Hybrid Meetings ≠ Inclusive Meetings. I’ve lived it - and here’s 5 practical tips to ensure everyone has a voice, regardless of location. I spent more than 10,000 hours in hybrid meetings while as a remote leader for The Clorox Company. I was often the 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 remote attendee - while the rest of the group sat together in a conference room at HQ. Here’s what I learned the hard way: 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲... ...by showing who gets heard, who feels seen, and who gets left out. If you're leading a distributed or hybrid team, how you structure your meetings sends a loud message about what (and who) matters. 𝟱 𝘁𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶��𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗵𝘆𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: 1️⃣ 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 – who will actively combat distance bias and invite input from all meeting members 2️⃣ 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝗿 – to monitor the chat and the raised hands, to launch polls and to free up the facilitator to focus on the flow 3️⃣ 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗴 𝗶𝗻 - so that there is equal access to the chat, polls, and reactions 4️⃣ 𝗕𝘂𝗱𝗱𝘆 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 – pair remote team members with in-room allies to help make space in the conversation and ensure they can see and hear everything 5️⃣ 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗽 𝗮 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘂𝗽 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻 – be ready with a Plan B for audio, video, or connectivity issues in the room 𝘞𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳? 𝗧𝗿𝘆 𝗮 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹-𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴. If even one person is remote, have everyone log in from their own device from their own workspace to create a level playing field. 🔗 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗽𝘀 for creating location-inclusive distributed teams in this Nano Tool I wrote for Wharton Executive Education: https://lnkd.in/eUKdrDVn #LIPostingDayApril
Effective Team Communication
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Real conversations at work feel rare. Lately, in my work with employees and leaders, I’ve noticed a troubling pattern: real conversations don’t happen. Instead, people get stuck in confrontation, cynicism, or silence. This pattern reminded me of a powerful chart I often use with executives to talk about this. It shows that real conversations—where tough topics are discussed productively—only happen when two things are present: high psychological safety and strong relationships. Too often, teams fall into one of these traps instead: (a) Cynicism (low safety, low relationships)—where skepticism and disengagement take over. (b) Omerta (low safety, high relationships)—where people stay silent to keep the peace. (c) Confrontation (high safety, low relationships)—where people speak up but without trust, so nothing moves forward. There are three practical steps to create real conversations that turn constructive discrepancies into progress: (1) Create a norm of curiosity. Ask, “What am I missing?” instead of assuming you’re right. Curiosity keeps disagreements productive instead of combative. (2) Balance candor with care. Being direct is valuable—but only when paired with genuine respect. People engage when they feel valued, not attacked. (3) Make it safe to challenge ideas. Model the behavior yourself: invite pushback, thank people for disagreeing, and reward those who surface hard truths. When safety is high, people contribute without fear. Where do you see teams getting stuck? What has helped you foster real conversations? #Leadership #PsychologicalSafety #Communication #Trust #Teamwork #Learning #Disagreement
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The Leadership Mistake That’s Costing You Respect (And How to Fix It in 5 Minutes) What if I told you that the quickest way to lose trust as a leader is by always saying what people want to hear instead of what they need to hear? It’s true—and it’s one of the most common leadership traps. Why It Matters: Great leaders don’t sugarcoat reality. They provide clarity, even when the truth is uncomfortable. Studies show that organizations with high levels of radical candor—open, honest, and constructive feedback—experience 30% higher employee engagement and 25% lower turnover rates (Gallup, 2023). Desire & Conflict: A few years ago, I worked with a leader who prided himself on being “nice.” He avoided hard conversations, sidestepped accountability, and told his team what they wanted to hear, not what they needed to succeed. Morale seemed high—until performance plummeted, deadlines were missed, and the best employees quietly left. One day, after another avoidable mistake, the question was asked, “Do you want your team to like you today or respect you for years to come?” That moment changed everything. He started giving honest, constructive feedback—not to tear people down, but to build them up. Within months, the team’s performance and trust in leadership soared. How to Apply This Today: Want to build a culture of respect and high performance? Do these three things today: 1. Speak the truth with care – Don’t avoid hard conversations. Deliver feedback with both honesty and empathy. 2. Prioritize growth over comfort – If your goal is to be liked more than to lead, you’re failing your team. 3. Ask, ‘What do they NEED to hear?’ – Before giving feedback, check yourself: Are you offering value or just avoiding discomfort? Strong leadership isn’t about easy conversations—it’s about the right ones. Ready to level up your leadership? Drop a “YES” in the comments if you’re committed to telling people what they need to hear—not just what’s easy. For more leadership insights, check out my other post. ♻️ I hope you found this valuable, please share with your network. 📌As a seasoned finance and operations leader with years of experience, I am passionate about organizational leadership and developing future leaders. I am currently seeking my next opportunity and welcome connections to discuss how my expertise can add value to your organization. Click "Follow" and 🔔 #Leadership #HonestLeadership #LeadWithIntegrity #CoachingMatters #RespectInLeadership #LeadershipDevelopment #Mentorship
