The 8 Cs+ Hybrid Leadership Model – A Checklist for Success

The 8 Cs+ Hybrid Leadership Model – A Checklist for Success

The 8 Cs+ Hybrid Leadership Model is designed to help leaders succeed in the hybrid work environment, while also actively fostering employee engagement, satisfaction and success. The model is presented as a checklist, enabling leaders to gauge where they must intervene to ensure they are not only capable of attracting strong talent but also retaining current talent.

The 8cs of promoting company culture.

Keep in mind that each “C” represents an area every leader in a hybrid environment needs to focus on and each “C” is interconnected and influences each other – for better or worse.

As you review this checklist:
  • Note the areas where more attention must be given and/or those areas where strength is already present.
  • From the areas you’ve identified, prioritize those that are most imperative to focus on:
    • Immediately
    • In the next 30 days
    • In the next three months
  • Create an action plan for each priority.

1. CULTURE – A set of shared attitudes, values, goals and practices that characterizes an organization. Culture is the starting point because it surrounds all the other behaviors and impacts every aspect of an organization. 

  • What is our focus?
    • Do our current vision and mission reflect today’s reality?
    • Does it need to be restated? Redefined? Reconsidered? 
  • How will we work?
    • What does hybrid look like for us? Will collaboration be a key?
  • Who will help us succeed?
    • Internally – Our leaders and employees. What will be required of them? Are there key individuals who we should rely on?
    • Externally – Who will help us make this work (e.g., benefit carriers, EAP providers, consultants, community)? Who will help us with our team’s physical, emotional and financial needs?

2. CLARITY – Providing organizational direction and focus, and creating transparency

  • Have I shared the culture we want and our commitment to it?
  • Have I communicated:
    • What is changing?
    • What is not changing?
  • What are our expectations regarding results and people?
  • Have I been clear on how I and the organization as a whole can support employees?
  • What does success look like from the:
    • Organization’s perspective?
    • Employees’ perspectives? 
  • What do employees need from me?

3. COMMUNICATION – The transfer or exchange of information using various methods

  • What am I communicating?
    • Goals
    • Expectations
    • Results
  • What methods of communication am I relying on when communicating with my team and with each individual on my team?
    • Voice-to-voice
    • In person
    • Video meetings
    • Email
    • Text
    • Other
  • How effective is each communication? How do I know?
  • Is my communication tone reflective of our culture?
  • Am I communicating enough?
  • Am I listening effectively?
  • When meeting as a team, do I include all?
  • What do they need from me?

4. CHECK-INS – Learning the status of a certain person by following a scheduled pattern of meetings and interactions

  • Do I check in with all members of my team on a scheduled basis? Spontaneously?
  • Am I asking about their overall wellbeing? Am I prepared to support them if they have a broader need?
  • Am I making time for informal conversations?
  • Have I asked how I can help them?

5. COACHING – Combination of listening, asking questions and helping someone think through and resolve situations

  • Am I providing coaching to all of my team?
  • Is the coaching I’m providing reflective of the culture?
  • Am I answering my employees’ key questions, including:
    • How do they grow their career?
    • How can they learn more?
    • Are they missing out on opportunities if they’re not onsite?
  • Am I focusing on results, not activity?
  • Am I able to point them to additional coaching resources (if needed)?
  • Have I asked what they need from me?

6. COMMUNITY – Unified group of people with a common interest 

  • Am I helping my team build social capital?
  • Am I assisting my team expand their network?
  • Am I creating support systems?
  • Am I encouraging positive connections?
  • Am I supporting collaborative efforts?
  • Am I providing “lightness”/informal moments?

7. CREATIVITY – Producing through imaginative skill or making/bringing something new into existence

  • What needs to be reviewed and revised based on the current needs of the culture?
  • How do we measure, as an organization, what is successful in our hybrid work environment?
  • Am I (more) open to new ideas and possibilities?
  • Am I personally trying something new?
  • Am I checking if I’m acting as a catalyst vs. an obstacle?
  • Have I asked how I can help?

8. CARE – Interest or concern

  • Am I showing I care in a way that is meaningful to my team?
  • Am I showing care to each individual on the team that is meaningful to them?
  • Have I taken a fresh look at all of our benefits?
    • Are they seen as valuable?
    • Have the needs changed?
    • How do I know?
  • Do we have a formal plan for our employees’ wellbeing?
  • Am I aware and knowledgeable of the resources to help?
  • What does my organization, and the individuals within it, need from me?

+ CAUTION – The final piece of the model is the plus (+). Caution includes areas we need to continue to monitor to ensure that none of the 8 Cs are out of balance. 

  • How am I displaying trust?
  • Am I paying attention to:
    • Potential burnout?
    • Digital exhaustion?
    • The real challenges my team is facing?
    • The real challenges individuals on my team are facing?
  • Are the external support partners executing to the level needed by our team?
  • Am I role modeling the 8 Cs?
  • Am I leading using the 8 Cs?


The 8 Cs+ Hybrid Leadership Model – A Checklist for Successhttps://www.cbiz.com/Portals/0/Images/Discussionatwork.jpg?ver=nR6ADB0vf_gGEQ5QMjJ6RA%3d%3dThe 8 Cs+ Hybrid Leadership Model is designed to help leaders succeed in the hybrid work environment, while also actively fostering employee engagement, satisfaction and success.2021-07-29T17:00:00-05:00The 8 Cs+ Hybrid Leadership Model is designed to help leaders succeed in the hybrid work environment, while also actively fostering employee engagement, satisfaction and success. Employee ManagementEmployee BenefitsYes