The November 2022 leadership update is dedicated to hybrid working. Andy (in Melbourne) and Juliet (in Yorkshire) draw on LIW’s experience of hybrid and remote working with its 150 clients, near on 100 employees and associates spread across 20 countries to explore the points raised in a selection of articles on the list. Wherever you are in the hybrid conversation, it’s worth spending 20-minutes listening to this insight-packed conversation including agile as a way to support hybrid working, learning in a hybrid context and how to create culture in a hybrid organisation.
Elsewhere in the leadership update are articles on proximity bias, how outsourcing software development in the US is a response to talent shortage rather than cost savings and how two leadership styles are emerging in response to our uncertain world.
Plenty to get stuck into, happy watching and reading.
Research from Fossway finds that the best way for leaders to meet the challenges of hybrid working is to adopt agile working practices. By embedding transparency, purpose and agency in the employee experience they can improve performance and engagement.
Training Industry offers advice for creating compelling content for hybrid training. Start with empathy – connect with each person individually and in their context. Then, the art is in minimizing distractions and maximising interaction to optimise learning.
Creating culture in a remote workforce is hard but its possible and many orgs have done it really well – Zapier, GitLab, Buffer. Be intentional in communication, measure output not input, connect informally and leverage technology to work (and play) asynchronously.
As hybrid working becomes the norm, US businesses are increasingly outsourcing software development to fill talent gaps. In the past this was for cost saving but now it is driven by skill shortages and the flexibility of hybrid to accommodate non locals on the team.
Chief Diversity Officers have the shortest tenure of all executive roles. They last less than 2 years on average, citing lack of genuine commitment or resources from their organisation. And they may lack the skills necessary to manage conflict, build networks and influence.
Return to the office leads to proximity bias – literally favouring those close by. But research shows collaboration and EI are more predictive of team performance than if they are F2F or virtual, so leaders should be deliberate in choosing the right people for the job.
Investing in leadership development increases employee engagement and business value. 55% CEOs say it’s their no 1 priority but only 11% HR professionals say they have strong leadership bench strength. For great development set clear objectives and nurture a growth mindset
McKinsey identifies two leadership styles emerging in response to uncertainty in world economics and in business: one defensive and cautious, the other careful to protect the business but leaning in to volatility and galvanising action around new opportunities
