The Collaboration Superpowers Podcast

How can a Head of Remote act as the organizational glue that holds strategy, people, and processes together? Laurel Farrer, former Head of TeamOps at GitLab and internationally renowned thought leader, explains how this pivotal role shapes the future of work.

How do you build a culture that thrives in a remote-first environment? Madison Crane, Head of Remote at The Remote Company, shares her approach to ensuring that distributed teams stay engaged, motivated, and aligned.

How do organizations create effective systems for remote work while maintaining strong connections? Wayne Turmel, co-founder of The Remote Leadership Institute and co-author of The Long-Distance Leader and The Long-Distance Teammate, shares his decades of experience helping teams communicate, connect, and thrive in dispersed workplaces.

What does it take to create a thriving remote work culture? Chris Dyer, bestselling author, speaker, and company culture expert, shares his wealth of experience in transforming organizations through exceptional leadership and innovative practices. With his signature 7 Pillar Strategy, Chris has helped countless companies unlock productivity, performance, and profits while fostering exceptional workplace cultures.

How does one build a workplace that balances culture, efficiency, and innovation in a remote-first world? Meet Joanne Barnett, a trailblazer in Future of Work strategies, as she shares her experiences driving exceptional culture, employee experience, and operational excellence in remote-first businesses. With her award-winning expertise, Joanne has helped organizations design sustainable, people-centric workplaces that thrive in today's distributed environment.

What happens when a traditional industry embraces modern work practices? Join Grayson Harris, Flexible Work and Engagement Partner, as he shares his journey from designing wind and solar farms to pioneering flexible work strategies in his company. Inspired by his own experiences as a digital nomad, Grayson transitioned into a Head of Remote role, bringing fresh ideas and structured approaches to drive engagement and productivity in a hybrid workplace.

How do you lead a fully remote team while championing work-life integration and visible teamwork? Rowena Hennigan, Head of Remote at Nosana.io and founder of RoRemote, shares her journey as a remote work advocate, educator, and changemaker. With over 25 years of experience and a deep passion for the socioeconomic benefits of remote work, Rowena reveals how she helps organizations create impactful offsites, foster team cohesion, and model flexibility in action.

How do you build thriving teams and create intentional connections in a rapidly scaling remote-first environment? Nadia Vatalidis, Interim Director of Talent Acquisition at Camunda and former VP of People at Remote.com, takes us behind the scenes of scaling teams from 70 to over 1,000 employees while maintaining culture, connection, and operational excellence. Her insights shine a light on the evolving role of Heads of Remote and how intentionality can transform distributed workplaces.

What does it take to drive organizational success as a Head of Product Excellence in a flexible-first environment? Valentina Thörner shares how she navigates the intersection of HR, operations, and leadership to optimize processes, empower teams, and create a culture of seamless collaboration at SCALAR. Her unique approach to remote work combines strategic insight with a human touch, offering invaluable advice for leaders and organizations embracing the future of work.

How do you build a thriving remote workforce while maintaining a culture of engagement, well-being, and continuous learning? Kenneth Hellem, Chief People Officer at Ultimate Beauty, reveals his approach to leading a fully remote, people-first organization. Kenneth's work sits at the intersection of operations and people management, and his insights offer practical advice for anyone looking to create happier and more productive remote teams.

What does it take to lead a remote-first organization with 100+ professionals across 35 countries? In this episode, Chase Warrington, Head of Operations at Doist (the creators of Todoist and Twist), shares how he has helped shape a fully remote company that serves over 40 million customers in 19 languages. From building operational infrastructure to fostering a culture of transparency, Chase provides actionable insights for leaders navigating the complexities of flexible-first work.

How do you scale a remote-first company across 40+ countries while maintaining a results-driven, people-focused culture? In this episode, we dive deep with Dajana Berisavljević Đakonović, the Head of People at Toggl. With over eight years of People Ops experience, Dajana shares the lessons from Toggl's journey—from growing a fully distributed team to 130+ people to streamlining operations and prioritizing clarity, accountability, and well-being.

