Appreciate this Brian - very practical example of what can - and does - work due to intentional leadership. ‘Movements, not mandates’ resonates - thank you for always sharing thoughtful views we can learn from.
Remote collaboration works so well at Airbnb in large part because they have an intentional culture focused on it. A lot of organizations don’t have that sort of structure. In person collaboration ends up being the easy way out.
Very true re lack of intention! The other issue they've got though, for the majority of large companies these days, is that people who need to collaborate aren't in the same office (or city). ~75% of Microsoft teams have manager and employees spread out, and generally that spread is worse when it comes to crossfunctional project teams.
I'm lucky enough to work at a company small enough to sit in one office but I work with plenty with that predicament. Going to the office to sit in virtual meetings is not brilliant.
Collaboration and innovation don’t only happen when we’re working in person. With the right tools and mindset, teams can spark creativity and solve complex problems across time zones and screens. In fact, virtual environments often allow for more inclusive participation, drawing on diverse perspectives that might not emerge in traditional settings.
Yes! So often over the past five years I've heard from leaders (who look like me) who missed the white board "brainstorming" sessions in person, not realizing some on their team weren't talking because they either felt like they might get ignored or shot down, or more fundamentally aren't the "live fire" type.
Appreciate this Brian - very practical example of what can - and does - work due to intentional leadership. ‘Movements, not mandates’ resonates - thank you for always sharing thoughtful views we can learn from.
Amazing how positively people engage in the work if you treat them like thinking, caring adults.
Great article.
Remote collaboration works so well at Airbnb in large part because they have an intentional culture focused on it. A lot of organizations don’t have that sort of structure. In person collaboration ends up being the easy way out.
Very true re lack of intention! The other issue they've got though, for the majority of large companies these days, is that people who need to collaborate aren't in the same office (or city). ~75% of Microsoft teams have manager and employees spread out, and generally that spread is worse when it comes to crossfunctional project teams.
I'm lucky enough to work at a company small enough to sit in one office but I work with plenty with that predicament. Going to the office to sit in virtual meetings is not brilliant.
Collaboration and innovation don’t only happen when we’re working in person. With the right tools and mindset, teams can spark creativity and solve complex problems across time zones and screens. In fact, virtual environments often allow for more inclusive participation, drawing on diverse perspectives that might not emerge in traditional settings.
Yes! So often over the past five years I've heard from leaders (who look like me) who missed the white board "brainstorming" sessions in person, not realizing some on their team weren't talking because they either felt like they might get ignored or shot down, or more fundamentally aren't the "live fire" type.