570: Effective Hybrid Team Management, with Hassan Osman

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Mar 7, 2022

Hassan Osman, a director at Cisco Systems and bestselling author on team management, dives into the complexities of managing hybrid teams. He discusses the growing demand for flexible work arrangements and the importance of fostering a remote-first culture to ensure inclusivity. Hassan highlights practical strategies like conducting all meetings online, involving remote members in decision-making, and optimizing team dynamics. Empathy in leadership and performance metrics are also key themes, guiding leaders to adapt effectively in this new work landscape.

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INSIGHT

Hybrid Work is the Future

Most organizations are moving towards hybrid work models, combining remote and on-site work.
Surveys consistently show employees favor a mix of home and office work, highlighting the benefits of both.

ADVICE

Avoid a Two-Tier System

Avoid creating a two-tiered system where on-site employees are favored over remote employees.
Such systems can arise inadvertently due to increased interaction and the propinquity effect.

ANECDOTE

The Isolated Rockstar

Hassan Osman shares an experience with a remote employee who felt isolated despite doing excellent work.
This highlights the importance of frequent check-ins and over-communication with remote team members.

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Hassan Osman: Hybrid Work Management

Hassan Osman is a director at Cisco Systems (his views are his own) where he leads a team of project and program managers on delivering complex projects across the world. He’s also served as a management consultant at EY, where he led projects and programs for the largest enterprises.

Hassan the author of several Amazon bestselling books about team management, including his most recent book, Hybrid Work Management: How to Manage a Hybrid Team in the New Workplace*.

In this conversation, Hassan and I examine the new reality and popularity of the hybrid workforce. Many leaders are now managing teams that are both co-located and remote, with individual team members regularly migrating between the two. We explore useful practices that will help you support effective teamwork and progress, regardless of physical location.

Key Points

Recent statistics from many sources are indicating that a majority of employees desire (and are beginning to expect) some kind of hybrid work arrangement.
Lead with a remote first culture so that there isn’t a two-tier class of employees in your organization.
Conduct all meetings online, regardless of the location of attendees. Use technology to provide a seamless experience whether somebody is co-located or remote.
Batch meetings together and, if possible, align work days to allow from in person interactions, when ideal.
Be cognizant of offline decisions. Involve remote employees in conversation that start offline and inform them about updates and decisions that might have occurred outside virtual interactions.

Resources Mentioned

Hybrid Work Management: How to Manage a Hybrid Team in the New Workplace* by Hassan Osman
Hybrid Work Management: How to Manage a Hybrid Team (Udemy course)
The Couch Manager (Hassan’s site)

Interview Notes

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