New Rules for Leadership in a World of Hybrid Work

In “Beyond Organizations: New Models for Getting Things Done" (IFTF 2018), the authors identify powerful transformations underway that present new opportunities for working, innovating, and empowering a diverse, distributed and connected workforce. Fast-forward to 2021 where we have lived through the changes forecasted—and where our future “new normal” remains hotly debated. Leaders who have “moved to the balcony” see that a hybrid workforce is a strategic imperative and a wicked challenge. It will require new forms of structuring work, evolving relationships, and changing business processes. Today’s investments in higher ed experiments will generate compound interest for those who dare try, fail, and iterate. We will present two real-world experiments at the University of Pennsylvania grounded in the research literature. Working remotely has shown us that redesigning analog structures (e.g., workflows and protocols) in combination with digital tools is an effective way to coordinate people, build relationships, and fuel mission-critical problem-solving. This is true regardless of a group’s physical distance, years of experience, titles, or specializations. The structures we propose are inherently inclusive by design and can be used in person and in fully remote or hybrid settings. The ability to connect, support, and leverage the immense talent that exists in every organization is a literacy. Combining engagement structures with platforms is a new rule for leadership.