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Mastering remote work, and why ‘ok’ might not be ok on slack

Remember those spontaneous office conversations? They're gone. Digital body language has become the new make-or-break skill for leaders—and most of us are speaking it with a thick accent.

Richard Parton, Nikki Tugano (Founder & CEO, SeenCulture), and Sarah Kirkby (Learning & Org Development Consultant) decode the hidden rules of remote work. From emoji dictionaries to all-day Zoom rooms, discover the practices that separate thriving teams from struggling ones.

What You'll Learn:

• Why 70% of communication is still non-verbal (even on Zoom)
• How Hofstede's framework explains why some teammates never speak up
• The "virtual room" technique that creates real connection
• Why emoji are the fastest-growing language globally
• The team agreement canvas that prevents 80% of frustrations
• How to recognize people when you can't see the work

Key Moments:

[00:08:22] Digital body language: "OK." vs "okay?"

[00:13:42] Cultural dimensions and global teams

[00:16:42] Virtual rooms and recognition practices

[00:22:50] Top tools from each host

Resources:

Digital Communication

• Digital Body Language by Erica Dhawan – How punctuation and timing convey meaning
• Emoji Statistics – 10B+ daily uses worldwide

Cultural Intelligence

• Hofstede Country Comparison – Compare cultures to understand team dynamics

Team Frameworks

• Management 3.0 Team Agreement Canvas – Richard's #1 remote team tool
• Atlassian Working Agreements – Establish shared protocols

Tools

• Zoom Best Practices – Set up open video rooms
• Team TimeZone – Auto-convert meeting times
• SeenCulture – Nikki's platform for remote team connection

Data

• Neat: State of Remote Work 2025 – 83% prefer hybrid, 29% struggle with communication

Episode Duration: 24 min