Do you think you could effectively lead a team, even when they’re spread across 16 different time zones?
Well, that’s where the future of leadership lies. Having a globally dispersed team helps you attract the best talent, but the best talent gets wasted without an effective leader.
That’s the bad news.
The good news?
I invited Wayne Haber, director of engineering at GitLab, onto today’s show. Not only does he have 20+ years of experience being an ultra leader, but his GitLab engineering team of 80 is spread over 16 time zones.
In this episode, you’ll discover how you can effectively lead a team you’ve never met, counterintuitive insights for making meetings more effective, and how even new leaders can lead a global team.
Listen now!
Show highlights include:
- How reading this book, originally published in 1936, transforms you into an ultra-leader (even in 2023) (2:24)
- Are you new in your leadership role? Here’s how to cut years off your leadership learning curve in only a few minutes (3:27)
- The simple, but wildly effective “Document Everything” approach that lets you lead a team spread out in 16 different time zones without missing a beat (4:14)
- How the “Meetings as Conversation” strategy makes your meetings more effective (even if a team member can’t make it) (5:27)
- The counterintuitive way making meetings optional extracts the best from your team (7:06)
- 3 pieces of software which entirely eliminate time-wasting meetings throughout your company (7:19)
- How to facilitate a company culture where everyone in your company feels comfortable speaking up during meetings—from the CEO to the newest hired teammate (9:32)
- The “DRI” secret for meetings which ensures every member of your team is heard and every opinion matters (12:36)
- The “next year” mindset shift that helps you overcome stressful decisions like firing a teammate or having your company get acquired (16:45)
Want to dive deeper into how to lead a globally dispersed team? Head to https://about.gitlab.com/teamops/ to understand the framework for the future of work.
Sign up for the Ultra Leadership newsletter at https://www.ultraleadership.com/ and discover how to engage, empower, and activate your team to enable positive transformation.
