Capsule environments are environments that are isolated and confined – a challenge to leadership. The external conditions of capsule environments are harsh and dangerous.

Our guest Binna Kandola talks about this. The typical features of a capsule environment are social isolation with the same group of people with sensory restrictions. Star Trek, Voyager, Dr Who, the Big Brother House and Space Travel demonstrate the features of capsule environments. This becomes relevant to leadership who need to consider the impact this way of working has had on us.

Due to lack of sensory stimulation people can start to narrow down the people they're communicating with; restricting the amount of information that they are sharing and begin to develop stronger relationships with a smaller group of people. With remote working and people returning back to offices, leaders need to start looking at inclusion and making sure that diversity and inclusion is at the top of our priorities.

Leaders need to start consciously looking at the way groups of teams can be working together, encouraging their teams, their individual team members to network with other teams in the organisation. Connection is key.