Welcome to the first episode of the Head of Remote podcast! In this series, we'll explore one of the most transformative roles in the modern workplace: the Head of Remote. Remote work is more than a trend—it's a permanent shift in how we collaborate and connect. But to make it work, organizations need dedicated leadership to guide the cultural, operational, and behavioral changes that come with flexibility. That's where the Head of Remote comes in. In this episode, host Lisette Sutherland sets the stage for what's to come, diving into the purpose of this series and why the Head of Remote role is crucial for thriving in a flexible-first world. You'll hear insights from remote work pioneers like Nadia Vatalidis, Kenneth Hellem, and Laurel Farrer, who share their definitions of the role, key responsibilities, and the essential skills required for success. Tune in to kick off this journey and discover why the future of work starts here.

Understanding what we need to be productive isn't just about optimizing output; it's about crafting a lifestyle that aligns with our values and interests.   By identifying the specific conditions under which we thrive—be it the silence of an early morning, the dynamic buzz of a café, or the structured environment of an office—we can achieve our best work and live our best lives.   This self-knowledge is a foundation for building routines, choosing workspaces, and selecting tools that resonate with our personal and professional goals. For more stories of remote teams doing great things, visit https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com.

In this episode, we're returning to our conversation with Darren Murph, the Head of Remote at GitLab, originally recorded in July 2021. As we navigate the shifting landscapes of remote work in March 2024, Darren's insights on fostering company culture from a distance have only become more salient. This revisit highlights Darren's valuable strategies for cultivating a strong, unified company culture in remote settings and reflects on how these approaches have stood the test of time. Tune in to rediscover Darren's expert advice and explore how his wisdom continues to guide teams towards embracing and embodying their culture, no matter where they are. For more stories of remote teams doing great things, visit https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com.

In this episode of the Collaboration Superpowers podcast, we hosted esteemed guests David Horowitz, Esther Derby, and Diana Larsen. The conversation dived into the essence of conducting a successful remote agile retrospective, highlighting the importance of clear goals, structured feedback, and the engagement of all team members. Our guests shared common pitfalls in organizing retrospectives, such as lack of preparation and inadequate follow-up on action items. They reflected on their journey of writing and updating their seminal book on agile retrospectives, noting the adjustments made in the second edition to address changes in the agile landscape and incorporate new learnings. For more stories of remote teams doing great things, visit https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com.

In this episode, we explore the transformative impact of intentional teamwork in remote and hybrid environments. We discuss how deliberate collaboration, clear communication, and a shared vision can create a cohesive, productive team.   Learn how teams that collaborate with purpose and strategy can overcome the challenges of distance, utilize diverse strengths, and achieve extraordinary results. Listen in to discover how intentional collaboration can become your team's ultimate superpower in today's ever-changing work landscape. For more stories of remote teams doing great things, visit https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com.

DOM PRICE is the head of R&D and work futurist at Atlassian. Originally from Manchester, now living in Sydney, Australia, Dom spends half his time on the road between the US, Europe, and Australia. We discuss what Atlassian struggles with and how they share and scale knowledge throughout their organization. We also discuss how they manage communication with teams having different backgrounds, cultures. and rituals – and what they do when conflict arises. Dom's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominic-price-0892243/ For more, visit www.collaborationsuperpowers.com.  

In a traditional office, overhearing incidental conversations can lead to serendipitous learning and fast problem-solving. But how can we simulate this beneficial aspect of office culture in an online environment? Here are actionable tips to help you recreate the magic of overhearing, even when your team is spread across different locations. For more stories of remote teams doing great things, visit https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com.

Overworking can stem from various factors, including the desire to accommodate different time zones or the absence of physical cues signaling the end of the workday. This constant “on” mode can lead to burnout and decreased productivity. Recognizing the signs and implementing strategies to maintain a healthy work-life balance is essential. For more stories of remote teams doing great things, visit https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com.

