Brené and Barrett on Gathering Together for the First Time

What It Covers

Brené Brown and Barrett Guillen reflect on their company's first in-person gathering after two years remote, implementing a hybrid work model, navigating COVID protocols, and announcing a fourteen-week summer sabbatical for organizational restoration.

Key Questions Answered

• •Anxiety normalization: Leadership spent three weeks before the gathering explicitly discussing expected awkwardness and exhaustion from in-person interaction. Two-word check-ins revealed widespread anxiety and fear, validating the need for transparent emotional preparation when returning to physical workspaces after extended remote periods.
• •Dare to Lead training timing: Running their courage-building program during the reunion initially seemed risky but proved essential. Small group task work provided structure and guardrails during high-anxiety transition, functioning as organizational swaddling that prevented emotional flailing while rebuilding in-person connection and shared language.
• •Hybrid meeting protocols: Teams established clear distinctions between remote and in-person meetings. Information-sharing happens virtually to maintain equal footing for distributed workers. In-person time reserves for productive task conflict, creative rumbling, and difficult conversations requiring physical presence, not routine updates or announcements.
• •Sabbatical structure: The company closes completely for two weeks, offers paid Fridays off all summer, and requires employees take two additional paid weeks. Leadership recognizes exhausted people make poor strategic decisions. Creating critical mass of restoration across the entire organization prevents burnout-driven choices and performative busyness.