The Collaboration Superpowers Podcast

Lisette Sutherland
  • 5.0 (19)
  • MANAGEMENT
  • UPDATED BIMONTHLY

Lisette Sutherland is interviewing people and companies doing great things... remotely! These interviews are packed with stories and tips for those whose business models depend upon successfully bridging distance to accomplish knowledge work.

  1. 3D AGO

    353 - From Engineering to Empowering Flexible Work with Grayson Harris

    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. 🚀 Key Insights and Highlights: - Crafting the Role: How Grayson spent two years upskilling, creating internal committees, and pitching his vision to make the Head of Remote role a reality in his company. - Flexible Work in Action: Discover the methods Grayson uses to improve team connections, streamline documentation, and foster transparency. - Data-Driven Decisions: Learn how pulse surveys, stakeholder interviews, and flexible work assessments inform actionable changes. - The Power of Methodical Change: Why Grayson prioritizes small, incremental improvements to build a sustainable and engaged workplace culture. - Rebranding Remote Work: Shifting from "remote work" to "flexible work" to create a more inclusive and empowering approach for all employees. 🎧 Tune in to hear Grayson’s innovative strategies for championing flexibility in a traditional industry and actionable insights you can apply to your own organization. 👉 Download the Head of Remote Quick Start Guide: https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com/head-of-remote-guide/  👉 Listen to the full podcast series: https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com/head-of-remote-podcast/

    27 min

  2. MAR 10

    352 - Remote Work Advocacy and Visible Teamwork with Rowena Hennigan

    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. 🚀 Key Insights and Highlights: - Offsites with Impact: Why regular in-person gatherings are critical for remote team success and how to maximize their value. - Visible Teamwork: Learn Rowena’s strategies for making collaboration and achievements visible across distributed teams. - The Power of Change Makers: How to inspire change within organizations by leading with care, best practices, and genuine connection. - Team Agreements and Meeting Etiquette: Practical advice on setting standards that improve communication and streamline collaboration. - The Human Side of Remote Leadership: Rowena’s focus on well-being and work-life integration as a cornerstone of effective remote leadership. 🎧 Tune in to hear Rowena’s journey, her passion for remote work’s potential, and actionable steps to enhance connection and cohesion in your remote team. 👉 Download the Head of Remote Quick Start Guide: https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com/head-of-remote-guide/  👉 Listen to the full podcast series: https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com/head-of-remote-podcast/

    31 min
  3. 350 - Scale People, Connection, and Culture in Remote-First Companies with Nadia Vatalidis

    FEB 24

    350 - Scale People, Connection, and Culture in Remote-First Companies with Nadia Vatalidis

    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. 🚀 Key Insights and Highlights: - The Evolving Role of the HOR: Is there room for both Heads of Remote and Operations? Nadia breaks down the essential responsibilities of the role and why remote-first must be integrated into the operations model. - First 90 Days as HOR: Why identifying the top priority and aligning stakeholders is critical for setting the foundation of success. - Practical Tool Use: Use tools for their intended purposes—Slack is for communication, not information storage. Nadia shares her perspective on the importance of fast documentation over perfection. - Creating Connection and Inclusion: How Remote.com evolved bonding time and social initiatives to build highly engaged, inclusive teams across diverse cultures. - Strategic Onboarding: Why onboarding must align with the tools employees will actually use and how this creates a self-enabled culture for success. 🎧 Tune in to hear Nadia’s expertise on scaling teams, creating connection, and implementing a remote-first strategy that works for your organization. 👉 Download the Head of Remote Quick Start Guide: https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com/head-of-remote-guide/  👉 Listen to the full podcast series: https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com/head-of-remote-podcast/

    30 min
  4. 349 - Lead with Product Excellence and a Remote-First Mindset with Valentina Thörner

    FEB 10

    349 - Lead with Product Excellence and a Remote-First Mindset with Valentina Thörner

    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. 🚀 Key Insights and Highlights: - The Remote-First Mindset: Why leadership buy-in is essential for success and how a flexible-first strategy requires deliberate change management. - Empowering Through Processes: How Valentina's team reduces friction and empowers product managers by optimizing workflows and developing clear operational strategies. - The Role of Authority and Influence: Why HORs must have authority to drive change effectively and how to navigate resistance with empathy and clarity. - Training Teams for Self-Sufficiency: The importance of teaching employees to find and use information independently. - Leadership Tips: How being outgoing, embracing your quirks, and recognizing patterns can enhance collaboration and build stronger connections in remote teams. 🎧 Tune in to hear Valentina’s journey, learn about innovation through product excellence, and gain practical tips for leading in remote and hybrid environments. 👉 Download the Head of Remote Quick Start Guide: https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com/head-of-remote-guide/  👉 Listen to the full podcast series: https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com/head-of-remote-podcast/

