298: How to Build a Hybrid Workplace That Works

There’s been a lot of controversy post-pandemic between companies and employees about returning to the physical workspace. This episode’s guest, Wayne Turmel, is uniquely qualified to discuss this topic.

Wayne was my guest on episode 77 in the fall of 2020 when we were dealing with the early months of COVID-19, and most people were working remotely. In that conversation, we discussed the book he and his co-author, Kevin Eikenberry, published PRE-COVID. It was called The Long-Distance Leader and focused on leading remote teams, so they were ahead of their time.

They’ve recently released the second edition of The Long-Distance Leader, subtitled Revised Rules for Remarkable Remote and Hybrid Leadership. In his interview here, we discussed key ideas from the updated book.

Wayne Turmel has been writing about developing communication and leadership skills for nearly 30 years. He’s also taught and consulted at Fortune 500 companies and startups around the world. For 18 years, he’s focused on the growing need to communicate effectively in remote and virtual environments.

In addition to his writing, Wayne is a sought-after speaker at business and leadership conferences and events. He’s the author of 15 books and a frequent guest at events such as ATD’s International Conference and Exposition and the European Digital Learning Expo. He’s also the host of the Long Distance Worklife Podcast. Marshall Goldsmith calls him “One of the most unique voices in leadership today.”

You’ll discover:

What happened after the first edition of the book that caused Wayne and Kevin to conclude they needed to update it
What Wayne means when he uses the word HYBRID and how it differs from the commonly understood meaning
The importance of factoring in TIME as part of a hybrid work schedule
The 3C model that needs to be considered when an organization wants to define its culture
Three reasons why young people want in-person time at the office