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Here's a revealing question for leaders: Do you actually know what decisions your team made last week? 👀 If you're like most managers, the answer is no. A Reality Check: Senior team members make dozens of significant decisions daily that you never see. Many of these shape your product, team, and culture in ways you don't realize. In the Teamwork Lab, we developed a simple but powerful exercise. How it works: 1️⃣ Ask your team to log their decisions for a week 2️⃣ Categorize decisions by type and impact 3️⃣ Discuss and work together to: ▶️ Identify patterns in stuck vs. flowing decisions ▶️ Clarify ownership boundaries ▶️ Remove unnecessary approvals What we learned: 🙌 19% increase in decision clarity ✅ 60% made more progress than usual 💙 85% would recommend to their teammates I’m an involved, supportive manager—and I was *shocked* by how much I learned the first time I did this with my team. It showed me new ways they excel in their roles, and how to help them remove friction or reduce complexity. 💡 Try it: Ask your team to write down every decision they make this week. When you discuss, ask how they *felt*. You’re not questioning their judgement or revisiting the outcome. You’re focused on understanding their experience. What was unclear? What was frustrating? What was easy? You'll be surprised—and you'll immediately see how to be a more effective leader. #Leadership #TeamEffectiveness #DecisionMaking
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One of the hardest balances to master as a leader is staying informed about your team’s work without crossing the line into micromanaging them. You want to support them, remove roadblocks, and guide outcomes without making them feel like you’re hovering. Here’s a framework I’ve found effective for maintaining that balance: 1. Set the Tone Early Make it clear that your intent is to support, not control. For example: “We’ll need regular updates to discuss progress and so I can effectively champion this work in other forums. My goal is to ensure you have what you need, to help where it’s most valuable, and help others see the value you’re delivering.” 2. Create a Cadence of Check-Ins Establish structured moments for updates to avoid constant interruptions. Weekly or biweekly check-ins with a clear agenda help: • Progress: What’s done? • Challenges: What’s blocking progress? • Next Steps: What’s coming up? This predictability builds trust while keeping everyone aligned. 3. Ask High-Leverage Questions Stay focused on outcomes by asking strategic questions like: • “What’s the biggest risk right now?” • “What decisions need my input?” • “What’s working that we can replicate?” This approach keeps the conversation productive and empowering. 4. Define Metrics and Milestones Collaborate with your team to define success metrics and use shared dashboards to track progress. This allows you to stay updated without manual reporting or extra meetings. 5. Empower Ownership Show your trust by encouraging problem-solving: “If you run into an issue, let me know your proposed solutions, and we’ll work through it together.” When the team owns their work, they’ll take greater pride in the results. 6. Leverage Technology Use tools like Asana, Jira, or Trello to centralize updates. Shared project platforms give you visibility while letting your team focus on execution. 7. Solicit Feedback Ask your team: “Am I giving you enough space, or would you prefer more or less input from me?” This not only fosters trust but also helps you refine your approach as a leader. Final Thought: Growing up playing sports, none of my coaches ever suited up and got in the game with the players on the field. As a leader, you should follow the same discipline. How do you stay informed without micromanaging? What would you add? #leadership #peoplemanagement #projectmanagement #leadershipdevelopment
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A common team issue that can (and does) easily drain any group: one person’s negative attitude starting to wear on the collective. Ignoring it might keep things civil on the surface, but in the long run, we all know that makes things worse. The last time I dealt with this situation, I recognized it as the opportunity it was — if I just framed the conversation right, it was a chance to address the root of the problem and grow together as a team. Here’s the approach I took: ➡️ Start with Openness I approached the conversation with genuine curiosity, aiming to understand the person and their negativity rather than judge them for it. Open-ended questions let me get some of the context without jumping to conclusions. ➡️ Acknowledge Emotions As we got to the heart of things, I did what I could to validate everyone’s feelings—theirs and mine. Recognizing emotions in these conversations keeps them respectful and clears the way for honesty. ➡️ Stay Solution-Focused Rather than focusing on what had gone wrong, I shifted the discussion to how we’d improve things in the future. It helped move us from finger-pointing to actionable change. Turning a challenging attitude around is a chance to build trust and reinforce a positive team culture. A little openness and respect can turn a “bad egg” moment into a boost for team alignment and morale. #leadership #teambuilding #companyculture
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Here's the secret to building trust with your team: It's actually a superpower inherent within us all. Teams trust leaders who show vulnerability. There, I said it, and the research backs me up. Teams are 𝟱𝘅 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲𝗹𝘆 to trust their leaders if they regularly show vulnerability (DDI research). During my leadership journey, I've come to realize that vulnerability isn't a weakness. It's actually an essential leadership tool. Why does it work? When you’re open about struggles and admit mistakes, you allow your team to do the same. This freedom builds authentic communication. And fosters a sense of safety and trust. Here’s how you can start building trust through vulnerability: 1. 𝗔𝘀𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 on a project. ➟ Show you don’t have all the answers. 2. 𝗦𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 from your team. ➟ Be open to learning from them. 3. 𝗔𝗱𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 when you make them. ➟ Share what you’ve learned. Model these behaviors and your team will feel empowered to take risks and collaborate more deeply. Show your team it’s safe to be vulnerable. Then, watch trust and engagement grow. __________ ♻️ Repost to help others build trust in their team. 🔔 Follow me, Nadeem, for more content like this.