    31 min
  5. 348 - Create Healthy, Happy, and Productive Remote Teams with Kenneth Hellem

    JAN 27

    348 - Create Healthy, Happy, and Productive Remote Teams with Kenneth Hellem

    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. 🚀 Key Insights and Highlights: - The Role of Head of Remote: Why the position varies by company and how it bridges operations and people management. - Driving Change with Empathy: Kenneth’s experimental approach to implementing remote best practices in communication, tools, and culture—while respecting organizational capacity for change. - Tracking Sentiment and Well-Being: The importance of listening to employee feedback and using sentiment tracking to gauge engagement and satisfaction. - Continuous Development: How to ensure remote employees are developing the skills they need to succeed and thrive in their roles. - Balancing Async and Sync Work: Tips for defining communication norms that enhance efficiency and connection. If you’re navigating the challenges of remote work leadership, this episode offers actionable strategies and inspiration for creating a flexible-first workplace that prioritizes people and performance. 🎧 Tune in to hear Kenneth’s journey, learn how Ultimate Beauty builds a people-first remote culture, and gain actionable strategies for making remote employees happier, healthier, and more engaged. 👉 Download the Head of Remote Quick Start Guide: https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com/head-of-remote-guide/ 👉 Listen to the full podcast series: https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com/head-of-remote-podcast/

    26 min
  6. 347 - Build a Remote-First Legacy with Chase Warrington

    JAN 20

    347 - Build a Remote-First Legacy with Chase Warrington

    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. 🚀 Key Insights and Highlights: - The Evolving Role of the Head of Remote: Learn how this role adapts based on a company’s stage of growth and what Chase prioritized when he joined Doist. - Building the Foundations: Chase shares his approach to tools, handbooks, in-person meetups, and connecting team members across time zones. - Transparency in Communication: Why Doist makes information public by default and how this fosters trust and collaboration within a global workforce. - Operational Excellence: As an internal consultant, Chase collaborates with multiple teams to optimize onboarding, compensation, tooling, and processes. - The Soft Skills of Leadership: Receptiveness to feedback, the ability to push forward confidently, and caring deeply about people are the cornerstones of success in this role. 💡 Whether you’re leading a fully distributed team or exploring remote-first practices, this conversation with Chase highlights how strategic operations and a human-first approach can transform an organization. Tune in to hear Chase’s journey, learn how Doist thrives as a remote-first company, and gain inspiration for your own workplace flexibility initiatives. 👉 Download the Head of Remote Quick Start Guide: https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com/head-of-remote-guide/ 👉 Listen to the full podcast series: https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com/head-of-remote-podcast/

    24 min
  7. 346 - Build a Results-Driven Remote Culture with Dajana Berisavlijević Đakonović

    JAN 20

    346 - Build a Results-Driven Remote Culture with Dajana Berisavlijević Đakonović

    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. 🚀 Key Insights and Highlights: - "Relevant Info Lives in Relevant Places": Why documentation is essential and how Toggl ensures it stays organized and accessible. - Managing the Tool Stack: How Toggl tracks and evaluates its tools with an open database and biannual cleanups to avoid tool fatigue. - Results & Accountability First: Learn about Toggl’s unique approach to remote work, emphasizing self-discipline and written communication. - Creating Clarity and Authority: Dajana discusses why having the authority to enforce policies and standards is crucial for remote team alignment. 💡 Whether you’re a Head of Remote, in People Ops, or a leader navigating remote work challenges, Dajana’s no-fluff approach offers actionable strategies for building a transparent and effective remote culture. Listen now to discover how Toggl champions asynchronous collaboration, simplifies complexity, and ensures team engagement—without sacrificing results. 👉 Download the Head of Remote Quick Start Guide: https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com/head-of-remote-guide/  👉 Listen to the full podcast series: https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com/head-of-remote-podcast/

    33 min
  8. 345 - The Future of Work Starts Here: Exploring the Head of Remote Role

    JAN 20

    345 - The Future of Work Starts Here: Exploring the Head of Remote Role

    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. 👉 Download the Head of Remote Quick Start Guide: https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com/head-of-remote-guide/ 👉 Listen to the full podcast series: https://www.collaborationsuperpowers.com/head-of-remote-podcast/

    13 min
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    5
    out of 5
    19 Ratings

    About

    Lisette Sutherland is interviewing people and companies doing great things... remotely! These interviews are packed with stories and tips for those whose business models depend upon successfully bridging distance to accomplish knowledge work.

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