A blissful balance between remote freedom and face-to-face collaboration? Hybrid sounds heaven! But what’s your reality..? If you’re feeling simultaneously isolated from, and irritated by, your colleagues, you’re not alone. And it’s not just our tempers but our output that’s suffering…
Building successful collaboration requires trust and psychological safety. In a hybrid world, that also means bridging the “empathy gap.” When we don’t see each other’s effort, it’s easy to undervalue it—or worse, get paranoid (‘am I the only one NOT sending 5am emails?’) We miss the micro-interactions—body language, office banter – that build connection. Meanwhile, the endless calls and emails can ramp up miscommunication (‘a happy face emoji? Are you having A LAUGH?!’)
Remember, we humans have had 200,000 years to work on of communicating face-to-face. Email? It’s barely out of nappies. No wonder wires get crossed—it’s amazing we’re still talking at all!
Try our five experiments to help your team build the collaboration and communication they need to thrive.
Experiments
1. Call it Out
Hypothesis Leading from a place of vulnerability and transparency will create a safe space for other people to share the struggles they’re facing. Together you can then create a way forward.
Experiment Be open about any loss of connection or closeness that you might be feeling, and the impact it’s having on you. Own the part you’ve played in contributing to any breakdowns in communication, and instigate a conversation around how to move things on.
2. Tell People Why You Trust Them
Hypothesis: Research suggests that trust is a two-way street: ‘The more I feel you trust me, the more likely I am to trust you.’
Experiment: Put away your ‘List of Things that People have Done to Piss Me Off’ and start taking notes of the things that people have done brilliantly. Put time in their diary to thank them – giving specific feedback around the great work they’ve done. Funny ideas, inspiring actions, thoughtful gestures – what have you really valued recently?
3. Share Your Babies (Ideas, that is!)
Hypothesis: The more open you are around your own ideas, and other people’s inputs, the safer they’ll feel sharing their ideas with you.
Experiment: Put time in with a colleague to share a bit of your thinking that’s very new and close to your heart. Clearly signal that you’re feeling vulnerable about the idea. Convey how much you respect and trust your colleague – and their input. Thank them for their feedback on the idea: Even if it’s a poke in the eye, treat it like a warm hug!
4. A Safe Place to Whinge
Hypothesis: Rationally we know our colleagues remain as well-intentioned and hard-working as they’ve always been. Current frustrations are mostly by-products of the way we’re working, not whom we’re working with.
Experiment: Find a friend (or two) whom you trust deeply, and passes one crucial test: They don’t know anyone you work with! Create your own ‘Gripe Club’, and allow yourself the indulgence of letting off steam and airing all that irrational irritation. Take it in turns to listen and empathise with each other. Then play Devil’s Advocate, and offer a rival perspective around their gripe. See whether briefly sharing the emotion, and getting a fresh perspective allows you both to take a more rational and even approach.