Karin Hurt and David Dye are CEO and President of Let's Grow Leaders and are known for their practical tools and leadership development programs. They are about to release their newest book, Powerful Phrases For Dealing With Workplace Conflict, which aims to help employees and managers create better communication practices. This all leads to building meaningful relationships so that we can get work done - and even enjoy doing it. In this interview, we discuss what they learned from their extensive workplace conflict survey and the four dimensions of constructive conflict, and we learn a few phrases that can make a difference immediately. For more stories of remote teams doing great things, visit https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com.

STEFAN ROLOFF is an Agile Coach who plans and facilitates hybrid PI Planning sessions across multiple time zones. In this interview, we delve into the complex landscape of Scaled Agile and Program Increment (PI) Planning. Stefan shares his insights on synchronizing agile teams globally, outlining actionable steps for overcoming time-zone barriers and fostering effective collaboration. For more stories of remote teams doing great things, visit https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com.

HEATHER HANSEN is a true trailblazer in global communication and an unwavering advocate for amplifying diverse voices. Heather's resounding stand against language-related biases in international teams has garnered her a prominent position as a sought-after consultant for some of the world's largest companies. With her thought-provoking 2018 TEDx talk, "2 Billion Voices: How to speak bad English Perfectly," Heather unravels the unspoken influences of language, accent, and eloquence on our perceptions. Today, we dive into her vision of creating "Unmuted" workplaces, where inclusivity, innovation, and open communication thrive in an ever-evolving landscape of remote work and dispersed teams. For more stories of remote teams doing great things, visit https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com.

ADAM RIGGS is the CEO and Found of Frameable, building products to help the digital collaboration experience in MS Teams. Before Frameable, Adam was a Presidential Innovation Fellow at the Treasury Dept. and a subject matter expert at the State Dept. on various open data and knowledge management challenges. Adam shares his best practices and tools for the remote and hybrid workforce in this interview. We cover multiple topics, including the return to office mandates, building a great company culture, and tools for remote and hybrid teams. For more stories of remote teams doing great things, visit https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com.

PROJJAL GHATAK is the CEO and co-founder of OnLoop, a platform reshaping the performance management landscape and introducing the concept of Collaborative Team Development (CTD) to transform how hybrid teams are evaluated and nurtured at their core. In this interview, we delve into the critical components of effective performance feedback, explore what leaders can do to better coach individuals on their teams, and discover how to cultivate habits around essential feedback topics. For more stories of remote teams doing great things, visit https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com

ANDREA "DEA" WOODARD is a business consultant and facilitator specializing in remote and hybrid leadership. She is also passionate about personal user manuals. In this interview, we dive into how to use personal user manuals, the downsides, what it means to be more ourselves at work, and how to start building your own manual. For more information, visit https://theremotelife.notion.site/Andrea-Dea-Woodard. For more podcasts, visit www.collaborationsuperpowers.com.  

SUMEET GAYATHRI MOGHE is a product manager, a future of remote strategist, and the author of the Async-First Playbook: Remote Collaboration Techniques for Agile Software Teams. In this interview, we discuss what problems asynchronous work solves, why it's challenging and worth it, and where teams can begin. For more stories of remote teams doing great things, visit https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com.

In this interview, we sit down with SOPHIE WADE, an esteemed work futurist and the founder of FlexCel. With a mission to establish "digitally integrated and responsive sustainable work environments," her company offers advisory services and transformative workshops. As the author of Empathy Works, Sophie brings a wealth of knowledge and insights to our discussion. We delve into the fascinating realm of the future of work, exploring the essentiality of flexibility and the transformative journey that lies ahead. We also uncover key focus areas for leaders as they navigate this transition into a future defined by flexibility. For more stories of remote teams doing great things, visit https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com.

PETER SMIT is a global thought leader in collaboration with 35 years of global experience across multiple industry sectors. He is also the Founder & CEO of Collabogence Inc. This analytics startup combines workplace analytics with people analytics to provide insights into the impact of workplace changes on the effectiveness and productivity of people. He was interviewed on the CS podcast in September 2017 to discuss measuring collaborative performance. But now, we've had the pandemic! And Peter has measured 50K people and over one billion interactions. He returns to the podcast to discuss what the data can tell us about collaboration on remote, in-person, and hybrid teams. For more stories of remote teams doing great things, visit https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com.

