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Building a strong team culture doesn’t happen by accident, it happens by design. High-performing teams don’t just communicate well, they have clear expectations for collaboration, disagreement, and continuous learning. And the best leaders? ?? Establish team norms for open, honest communication ?? Encourage learning by admitting mistakes and sharing lessons ?? Foster an environment where disagreement leads to better outcomes ?? Listen to the full episode with Amy Gallo: https://hubs.li/Q03cL9qs0

"It’s not difficult to get on top of things, it’s impossible." We often chase perfect productivity, believing that with the right system, we’ll finally get everything under control. But Oliver Burkeman argues that true productivity comes from accepting our limits and focusing on what truly matters. In his 8-part expert class with Big Think+, he shares a mindset shift that helps us reset our standards, embrace imperfection, and stop chasing the impossible. Get full class here: https://bigthink.com/plus/

These are the three elements of intrinsic motivation, which inspire us to do our best work and stay engaged. A visualization of Daniel Pink's framework from his book, Drive, by the talented Jonathan Hey.

Leadership isn’t for the faint of heart. While it can come with lofty highs, the lows often include a relentless cycle of high-stakes decisions and tough calls (complete with a few sleepless nights). Throw in shifting market conditions or unexpected disruptions, and the challenges only intensify, testing your judgment and nerve. So how do you forge ahead? In his new 7-part class with Big Think+, venture capitalist Ben Horowitz of Andreessen Horowitz suggests running toward the hard problems, not away from them. ?? Watch a sample lesson from his class: https://hubs.li/Q03bXYwH0

What is “threat rigidity”? As Amy Gallo explains, it is the tendency to become more defensive and fixed in our beliefs when we feel threatened. This shows up in the workplace all the time, and instead of productive conversations, we can see deeper divides. To create a culture where disagreements don’t escalate, Amy encourages us to start with small shifts: Avoid shaming. Set clear boundaries. Approach conversation with curiosity. When people feel heard, instead of judged, real dialogue takes place. ?? Full conversation: https://hubs.li/Q03bMljl0

Workplace communication has never been more complicated. Slack replaces conversations, hybrid teams rarely meet, and polarized viewpoints turn small disagreements into landmines. In this month’s How to Make a Leader, we sat down with Amy Gallo—workplace expert, Harvard Business Review podcast host, and author of "Getting Along"—to unpack the communication habits that set high-performing leaders apart.

One of the biggest leadership blind spots is treating communication solely as a skill and forgetting that it’s also about relationships. I recently sat down with Hannah Beaver on Big Think+’s How to Make a Leader podcast to unpack the nuances of workplace dynamics, and one theme kept coming up: The quality of our connections determines the quality of our work. Here are a few takeaways from our talk: 1.?Trust fuels communication. The more we understand someone—their motivations, challenges, and style—the smoother our interactions become. Even in a one-hour conversation, you can often pinpoint the moment when rapport clicks and communication becomes effortless. Imagine the impact of intentionally building that trust from day one. 2.?Perspective-taking is a leadership superpower. When we assume our perspective is the only perspective, we dismiss valuable insights and escalate conflict. Shifting from "I'm right" to "What’s their rationale?" fosters curiosity, lowers defensiveness, and leads to more productive conversations. 3.?Difficult conversations require strategy, not avoidance. Especially in hybrid and remote environments, where miscommunication is often rampant, clarity and intentionality are everything. Want to navigate a tough workplace conflict? Start by defining your goal, choosing the right medium (phone calls > long email threads), and setting the conversation up for success. At the core of all this: Leaders don’t just manage tasks; they shape relationships. And the best leaders cultivate cultures where open, constructive communication isn’t just encouraged but expected. ?? Full conversation linked in the comments! What’s one workplace communication challenge you’re currently navigating? ?? #LeadershipDevelopment #WorkplaceCommunication #EmotionalIntelligence Image alt-text: YouTube thumbnail featuring the text "Communicate like a leader" in bold white letters and a headshot of Amy Gallo against a black background.

High-performing teams have disagreements. According to communication expert Amy Gallo, the best teams don’t avoid conflict, they navigate it with intention. In order to avoid "artificial harmony” she advises us to establish norms for healthy disagreements. In practice, this looks like: → Encouraging open discussion → Approaching disagreements with curiosity (instead of defensiveness) → Challenging ideas, not individuals → Building a culture where disagreement leads to better solutions Follow this formula, and difficult conversations become opportunities for stronger relationships and better collaboration. ?? Listen to the full conversation with Hannah Beaver: https://hubs.li/Q039Kr9X0

One of the biggest challenges in corporate learning? Delivering learners the right content, at the right time. At Big Think+, we’re solving this with a new feature designed to personalize learning from day one.?Interests & Role-Based Recommendations?ensure that whether you’re an Individual Contributor, Team Manager, or Senior Leader, you’ll discover content that speaks directly to your role and goals.

Inclusion isn’t just about intentionality, it’s about putting efficient systems in place for inclusion to thrive. If we want people to feel like they belong, we have to build policies and processes that actually make that possible. Hear Ruchika T. Malhotra, Chloe Valdary and La'Kita Williams MSW, CPC break down the policies, processes, and cultural shifts needed to create workplaces where everyone feels valued, heard, and empowered. ?? The full conversation: https://hubs.li/Q037jzTy0