Strengthening Team Collaboration

Your success as a leader comes down to how well you set others up to succeed. And I’ve gotten this wrong more than once. When onboarding new leaders, I would give them a stack of docs, send them on a listening tour, and check in often. I assumed that was enough. It wasn’t. I gave them information—but not context. And context is what actually drives clarity, confidence, and results. I’ve since rethought my entire approach to onboarding leaders. This year, when two fantastic leaders joined our team, I did something different: spent a week on providing context. No shortcuts. We talked through: Our mission, strategy, and priorities What success looks like in their first 90 days, 6 months, and year What’s worked—and what hasn’t—in these roles before How we’ll share feedback and stay in sync The shift? Less “onboarding” as a task. More “transferring judgment.” We left with shared context. And here’s what’s interesting: the same thing applies when onboarding AI agents. You can’t just dump data into a system and hope it performs. AI needs context too—about your customers, your voice, your goals, and what “good” looks like. Whether you’re onboarding a new employee or a new AI teammate, the principle is the same: Context isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s the difference between getting started and getting results.

Early in my facilitation career, I made a big mistake. Spent hours crafting engaging activities and perfecting every little detail… Thinking that amazing learning design is what would make my workshops stand out and get me rehired. Some went great. Some bombed. You know the ones, sessions where: - One participant dominated the conversation. - People quietly disengaged, barely participating. - half the group visibly frustrated but not saying anything. I would push through, hoping things would course-correct. But by the end, it was a bit… meh. I knew my learning design was great so... What was I missing? Why the inconsistency between sessions? 💡I relied too much on implicit agreements. I realised that I either skipped or rushed the 'working agreements'. Treating it like a 'tick' box exercise. And it's here I needed to invest more time Other names for this: Contract, Culture or Design Alliance, etc... Now, I never start a session without setting a working agreement. And the longer I'm with the group, the longer I spend on it. 25 years of doing this. Here are my go-to Qs: 🔹 What would make this session a valuable use of your time? → This sets the north star. It ensures participants express their needs, not just my agenda. 🔹 What atmosphere do we want to create? → This sets the mood. Do they want an energising space? A reflective one? Let them decide. 🔹 What behaviours will support this? → This makes things concrete. It turns abstract hopes into tangible agreements. 🔹 How do we want to handle disagreement? → This makes it practical. Conflict isn’t the problem—how we navigate it is. ... The result? - More engaged participants. - Smoother facilitation. - Ultimately, a reputation as the go-to person for high-impact sessions. You probably already know this. But if things don't go smoothly in your session. Might be worth investing a bit more time at the start to prevent problems later on. Great facilitation doesn't just happen, It's intentional, and it's designed. ~~ ♻️ Share if this is a useful reminder ✍️ Have you ever used a working agreement in your workshops? What’s one question you always ask? Drop it in the comments!

When working with multiple LLM providers, managing prompts, and handling complex data flows — structure isn't a luxury, it's a necessity. A well-organized architecture enables: → Collaboration between ML engineers and developers → Rapid experimentation with reproducibility → Consistent error handling, rate limiting, and logging → Clear separation of configuration (YAML) and logic (code) 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗗𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 It’s not just about folder layout — it’s how components interact and scale together: → Centralized configuration using YAML files → A dedicated prompt engineering module with templates and few-shot examples → Properly sandboxed model clients with standardized interfaces → Utilities for caching, observability, and structured logging → Modular handlers for managing API calls and workflows This setup can save teams countless hours in debugging, onboarding, and scaling real-world GenAI systems — whether you're building RAG pipelines, fine-tuning models, or developing agent-based architectures. → What’s your go-to project structure when working with LLMs or Generative AI systems? Let’s share ideas and learn from each other.

