DISCLAIMER: I’m about to talk about going back into the office. This isn’t a statement about the politics of forcing people to go back, but rather an observation on how it’s been going for me and our team. I realize and appreciate that working from home has added considerable value to many people’s lives, and that many people now want more options/flexibility in their workplaces moving forward.
A few weeks ago I had the distinct pleasure of having lunch with my friend Debbie Slavin. Debbie and I met years ago when she ran the real estate department at YP (one of the groups I covered when I was in-house counsel). We started off by building a working relationship, but soon became friends because of our aligned views on leadership. We both subscribe to servant leadership which prioritizes innovation, employee empowerment, and employee well-being over the organization’s or leader’s own ambitions. That means no ego and a constant focus on the state of your team members. This is how we run our teams at HyperDraft.
Why is that important and what the heck does it have to do with us going back to the office?
Debbie and I had the discussion on leadership on a walk back from lunch, up Brand Blvd to our offices in Glendale. It was that interaction that helped us expand our connection from work acquaintances to friends.
Fast forward to present day, when HyperDraft’s team came back to the office, an in person conversation I had with our director of engineering made me think of Debbie. John Zhang was discussing with me his concern that I was working too hard (I’ll save that for another post) and I thought of Debbie and reached out to her after (too many) years because I wanted to reconnect and continue our ongoing discussion on leadership.
This is what I have missed in the pandemic — spontaneous discussions with people in the office. I think it is hard for people to unlock the full potential of collaborating and learning from their colleagues when we have to work remotely. For me, these spontaneous discussions with people in the office about their experiences, their families, and their ideas about work and life have brought a lot of value to my life.
Zoom (which has been great during the pandemic) can only go so far. The interactions over video chat feels forced and there’s few opportunities for side conversations and learning about people.
The HyperDraft team is back in the office (taking all the necessary precautions of course), and I have to tell you — it feels great. Our team has thrived with the increased in-person collaboration and team-building.
For all the leaders and folks that are on the fence, for our team and based on my personal experiences, in-person meetings and work have led to some of the most impactful experiences in my life. I’m excited that our team is vaccinated and back in the office. I’m looking forward to growing our offices and, assuming we have the privilege of working close to each other, welcoming more members to the HyperDraft family in-person (in a socially distant manner of course)!
