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My guests for Episode #239 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast are Felice B. Ekelman, an employment lawyer, and Julie P. Kantor, a business psychologist and executive coach — they are authors of the new book, THRIVE WITH A HYBRID WORKPLACE: Step-by-Step Guidance from the Experts.

Felice is a principal of Jackson Lewis PC, where she practices employment law. She has been quoted in Bloomberg News, The Wall Street Journal, Lexology, and Law 360. She lives in New York City.

Julie is a business psychologist, executive coach, advisor, and founder of JP Kantor Consulting. She is a regular contributor to Forbes on leadership and employee engagement. She also lives in New York City.

In today's episode, you'll hear their “favorite mistake” stories related to leaving a corporate job to start a firm and not appreciating the need to focus on one's personal brand.

We also discuss how, in recent times, our global work culture has seen a paradigm shift with the incipient emergence of the hybrid workplace model. While this model promises exciting opportunities, there's no denying that it also presents unique challenges.

The crucial role of leadership in these unprecedented times remains a significant focus of our conversation. More than ever, leaders must now find the balance between preserving company culture and enabling flexibility. Simultaneously, understanding the legal concerns, promoting a strong personal brand, and creating an employee-oriented workspace are imperative in the smooth transitioning to a hybrid model. However, there's no one-size-fits-all solution to these complexities, causing leaders to gravitate towards innovative, adaptable strategies. Dive in to gain a better understanding of creating harmonious, productive hybrid workplaces.

Questions and Topics:

• Does a personal brand have to align with the firm’s brand?
• How did the book come to be? And the collaboration?
• Brand is what OTHERS say about you? What differentiates you?
• Some mistakes require counseling and some get you sued?
• Policies on back to work — make an exception for one person — necessary or setting precedent for others?? 
• How do you make exceptions?
• What are some “old biases” to look out for when designing or managing hybrid work?
• Where is hybrid work headed? — moving in a direction or a pendulum??