Someone recently asked me if there are any internal phrases/mantras we lean on at Doist. I thought this was a great question, so wanted to share my responses here (and I’d love to hear any you have as well!)… 1️⃣ Async not asap. We value thoughtful, well-considered work over speedy, one-line-at-a-time communication. By embracing asynchronous communication, we empower our team members to collaborate effectively without the constant pressure of immediacy. 2️⃣ Disagree and commit. Diverse perspectives are our strength. We encourage healthy debates, but once a decision is made, we commit as a team. It's about unity in action, even when we hold differing views. 3️⃣ Remote first, not remote only. Flexibility is key! We prioritize remote work but maintain the option for intentionally curated in-person interactions a few times per year. 4️⃣ If it’s not a hell yea, it’s a no. There are a lot of good ideas, but if everything is a priority, then nothing is a priority. We believe in focusing on what truly matters, so if a project or idea doesn't align perfectly with our goals, we owe it to everyone on the team to pass, even if the potential outcome is positive. 5️⃣ Decisions drive action. We don't dwell in analysis paralysis. Once we make a decision, we act on it promptly, ensuring our ideas turn into impactful outcomes. 6️⃣ Radical Candor. Honest and caring feedback can be especially difficult to elicit in a predominantly async-first environment since non-verbal communication represents 80% of how we express ourselves (and we lose a lot of that in the virtual world). So it’s imperative we foster an environment where open, direct communication is valued, and where constructive criticism leads to personal and professional development. 7️⃣ Deep work. We champion deep, focused work, and we value creating dedicated time for meaningful tasks, while minimizing distractions and interruptions, to maximize productivity. Chatting isn't working, being present doesn't equate to output. 8️⃣ Document it. Knowledge sharing is key in a remote environment, so we make it a point to document our processes, decisions, and insights so that everyone can access and benefit from our collective wisdom. When something is mentioned in passing, we’ll often say “document it”, to ensure it is hardcoded into our handbook. Very few days go by where I don’t hear/read one of these phrases mentioned, so they truly are core to our company culture, and baking them into how we communicate has a real impact on how we make work, work. I hope this is helpful for you, and if you have any similar mantras your team leans on, I’d really love to hear them 👇

Tired of endless meetings and pointless emails? High-performing teams have cracked the code. Ever noticed how some teams just "click" while others struggle with endless back-and-forth? The secret lies in how they communicate. After all, we spend 88% of our time at work communicating. After working with diverse teams for 20 years, I've identified 10 core principles that can transform your team's communication: 1. Quality over Quantity: Less talk, more impact. 2. Clarity Above All: Ensure your message is crystal clear. 3. Consistency Builds Alignment: Repeat key messages across all channels. 4. Active Listening: A Two-Way Street 5 Cultivate Small Talk: Strong relationships fuel effective communication. 6. Storytelling: Engage and Inspire 7. Transparency Fosters Trust 8. Embrace Feedback as Growth 9. Mindful Body Language: Your body language speaks volumes. 10. Establish a Push/Pull/Exchange System: Empower your team to share and receive information effectively. These principles go beyond just sending emails. They're about creating a culture of open, honest, and impactful communication. What are your top communication tips? Share in the comments below! And follow me Oliver Aust for daily insights on leadership communications.

The lesson I take from so many dispersed teams I’ve worked with over the years is that great collaboration is not about shrinking the distance. It is about deepening the connection. Time zones, language barriers, and cultural nuances make working together across borders uniquely challenging. I see these dynamics regularly: smart, dedicated people who care deeply about their work but struggle to truly see and understand one another. One of the tools I often use in my work with global teams is the Harvard Business School case titled Greg James at Sun Microsystems. It tells the story of a manager leading a 45-person team spread across the U.S., France, India, and the UAE. When a major client system failed, the issue turned out not to be technical but human. Each location saw the problem differently. Misunderstandings built up across time zones. Tensions grew between teams that rarely met in person. What looked like a system failure was really a connection failure. What I find powerful about this story, and what I see mirrored in so many organizations today, is that the path forward is about rethinking how we create connection, trust, and fairness across distance. It is not where many leaders go naturally: new tools or tighter control. Here are three useful practices for dispersed teams to adopt. (1) Create shared context, not just shared goals. Misalignment often comes from not understanding how others work, not what they’re working on. Try brief “work tours,” where teams explain their daily realities and constraints. Context builds empathy, and empathy builds speed. (2) Build trust through reflection, not just reliability. Trust deepens when people feel seen and understood. After cross-site collaborations, ask: “What surprised you about how others see us?” That simple reflection can transform relationships. (3) Design fairness into the system. Uneven meeting times, visibility, or opportunities quickly erode respect. Rotate schedules, celebrate behind-the-scenes work, and make sure recognition travels across time zones. Fairness is a leadership design choice, not a nice-to-have. Distance will always be part of global work, but disconnection doesn’t have to be. When leaders intentionally design for shared understanding, reflected trust, and structural fairness, I've found, distributed teams flourish. #collaboration #global #learning #leadership #connection Case here: https://lnkd.in/eZfhxnGW

𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐞 𝐚 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 Ok, so they are not the ONLY factor in company culture, but they are quite important!! Rituals can vary widely depending on the company's culture, goals, and the nature of its work, but they could look something like this: 👥 𝐃𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝-𝐮𝐩𝐬: A brief daily meeting where team members share their priorities for the day and any obstacles they might be facing. This ritual fosters transparency, accountability, and collaboration. 🎉 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐥𝐲 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐬: A weekly gathering, either virtual or in-person, where employees share their achievements from the week, no matter how small. This practice encourages recognition and appreciation among team members. 🎯 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐥𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡 𝐒𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: A monthly meeting dedicated to reflecting on the past month's successes and challenges and setting intentions or goals for the upcoming month. This ritual can help in continuous improvement and goal alignment. 🥗 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬: Regularly scheduled sessions where team members come together to share knowledge, skills, or insights, often over lunch. These can include internal presentations, guest speakers, or group discussions on relevant topics. 🎂 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐬: Establishing rituals around celebrating birthdays, work anniversaries, or significant milestones. These can range from simple acknowledgments to more elaborate gatherings, emphasizing the value of each team member. 🧘♂️ 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐬: Starting meetings with a minute of silence, deep breathing, or a short mindfulness exercise to center the group and reduce stress. The most effective rituals help to bring people closer. They are shared experiences, which help people to bond. If you look around, you might see that you have some rituals in place already. Consider the bonding that happens...and whether it could be strengthened. 🤔 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 👉 Always take into account diverse backgrounds and needs. 👉 Ensure chosen rituals align with the desired culture 👉 Make rituals visible and recognized within the organization 👉 Encourage active participation from all team members 👉 Rotate responsibilities for leading or organizing the rituals 👉 Decide on a regular schedule and stick to it 👉 Be open to making adjustments based on feedback By thoughtfully designing and implementing shared rituals, organizations can strengthen team bonds, enhance communication, and cultivate a positive and cohesive workplace culture 🚀 What rituals support a positive culture in your organization? Share your experiences below 🙏 #rituals #habits #workplaceculture #culture #culturematters #routines #positiveworkenvironment #positiveworkculture Image source: https://lnkd.in/e_zGe_WQ Image credit: Shane Snow

Culture is everything 🙏🏾 When leaders accept or overlook poor behaviour, they implicitly endorse those actions, potentially eroding the organisation’s values and morale. To build a thriving culture, leaders must actively shape it by refusing to tolerate behaviour that contradicts their values and expectations.
 The best leaders: 
 1. Define and Communicate Core Values: * Articulate Expectations: Clearly define and communicate the organisation’s core values and behavioural expectations. Make these values central to every aspect of the organisation’s operations and culture. * Embed Values in Policies: Integrate these values into your policies, procedures, and performance metrics to ensure they are reflected in daily operations. 
 2. Model the Behaviour You Expect: * Lead by Example: Demonstrate the behaviour you want to see in others. Your actions should reflect the organisation’s values, from how you interact with employees to how you handle challenges. 3. Address Poor Behaviour Promptly: * Act Quickly: Confront and address inappropriate behaviour as soon as it occurs. Delays in addressing issues can lead to a culture of tolerance for misconduct. * Apply Consistent Consequences: Ensure that consequences for poor behaviour are fair, consistent, and aligned with organisational values. This reinforces that there are clear boundaries and expectations.
 4. Foster a Culture of Accountability: * Encourage Self-Regulation: Promote an environment where everyone is encouraged to hold themselves and others accountable for their actions. * Provide Support: Offer resources and support for employees to understand and align with organisational values, helping them navigate challenges and uphold standards.
 5. Seek and Act on Feedback: * Encourage Open Communication: Create channels for employees to provide feedback on behaviour and organisational culture without fear of reprisal. * Respond Constructively: Act on feedback to address and rectify issues. This shows that you value employee input and are committed to maintaining a positive culture.
 6. Celebrate Positive Behaviour: * Recognise and Reward: Acknowledge and reward employees who exemplify the organisation’s values. Celebrating positive behaviour reinforces the desired culture and motivates others to follow suit. * Share Success Stories: Highlight examples of how upholding values has led to positive outcomes, reinforcing the connection between behaviour and organisational success.
 7. Invest in Leadership Development: * Provide Training: Offer training and development opportunities for leaders at all levels to enhance their skills in managing behaviour and fostering a positive culture. 8. Promote Inclusivity and Respect: * Build a Diverse Environment: Create a culture that respects and values diversity. Inclusivity strengthens the organisational fabric and fosters a more collaborative and supportive work environment.

🌐 "How can we lead inclusive team meetings when our team is so widely distributed across timezones?" That's a question our #Inclusion Strategy team at Netflix has been reflecting on quite a bit lately – and that's surely not an issue we face alone. Here are some ideas that popped up as we put our geographically distance heads together to ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to participate in discussions that are relevant to all: 1️⃣ Establish a Meeting Time Rotation: to ensure fair participation, create a rotating schedule for your meetings. This means alternating meeting times to accommodate different time zones, so that each team member has an opportunity to attend during their regular working hours on a rotating basis. 2️⃣ Consider Core Overlapping Hours: identify the core overlapping hours when the majority of team members are available. Aim to schedule important meetings during these hours to maximize attendance. This may require some flexibility from all team members, but it fosters a sense of shared responsibility for ensuring everyone's voice can be heard. 3️⃣ Prioritise Meeting Relevance: ensure that meetings are called only when it's essential for all team members to be present. Avoid scheduling meetings for routine updates that can be shared asynchronously, giving team members more flexibility to manage their schedules. 4️⃣ Create Pre-Meeting Materials: provide agendas, and key discussion points well in advance, so team members who cannot attend live sessions can still contribute their input asynchronously. This way, everyone can stay informed and engaged in the decision-making process. 5️⃣ Encourage Rotating Facilitation: consider rotating meeting facilitators to accommodate different time zones. This not only distributes the responsibility but also allows team members from various geographies to lead discussions and bring diverse perspectives to the forefront. 6️⃣ Use Inclusive Meeting Technologies: leverage virtual meeting tools with features like real-time chat and polling to foster engagement from all participants, regardless of their location. Consider having all meetings recorded by default (unless there's a compelling reason not to), streamlining access to the team immediately after each recording is ready. 7️⃣ Promote Open Feedback Channels: establish channels for team members to asynchronously provide feedback on meeting times and themes, and communication methods. 8️⃣ Acknowledge and Respect Personal & Cultural Differences: be mindful of cultural practices and observances that may impact team members' availability or participation. Strive to do the same about individuals' needs, too (like dropping kids at school). These strategies can help create an inclusive and equitable approach to meetings, enhancing the chances of all team members feeling valued and empowered to contribute. How else can you foster that? 🤔

Communication isn't what you say. It's what everyone hears. And not just what they hear passively. But what action your words inspire in them. If you're leading a team, remember: • 90% of your team didn't hear you the first time • 50% didn't hear you the third time • 10% never will Clear communication requires repetition. When you're sick of saying it, they start to hear it. Here's the pattern the best communicators follow: 1. Create Systems Don't rely on one-off conversations. Build processes that reinforce the message consistently. Different formats for different learners. 2. Embrace Repetition Clarity requires persistence, not perfection. Say it again. Then say it differently. Then say it again. 3. Verify Understanding Check what was heard, not what was said. Ask: "What did you take away from that?" Create feedback loops that close the gap. Here's how the world's best leaders put these patterns into practice: Satya Nadella's "Model-Coach-Care" ↳ Shows the way personally first ↳ Coaches others through the change ↳ Demonstrates genuine care for outcomes "Don't be a Know-It-All. Be a Learn-It-All." Ray Dalio's "Radical Transparency" ↳ Records every meeting at Bridgewater ↳ Makes them available to all employees ↳ Uses real-time feedback tools "Lead discussions by being assertive AND open-minded. At the same time." Andy Grove's "Disagree and Commit" ↳ Encouraged vigorous debate before decisions ↳ Required full alignment after decisions ↳ Made dissent safe, but execution non-negotiable "Let chaos reign, then rein in chaos." Steve Jobs's "Three-Story Rule" ↳ Every product launch told three stories maximum ↳ Repeated the same core message relentlessly ↳ Made complex ideas simple and memorable "Simple can be harder than complex." Reed Hastings's "Context Over Control" ↳ Netflix's culture deck shared widely for transparency ↳ Attracts the right people before they even apply ↳ Replaces rules with shared understanding "Don't tolerate brilliant jerks. The cost to teamwork is too high." The best leaders aren't the best speakers. They're the best at being understood. And they never stop until they are. 🔔 Follow Dave Kline for more leadership insights. ♻️ Share to help other leaders communicate with impact.