

While remote work offers flexibility—allowing employees to adjust their schedules for personal commitments—it can also create challenges. Without clear guidelines, employees might feel pressured to respond to emails outside of their work hours. Therefore, it’s crucial to balance flexibility with structured plans that outline when team members should be available and how they should communicate their unavailability.

The Impact of Having a Plan

Teams with a well-defined hybrid collaboration plan experience better collaboration and higher engagement. Gallup’s research shows that such teams are 2.2 times more likely to view their organization’s hybrid policy positively, 66% more likely to be engaged at work, and 29% less likely to experience burnout. These statistics underscore the importance of planning for hybrid work.

2. Coordinate Hybrid Collaboration

Regular Team Check-ins

Regularly scheduled team check-ins are vital for maintaining collaboration in hybrid teams. About two-thirds of companies with effective team check-ins report better collaboration. However, it’s essential to structure these meetings correctly to avoid meeting overload and ensure the right people are present.

Setting Guidelines for Availability

Clear guidelines on work hours and availability significantly enhance team collaboration. Knowing when team members are available helps prevent misunderstandings and ensures smooth communication. Additionally, setting specific days for on-site work can foster better face-to-face interactions and strengthen team bonds.

The Need for Face-to-Face Interactions

While hybrid work offers flexibility, in-person interactions remain crucial. Many teams today have members who have never met face-to-face, weakening their relationships. Therefore, creating opportunities for team members to meet in person, even occasionally, can greatly improve team dynamics and collaboration.

3. Reflect and Adapt

Implementing Best Practices

Regular reflection and adaptation are key to making hybrid work successful. Teams should frequently review what’s working, what’s not, and how they can improve. Gallup’s research indicates that only 22% of teams have weekly or monthly discussions about hybrid work practices. Increasing the frequency of these reviews can help teams continuously improve their hybrid collaboration strategies.

Continuous Feedback

Providing continuous feedback and making necessary adjustments help teams adapt to the hybrid work model. Regular discussions about best practices and lessons learned can foster a culture of continuous improvement and help teams stay aligned and productive.

4. Upskill for Hybrid Success

Training and Development

Only 21% of hybrid workers have received training on effective hybrid work practices. To succeed, teams need to learn how to navigate the challenges of hybrid work. This involves upskilling both managers and team members to work effectively in a hybrid environment.

The Role of Managers

Effective management is crucial for the success of hybrid teams. Gallup’s research shows that having an effective manager leads to four times higher employee engagement and well-being. Therefore, investing in training and support for managers can significantly enhance team productivity and engagement.

Building Stronger Relationships

The Need for Connection

Strong relationships are the foundation of effective teamwork. In a hybrid world, where spontaneous interactions are limited, teams need to consciously create opportunities for connection. This can include regular check-ins, virtual coffee breaks, and team-building activities.

Understanding Team Members

Knowing the strengths and weaknesses of each team member is crucial. Managers should encourage team members to share their skills and expertise, which might not be immediately apparent in a remote setting. This helps build a more cohesive and supportive team environment.

Conclusion: The Leader’s Role in Hybrid Teams

Leaders play a pivotal role in making hybrid teams work. By planning for success, coordinating collaboration, reflecting and adapting, and upskilling their teams, leaders can enhance productivity and engagement in hybrid environments. Building strong relationships and fostering a sense of connection among team members are also essential.

My invitation to you this week is to reflect on your hybrid teams. What can you do to improve performance? How can you enhance communication and set clear expectations? By addressing these questions, you can create a more productive and cohesive hybrid team.

Show Notes:

Here are the highlights from this episode:

Welcome back to Impactful Teamwork! I’m Julia Felton, your host and guide. After a brief hiatus for a refreshing vacation, I’m excited to delve back into the intricacies of teamwork and leadership with you. In this episode, I’ll share valuable lessons I gleaned from my recent experiences, including a transformative corporate event with horses and an intensive, high-stakes role at the Farnborough Airshow.