DAVID SMITH is a digital workplace consultant focused on helping teams develop virtual fluency and cultural intelligence. In this interview, we discuss how to know what we don't know, how different cultures learn, and how to develop a learning culture within your organization. For more stories of remote teams doing great things, visit https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com

ADAM NATHAN is the CEO of Almanac, where remote teams write, approve, and organize documents. Almanac aims to help teams cut meetings and messages by 80%! This interview discusses structured documentation, asynchronous workflows, living handbooks, and the Modern Work Method https://almanac.io/folders/modern-work-method-QPizZr. For more, visit www.collaborationsuperpowers.com.

ELISA REGGIARDO is a Partner Marketing at Slite, a modern knowledge base that helps teams escape the chaos of information overload. In this interview, we talk about information management & asynchronous decision-making. For more information on remote teams doing great things, visit https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com

MELISSA ROMO is the VP of Global Customer Marketing for a multi-national company. She also authorized a book called Your Resource is Human: How empathetic leadership can help remote teams rise above. In this interview we discuss the five leadership behavior Melissa outlines in her book. For more stories of remote teams doing great things, visit https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com

RONNY LEBER is a well-renowned keynote speaker, stadium host, and coach from Austria who has entertained 5 million people, live, and worldwide at major sporting events, corporate events, and seminars. Since 2021 Ronny has spent more than 1,500 hours on live television as a host and anchorman. In this interview, we discuss how to present on video to connect with your audience and garner respect, give great presentations, and take care of yourself when you're in the spotlight. For more stories of remote teams doing great things, visit https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com.

KASSY LABORIE is a Virtual Learning Expert specializing in developing trainers and virtual classroom strategies. In the new edition of her book, Interact And Engage! 75+ Activities for Virtual Training, Meetings, and Webinars, Kassy (and her co-author, Tom) provide practical tools for igniting online events and virtual training through the use of well-designed, facilitated activities. With over 75 activities given in easy-to-use, recipe format, the guide can be both read through initially and then used as a reference later. There is a wealth of essential tips and advice in addition to the activities, but the activities differentiate this book from other virtual training, meetings, and webinar business books. For more stories of remote teams doing great things, visit https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com

SARAH FERN is the Chief People Officer of Velocity Global, a company that allows you to hire, manage, and pay global talent all from one platform. In this interview, we discuss why the hybrid model misses the mark, tips for global hiring and onboarding, and tips for work-life balance. For more stories of remote teams doing great things, visit https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com.

ALI GREENE is a remote work leader, advocate, speaker, and co-author of Remote Works: Managing For Freedom, Flexibility & Focus. In this interview, we discuss what it's like to be a digital nomad, where managers are going wrong, and tips for work-life balance. For more stories of remote teams doing great things, visit https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com.

DR. DEB MASHEK is an experienced business advisor, professor, higher education administrator, and national nonprofit executive. Previously Full Professor of social psychology at Harvey Mudd College and named one of the Top 35 Women in Higher Education by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education. In her new book, Collabor(h)ate, Dr. Mashek draws on her deep experience as a relationships researcher and collaboration facilitator to reveal everything you need to know to make workplace collaborations less painful and more productive. For more stories of remote teams doing great things, visit https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com

SONJA SVILKIĆ ĆIRIĆ is a Scrum Master at Seven Bridges, now Velsera, a company of about 200 people headquartered in Belgrade, Serbia. Before the pandemic, the company worked primarily in person. Now, every team can decide how and where they want to work. The office is still available for those who want or need to use it. In this interview, we discuss why Velsera decided to go hybrid, what's working, and what remains challenging. For more stories of remote teams doing great things, visit https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com

CRISTINA GÓMEZ PRADA is the Chief Operating Officer at Hanzo Studio in Madrid, Spain. Before the pandemic, Hanzo was a small team of about 20 people who worked as a remote-first team from the beginning. And... they allowed everyone to come into the office if they wanted to. During the pandemic, the team doubled in size... remotely. And now, the office is available for all those who need it - and they are expanding internationally. In this interview, we discuss why Hanzo decided to go remote-first, what's working, and what remains challenging. For more stories of remote teams doing great things, visit https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com

