In successful hybrid environments, we’ve seen managers move to a stronger outcome and impact orientation, while empowering employees to determine how they get to and take full ownership of outcomes. Prerequisites include setting clear roles and tangible goals and milestones, then checking in weekly or even daily to hear about roadblocks, offering support to clear them, and ensuring that workloads are manageable. Also, they hold their employees accountable for results and outcomes.

Trust and togetherness are imperative to support employee innovation and creativity. However, traditional methods like walking on the company floor, chatting at the coffee machine, or taking employees to lunch are less readily available. Moreover, insecurity can lead some to micromanage and exhibit controlling behaviors. Managers should proactively establish trust by role modeling and encouraging the following characteristics: 

• Reliability: “You can count on me to meet my commitments.” E.g., sticking to regular check-ins, removing roadblocks, ending virtual meetings five minutes before the next one to ensure punctuality throughout the day. 
• Acceptance: “I accept who you are and respect your perspective.” E.g., deliberately inviting all meeting participants to speak up, even those with divergent opinions, establishing rules for participative decision making, having familiarity with and recognizing the traditions and habits of a diverse set of employees. 
• Openness: “I share what I think, do, and feel, and I am open to feedback.” E.g., starting every morning with a team check-in, holding a monthly team lunch to ask genuine questions.
• Authenticity: “I walk my talk.” E.g., sharing professional backgrounds, creating team rituals that encourage personal expression. 

A variety of behaviors can erode team engagement in hybrid settings, such as failing to be mentally or emotionally present at meetings, turning the camera off, or checking emails. Beyond avoiding these pitfalls, managers should keep meetings short and use interactive tools such as chat, polls, and informal competitions. More broadly, managers should delegate decision making and empower teams to develop a common vision and goals. 

Traditional managers may prioritize meeting their own deliverables over providing frequent team support. Successful hybrid managers adopt team problem solving as a mindset. To tackle hard problems, they engage personally, mobilize resources, and link teams up. Involving people in finding a solution creates buy-in and encourages ownership of outcomes.