The Power of Experiential Learning

Before diving into the Farnborough Airshow insights, let’s touch on the transformative event I hosted for technology leaders. This event, where leaders from around the world engaged with horses, was the culmination of a multi-month leadership program. It brought theoretical lessons to life, illustrating how experiential learning can deepen understanding and application of leadership and teamwork principles.

Farnborough Airshow: A High-Stakes Learning Lab

The Farnborough Airshow is a monumental event in the aerospace industry, alternating annually with the Paris Airshow. This year’s event was staggering, with deals worth £81.5 billion being struck. It’s a place where industry giants showcase innovations and secure significant business, making it a high-pressure environment where every detail matters.

For the event, I managed a large, luxurious catering chalet for a long-term client. This involved orchestrating a team of 24 individuals, most of whom I had never met before. The challenge was to quickly form a high-performance team capable of delivering exceptional service under dynamic and high-pressure conditions. Here are the seven key lessons I learned from this experience.

1. Sharing Leadership

Effective teamwork requires distributed leadership. In the chalet, the scale and dynamism of the operations meant that a single person couldn’t oversee everything. I split leadership responsibilities among a few key individuals: the chef, the restaurant manager, and the bistro manager. This delegation allowed us to manage smaller, more focused teams, ensuring each area operated smoothly.

By sharing leadership, we could respond swiftly to the fast-paced changes typical of the airshow environment. This approach not only alleviated individual burdens but also empowered team members to take ownership of their roles, fostering a collaborative atmosphere.

2. Clearly Defined Roles

Clarity in job roles is crucial for effective teamwork. Each member of our team had a specific, well-defined role, which minimized confusion and maximized efficiency. For example, the chef managed all food-related activities, the restaurant manager oversaw the a la carte service, and the bistro manager handled the buffet.

This clear division of labor ensured that everyone knew their responsibilities and could focus on excelling in their specific tasks. It also facilitated better coordination and communication among team members, as each person understood how their role contributed to the overall success of the chalet.

3. Explaining the Purpose

Understanding the bigger picture can significantly boost motivation and performance. I took the time to explain to the team the significance of the Farnborough Airshow, the role of our client within the aerospace industry, and how our work impacted the client’s success.

When people understand the importance of their tasks and how they fit into the larger mission, they are more likely to be engaged and committed. Providing this context helped the team see beyond their immediate duties and appreciate the value of their contributions.

4. Paying Attention

Attention is a cornerstone of effective leadership. By paying close attention to the team’s needs, the environment, and the dynamics at play, I could address issues promptly and provide timely feedback. This attentiveness demonstrated that I valued the team’s efforts and was committed to their success.

Moreover, being attentive allowed me to recognize and celebrate individual achievements, fostering a sense of appreciation and motivation among team members. It also helped in identifying areas for improvement and making necessary adjustments on the fly.

5. Saying Thank You

Acknowledging and appreciating team members is vital for maintaining morale and motivation. Throughout the event, I made it a point to thank individuals for their hard work and dedication. This simple act of recognition helped build a positive team culture and encouraged everyone to continue performing at their best.

6. Seeking Feedback

Continuous improvement requires openness to feedback. I encouraged team members to share their insights and suggestions for better ways to operate. This collaborative approach not only led to operational enhancements but also made the team feel valued and heard.

Listening to feedback allowed us to adapt quickly and improve our service delivery, ensuring we met the client’s high standards. It also fostered a sense of ownership and accountability among team members, as they knew their opinions mattered.

7. Modeling the Way

Leading by example is perhaps the most powerful lesson of all. I made sure to be actively involved in all aspects of the operation, from serving meals to cleaning up. This hands-on approach showed the team that no task was beneath me and that I was willing to do whatever was necessary to ensure our collective success.

By modeling the way, I reinforced the values of teamwork, humility, and dedication. It also helped build trust and respect within the team, as they saw that I was committed to working alongside them and supporting their efforts.

Conclusion

The experience at the Farnborough Airshow reaffirmed the importance of these seven leadership and teamwork principles: sharing leadership, clearly defining roles, explaining the purpose, paying attention, saying thank you, seeking feedback, and modeling the way. These lessons are not only applicable in high-stakes environments like the airshow but are also valuable for everyday team interactions.