MICHAEL DUBAKOV is the co-founder and CEO of Fibery, an all-in-one work management platform. His team of 30 works remotely across seven countries and they manage their work using the same work management platform they are building and optimizing for their customers. In this interview, we discuss the secrets to good workflow management and how to work sustainably. For more stories of remote teams doing great things, visit https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com

PAUL RICHARDS is the Founder/CEO of YCube Aerospace Solutions and a Board Member at AGILE Space Industries. He's also a former astronaut who has logged more than 307 hours in space (including an EVA totalling more than 6 hours). In this interview, we talk about remote collaboration - from space! For more stories of remote teams doing great things, visit https://www.collaborationsupererpowers.com

ABE HEWARD is a software engineer based in Arizona, USA - and such a close friend that I call him family. His company was primarily in-person before the pandemic, 100% remote during, and is currently navigating hybrid. Leadership has mandated that most people must come into the office 3 days per week: Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. In this interview, we discuss the effect that the hybrid mandate has on the workforce. For more stories of remote teams doing great things, visit https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com

People have gotten used to working remotely - but are still struggling with too many meetings & too many messages. Async has become really popular this year - but I'm not sure async is the answer. I think we need to change how we work: rethink meetings, rethink workflows, slow down, be more intentional, think about our information management. Jurgen's “unfix” model.   The use and purpose of the office has changed/evolved. I get many companies who tried to mandate people - but it didn't work. Now, people are resolved to figuring out how to make this hybrid/remote-first way of working.

It is way too easy to schedule a time to talk online. Without any travel time, the allure of back-to-back meetings is great. And while back-to-back meetings are definitely efficient, they're not great for us mentally - and it's generally not good meeting practice. Here are all of the tips that I've collected that will help you get rid of your unwanted meetings. For more on remote work, visit www.collaborationsuperpowers.com.

For more stories of remote teams doing great things, visit https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com.

KARIN REED is an on-camera communications expert, the CEO and Chief Confidence Creator at Speaker Dynamics. She has written a third book ("Running Effective Meetings For Dummies") and I invited her back for a third conversation to discuss what we are still getting wrong about meetings in 2022. We discuss meeting overload and how to solve it and she gives some great tips for leveling the playing field in a hybrid setting. For more stories of remote teams doing great things, visit https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com.

FREDRIK THOMASSEN is the CEO and Founder of Superside, a fully remote creative service company. Fredrik founded Superside to create more equal economic opportunities globally with the world's creative talent. He scaled his company of 750+ people in 80 countries - with a focus on cultivating an organization of kindness and truth seeking. In this interview, we discuss why the future of work is not freelance marketplaces or gig economy platfroms, but rather, solid jobs that are flexible, remote, and happy.   For more stories of remote teams doing great things visit https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com

FREDRIK THOMASSEN is the CEO and Founder of Superside, a fully remote creative service company. Fredrik founded Superside to create more equal economic opportunities globally with the world's creative talent. He scaled his company of 750+ people in 80 countries - with a focus on cultivating an organization of kindness and truth seeking. In this interview, we discuss why the future of work is not freelance marketplaces or gig economy platfroms, but rather, solid jobs that are flexible, remote, and happy.   For more stories of remote teams doing great things visit https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com

DR. HEIDI K. GARDNER, PHD is a Distinguished Fellow at Harvard Law School, author of Smarter Collaboration, and co-founder of the research and advisory firm Gardner & Co. In this interview we dive into collaboration overload: Why it happens, how it can disadvantage certain groups of people, and how to overcome it. For more, visit www.collaborationsuperpowers.com.

STEPHAN WIEDNER is a psychological safety expert whose career has focused on developing sustainable high performance leaders, teams, and organizations. He has developed a unique perspective on psychological safety by designing innovative and evidence-based training, building technology to help leaders and managers master their interpersonal skills, and leading a research study supervised by Harvard professor Amy C. Edmondson.   For more stories of remote teams doing great things visit https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com.