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When I first stepped into a management role, my focus was on maintaining 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 and 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴 my team’s efforts. I believed that since they were professionals, they must already be aware of their own 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. I didn’t want to make anyone 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 or risk being disliked—I was a people pleaser at heart. However, in my eagerness to stay upbeat and 𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, I overlooked crucial opportunities for growth and development. It was a hard lesson to learn, but it taught me that feedback isn’t just about praise—it’s about 𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹. Research shows that 𝟲𝟱% of employees want more feedback and are eager to learn and grow. Yet, without 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸, we're missing a key opportunity to develop our teams effectively. It’s not just about being positive; it’s about being 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 and setting boundaries that help our team members 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲. Here are five steps to give feedback like a pro: 𝗕𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰: Focus on specific behaviors or situations rather than general traits. Clear examples make feedback more actionable. 𝗕𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗹𝘆: Provide feedback as close to the event as possible to ensure it’s relevant and can be immediately applied. 𝗕𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱: Combine positive feedback with constructive criticism to motivate and guide improvement without demoralizing. 𝗕𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲: Engage in a two-way conversation where you listen to their perspective and work together on solutions. 𝗕𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲: Offer guidance and resources to help them address the feedback and grow from the experience. Setting boundaries and delivering actionable feedback are skills that can be learned and refined. If you’re struggling to provide the kind of feedback that fuels growth and motivates your team, I’m here to help you navigate that journey. 📈 Ready to transform your feedback approach and help your team grow? Let's connect and unlock the potential within your team together. #Leadership #Feedback #TeamGrowth #Management #EmployeeDevelopment #ConstructiveFeedback #ProfessionalGrowth
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Conflict gets a bad rap in the workplace. Early in my career, I believed conflict had no place in a healthy workplace. As I progressed, I realized that it was quite the contrary. The lack of conflict isn't a sign of a healthy work culture, rather it is an indication that important debates, discussions and differing viewpoints are being disregarded or suppressed. This insight revealed another key aspect: high-performing teams do not shy away from conflict. They embrace it, leveraging diverse opinions to drive optimal outcomes for customers. What sets these teams apart is their ability to handle conflict constructively. So how can this be achieved? I reached out to my friend Andrea Stone, Leadership Coach and Founder of Stone Leadership, for some tips on effectively managing conflict in the workplace. Here's the valuable guidance she provided: 1. Pause: Take a moment to assess your feelings in the heat of the moment. Be curious about your emotions, resist immediate reactions, and take the time to understand the why behind your feelings. 2. Seek the Other Perspective: Engage genuinely, listen intently, show real interest, and ask pertinent questions. Remember to leave your preconceived judgments at the door. 3. Acknowledge Their Perspective: Express your understanding of their viewpoint. If their arguments have altered your perspective, don't hesitate to share this with them. 4. Express Your Viewpoint: If your opinion remains unswayed, seek permission to explain your perspective and experiences. Remember to speak from your viewpoint using "I" statements. 5. Discuss the Bigger Objective: Identify common grounds and goals. Understand that each person might have a different, bigger picture in mind. This process can be taxing, so prepare beforehand. In prolonged conflict situations, don't hesitate to suggest breaks to refresh and refuel mentally, physically, and emotionally. 6. Know Your Limits: If the issue is of significant importance to you, be aware of your boundaries. For those familiar with negotiation tactics, know your BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement). 7. Finalize Agreements: Once an agreement has been reached, continue the engagement to agree on responsibilities and timeframes. This ensures clarity on the outcome and commitments made. PS: Approach such situations with curiosity and assume others are trying to do the right thing. 🔁 Useful? I would appreciate a repost. Image Credit: Hari Haralambiev ----- Follow me, tap the (🔔) Omar Halabieh for daily Leadership and Career posts.
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The outdated brainstorming approach: • Gather a group of experts in a room • Grab a marker and a white board • (Try) to capture ideas as they are blurted out All that hard work for a few ideas from the big cheeses or loudmouths in the room? Here's the new path: • Admit that the boss isn't the only source of ideas • Recognize that not everyone with great ideas will compete for air time • Make time & space for people to think PRO TIP: non-Native speakers often need time to translate from one language to another - so they may struggle to shout out ideas in another language Here's how to get started: • Give everyone a sharpie and a pad of post-its • Ask everyone to silently write down ideas until they run out • Put them all on the board at the same time Then: • Group similar ideas together • Spend time discussing anything unclear • Hand out 10 small stickers to each team member - they can put as many of their stickers on an idea as they like (but they only get 10) PRO TIP: avoid making each idea its own category, or, lumping them all into a couple of categories PRO TIP: the boss doesn't get more stickers than anyone else Getting the best idea is hard, takes longer but worth it. I've used this countless times to great effect; it ends up being more comprehensive, and faster in the end. And, with common understanding and everyone able to weigh in, executing any ideas becomes 1000x easier. What are your best tools for capturing your team's creativity? Comment below #brainstorming #innovation #leadership