I encourage you to reflect on these principles and consider how you can apply them in your own organization. Whether you manage a team, work with suppliers, or engage with customers, these strategies can help you create more cohesive, collaborative, and high-performing teams

Show Notes:

Here are the highlights from this episode:

I’m super excited to be with you today. I received such great feedback on the episode about teamwork lessons from the African Big Five, where we talked about elephants, lions, and Cape Buffalo. Today, I thought we’d bring the discussion a bit closer to home by examining the teamwork of domestic UK animals.

Lessons from the African Bush

In that previous podcast, I shared my passion for Africa, stemming from three months living in the bush, training to be a safari guide. This experience taught me one of the key leadership skills essential for high-performance teams: paying attention. In the African bush, paying attention is crucial for survival, and teamwork is vital. Each team member needs to pull their weight to avoid danger. While we don’t face literal mountain lions in the business world, we do encounter competitive threats and technological changes that require us to adapt and work together effectively.

The Efficiency of Honeybees

Let’s start with honeybees. Given that it’s summer and bees are buzzing around, it’s a perfect time to learn from them. Bees live in swarms and are among the most efficient teams in nature. With up to 60,000 bees in a hive, they’ve developed a sophisticated role delegation system to ensure maximum efficiency. Each hive contains three types of adult bees, each with a specific function.

1. Queen Bee: The only bee capable of laying eggs, the queen controls the types of bees produced, making her an exceptional HR manager.
2. Drone Bees: Male bees whose primary role is to fertilize the queen’s eggs.
3. Worker Bees: Female bees responsible for daily hive maintenance, including cleaning, feeding the queen, building combs, and defending the hive.

Management Lessons from Bees

Honeybees offer valuable management lessons:

• Segregation of Duty: Clear roles boost productivity. Each bee knows its role, similar to how clarity in organizational roles enhances efficiency.
• Branding: Bees from the same hive share a pigmentation indentation that helps distinguish different colonies. This concept can be applied to brand management in businesses to create trust and loyalty.
• Disaster Management: Bees sense danger through hormones and communicate effectively to prepare for attacks. Businesses need robust disaster recovery plans to mitigate risks, especially related to technology failures.

However, there are drawbacks, such as a lack of autonomy and a potential silo mentality. While clear roles are essential, too much rigidity can hinder decision-making and innovation.

Teamwork Lessons from Ants

Next, let’s consider ants. These small but mighty creatures live in colonies of up to 10 million and have over 12,000 species. Ant colonies have a queen, female workers, and males. Each ant plays a pivotal role in the colony’s survival.

Ants are known for their strength, able to lift 20 times their body weight. Despite their strength, they rely on teamwork to transport food. They follow a scent trail laid down by the first ant to find food, demonstrating effective communication and collaboration.

Key Takeaways from Ants

Ants provide lessons in:

• Planning and Organization: Ants gather food and build mounds in the summer to prepare for winter. This foresight helps them survive and thrive.
• Commitment: Each ant is devoted to the colony’s survival, showcasing the importance of loyalty and dedication.

However, like bees, ants face challenges with agility. Strict role definitions can lead to stagnation and reduced job satisfaction.

Observing Nature for Business Insights

Nature offers numerous examples of effective teamwork. By observing animals like bees and ants, we can gain insights into role clarity, communication, planning, and commitment. Applying these lessons in business can enhance productivity and foster a collaborative environment.

The Power of Shared Leadership: Lessons from Geese

As I look out the window, I see Canadian geese, another excellent example of teamwork. Geese fly in a V-formation, with one taking the lead while others follow in the slipstream. They rotate leadership to share the load, demonstrating the power of shared leadership. This model can be applied in organizations to create a collaborative and supportive environment.

Conclusion

Teamwork is a competitive superpower that can significantly impact business success. By learning from nature, we can harness and optimize the potential of our teams. I encourage you to observe nature and find strategies that can be applied in your workplace.

Show Notes:

Here are the highlights from this episode: