Best Virtual not Distant Podcasts (2025)

1
MC93 Knowing When to Move On - our final episode 33:18

2M ago33:18

33:18

Yes, this is Tim and Pilar's last episode, so we talk about moving on and the importance of wrapping things up. Interview with Andy Gotts photographer that Pilar mentions: https://youtu.be/G0CF6FKR1qk?si=xLp_OSTjvcAlXULj Find out more about Pilar and Bree’s book on loneliness in remote teams: https://www.virtualnotdistant.com/coming-soon…

1
MC92 Manager Mindset: Perfectionism 18:49

3M ago18:49

18:49

In this episode, hosts Tim Burgess and Pilar Orti talk about the dangers of being a perfectionist when managing a team, and why it's different to being a perfectionist individual contributor. (And you'll hear for yourself how neither Tim nor Pilar are perfectionists...)

1
MC91 Manager Mindset: Loyalty 29:58

4M ago29:58

29:58

Hosts Tim Burgess and Pilar Orti have a good chat about the nature of loyalty, who we should be loyal to at work and what happens when we get the balance wrong.

1
It's Time for a Pause after 10 Years... 5:53

5M ago5:53

5:53

A very short episode where I (Pilar Orti) share the reasons why the 21st Century Work Life podcast is going on pause. Stay subscribed though, as you never know when new episodes might drop! Thank you very much for listening and all the best for 2025. Get in touch: https://www.virtualnotdistant.com/contact-us…

1
WLP372 What's Going On: Let's Not Blame Remote 48:10

5M ago48:10

48:10

It’s the end of the year, but we’re not making any predictions - things are moving way too fast! Instead, Pilar and Maya review some of the issues that have been blamed on “remote”. For an extensive summary of the episode, check out www.virtualnotdistant.com/podcasts/dont-blame-remote-work You can message Pilar through the Virtual not Distant websi…

1
WLP371 Using Frameworks for Connection and Back to Basics 1:01:03

5M ago1:01:03

1:01:03

Listener Richard de Villiers reached out to host Pilar Orti after hearing the episode on the 3 A’s of Connection. He has plenty to say on the subject of connection in remote teams, and many different frameworks to share to help other listeners think through change programmes and their own leadership. Connect with Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.li…

1
A quick thank you and we'll be back next year! 4:37

6M ago4:37

4:37

Have an excellent start to 2025 - from Tim and Pilar. www.managementcafepodcast.com

1
WLP370 A Curated Experience in Romania for Digital Nomads and Remote Professionals 18:46

6M ago18:46

18:46

In this episode, host Pilar Orti interviews Andreea Gătin an event and community manager who is organising a unique experience for digital nomad and remote workers in Romania. Andreea discusses her goals for the experience, which include showcasing Romania as a destination for digital nomads and fostering a sense of community among participants. It…

1
MC90 Manager Mindset: Pessimism 23:09

6M ago23:09

23:09

Who knew that talking about pessimism could be so much fun... even if most of the laughter is self-deprecating. In today's episode, hosts Tim Burgess and Pilar Orti talk about what happens when we let our "inner pessimist" come through. For more information, visit www.managementcafepodcast.com

1
WLP369 Strategy Leader with a Heart 49:24

6M ago49:24

49:24

In this episode, host Pilar Orti talks to Sagar Chandni, who describes himself as a distributed work practitioner and a strategy leader with a heart. We talk about the nuances of these terms and the evolving nature of work, particularly in India where Sagar is based. Sagar discusses his work with startups and the challenges and opportunities they f…

1
Elden Ring: The Power of Heart! Better late than never... 1:22:47

7M ago1:22:47

1:22:47

Send us a text Oh, the wonders of smashing one's head against a wall for hours on end and call it fun. For the uninitiated, the souls-like genre is exactly that. You adventure your way through a difficult and dangerous game, practicing your pattern recognition and patience until you've either given up or claimed victory as the king neckbeard. Well,…

1
MC89 Manager Mindset: Comparison 24:47

7M ago24:47

24:47

The new series on Manager Mindsets starts with a discussion of comparison. Comparison is unavoidable, especially in the age of social media. It can feed difficult and unpleasant emotions like doubt, jealousy and imposter syndrome. Indeed, someone once said “Comparison is the thief of joy”. And if we aren’t careful comparison can even tempt us into …

1
WLP368 How do You Build a Hub of Talent? 33:23

7M ago33:23

33:23

Host Pilar Orti is joined by Doug Haines, the founder of Kalium and Marketing Pros. Doug's entrepreneurial journey began with Kalium, where he successfully recruited talent from South Africa. This positive experience inspired him to launch Marketing Pros, an agency connecting South African marketing professionals with global opportunities. In this …

1
MC88 Feedback, Mindset vs Cognitive Tendencies and Long-Covid Awareness 18:55

7M ago18:55

18:55

As co-hosts Tim Burgess and Pilar Orti wrap up the Manager Emotions series, they explain why they're moving onto mindset, and how this is different from cognitivie tendencies (and why they might well be mixing the two up!). Plus, some feedback on our episode on Emotional Contagion, and Pilar shares an episode from Workplace Geeks where one of her c…

1
WLP367 The 3 A's of Connection and other things I've been up to 24:39

8M ago24:39

24:39

In this episode, host Pilar Orti shares her new framework showing how we connect at work, and talks about some of her other projects. If you'd like to be alerted when the Remotely Shakespeare wall calendar comes out, head over to remotelyshakespeare.com For more information check out www.virtualnotdistant.com…

1
MC87 Manager Emotions: Confusion 27:50

8M ago27:50

27:50

Our hosts Tim Burgess and Pilar Orti talk about the many times they've been confused, the difficulties in feeling the emotion as individual and manager, and what happens when a team member becomes confused.

1
Filthy Casuals 1:01:15

8M ago1:01:15

1:01:15

Send us a text In a world where casual games have become part of the norm, this genre captivates even the most light-deprived video gamers. Is it a true genre to be enjoyed and celebrated or maligned and ridiculed? That is what we try to figure out in this episode. Oh? Do you like casual games? Pitiful, you're mistaken. The truest essence of gaming…

1
WLP366 The Multiple Challenges of "Hybrid" 31:05

8M ago31:05

31:05

A special episode to celebrate the launch of the revised edition of The Long-Distance Leader, written by Kevin Eikenberry and Wayne Turmel, who returns to the show with another conversation that made host Pilar Orti laugh plenty of times. The conversation takes a critical look at the “hybrid” workplace - is it a compromise, a hostage negotiation? O…

1
MC86 Manager Emotions: Compassion 16:10

8M ago16:10

16:10

For the sixth episode of our series on manager emotions, Tim Burgess and Pilar Orti talk about Compassion. Good leaders don't just remove obstacles and show their people the way forward. People also need to know that their leaders will support them in the hard times. And importantly, they need leaders to demonstrate compassion when they are in diff…

1
MC85 Manager Emotions: Pride 22:16

9M ago22:16

22:16

Welcome to the fifth episode of our series on manager emotions, where hosts Tim Burgess and Pilar Orti talk about Pride. We want to see good work, both in ourselves as managers and also in the teams that we lead. Pride creates a virtuous cycle that rewards and encourages healthy achievement. Do a good thing -> share this achievement with others -> …

1
With Your Player 2 1:01:51

9M ago1:01:51

1:01:51

Send us a text let's talk gaming with significant others. It's no trivial thing game with your somebody. Small differences can go downhill quickly or forge stronger bonds through challenges. Where do you think everyone lines up? Is gaming with a spouse a good idea? Have we grown up enough to maintain a healthy relationship capable of surviving gami…

1
WLP365 Career Transformation, Cultural Adaptation and Running a Pilates Studio! 45:23

9M ago45:23

45:23

In today’s episode, host Pilar Orti catches up with Frédérique Lloyd Bougreau, about how she transformed her career and lifestyle by setting up a Pilates studio in rural France. They talk about cultural adaptation, building a business in a new environment and the Importance of movement and exercise as we progress through life. Frédérique’s contact …

1
The Cracks Are Showing 1:03:16

9M ago1:03:16

1:03:16

Send us a text You know it seems like the only good AAA games are coming out of Japan for a while now. They aren’t without their problems. We just had more layoffs and closures this month. The industry shitheads are saying things like “Success Can’t Save Your Favorite Studios Anymore” and the like. Which isn’t true. That is not how business works b…

1
MC84 Emotional Contagion (part of the Manager Emotions season) 32:36

9M ago32:36

32:36

For the fourth episode of our series on manager emotions we talk about Emotional Contagion, as it's something that keeps coming up. Emotional Contagion describes how one person's emotions can induce similar emotions in others. This is often happening at an unconscious level, for example, we mimic someone's facial expression and start to feel the sa…

1
Lost In The Sauce 58:34

9M ago58:34

58:34

Send us a text A-D-D games. Games that tick your spectrum-riddled boxes. We have gone around the bend a few times now about what makes ‘games fun’. What Autistic boxes do we have? Do we even know? What makes us sink hours into some games but not others? Compense Operation: “Time loss”. 5/23/24 For more insights and discussions, check out our conten…

1
WLP364 Researching Gen Z plus Reading and Listening Recommendations 52:46

9M ago52:46

52:46

For today’s Recommendations episode, Pilar is joined by Catherine Nicholson, co-founder and creative director of The Virtual Training Team. Before they move onto this month’s reading and listening recommendations, Catherine talks about her recent interest: the blend of generations in the workplace, and how to make the most out of them. Recorded on …

1
We've got some feedback! On anger and emotions. 7:20

9M ago7:20

7:20

Many thanks to Catherine Nicholson from Virtual Training Team for sharing her thoughts on emotions at work and anger, after listening to the first episode of the manager emotions series. We share her comments directly from her LinkedIn posts, and expand on them. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/pilarorti_we-kick-off-our-series-on-management-emotions-…

1
MC83 Manager Emotions: Hopelessness 31:35

10M ago31:35

31:35

We continue with our Manager Emotions series. So much of our work culture is about productivity. Traits like productivity, positivity, drive and a strong work ethic are idolised. We are often expected to overcome obstacles through pure hard work or "grit". This doesn't leave much space for hopelessness! Hopelessness is a difficult emotion for us to…

1
WLP363 Building Engagement and Belonging 33:41

10M ago33:41

33:41

In this episode Pilar talks to Justin Gignac, co-founder of Working Not Working, and Nicolina Jennings, the company's VP and Managing Director. Our guests share the origins and evolution of Working Not Working, and how what they’ve learned about engagement and belonging led to their new platform NTRNL. They make a strong case for increasing employe…

1
WLP362 Bonding and Bridging - plus Reading and Listening Recommendations 51:23

10M ago51:23

51:23

We are joined by regular guest Theresa Hollema who has been doing some thinking with host Pilar Orti on the topic of Bonding within remote teams, versus Bridging, where team members create bonds with other parts of the organisation. Plus, Theresa has her own reading and listening recommendations to add to Pilar’s. You can connect with Theresa on Li…

1
MC82 Manager Emotions: Joy 26:48

10M ago26:48

26:48

We continue with our Manager Emotions series. Today’s episode is all about joy. We remind ourselves of what it feels like, but we also wonder whether it’s always ok to express it. Join Tim Burgess and Pilar Orti for coffee - or tea! In our last coffee we talked about how anger can signal that something is wrong. Joy, on the other hand, signals that…

1
RTS With Tom 58:41

11M ago58:41

58:41

Send us a text One of the first games that I can remember dominating my social life was Starcraft. In the 90's I begged my parents for a computer capable of playing games. It was basically the birthday and Christmas gifts that year plus it had to be the family machine. Kinda lame but none of that mattered. The whole world of PC gaming just opened u…

1
WLP361 Can Chatbots Affect Connection in Remote Teams? 51:33

11M ago51:33

51:33

A new player has entered the field in the world of work: generative AI. As remote teams increasingly rely on asynchronous communication, have AI chatbots become go-to resources for quick answers and idea validation? What does this mean for our workplace relationships and social skills? Maya Middlemiss and Pilar Orti discuss! For more detailed show …

1
MC81 Manager Emotions: Anger 33:19

11M ago33:19

33:19

This marks the first of our series on manager emotions, where we discuss some of feelings we experience at work. Anger is one of the more complex emotions for a manager to navigate. Anger is about a perceived wrong and our desire to find a resolution. On the one hand, anger can be energising and act as a powerful catalyst for change. It shows us, a…

1
Remnant 2 Again. It's Just Bloody Good! 1:11:53

11M ago1:11:53

1:11:53

Send us a text Yeah, we chat about Remnant 2 again. It's hard to leave it alone now that we've all played it and played together. Games of its caliber are few and far between. As many people as possible should hop on and enjoy them. Gunfire Games did a great job and they deserve every accolade, they've earned it. 10/10 would get crushed by rolling …

1
WLP360 Remote and Beyond: A New Landscape for the World of Work 35:07

11M ago35:07

35:07

Host Pilar Orti talks to Henry O'Loughlin, founder of Buildremote. As he shares his journey from running a fully remote marketing agency to creating Buildremote, Henry discusses the pitfalls many companies faced during the pandemic and how his experience led him to develop a "remote operating system" playbook. The conversation evolves into a though…

1
MC80 Why Do We Procrastinate? (or what is procrastination, anyway?) 27:39

11M ago27:39

27:39

Join our hosts Tim Burgess and Pilar Orti. Most of us are familiar with avoiding a task that we should be doing. But is there more to it? On the one hand we worry that procrastination leads us to being totally unproductive. But is being hyper-efficient realistic? Don't we sometimes need to break the cycle of busywork? Procrastination might actually…

1
The Summer Drought 54:25

12M ago54:25

54:25

Send us a text Once upon a time in a retail space far far away, video games were treated like toys and dismissed by the masses. Fast forward to 2024; summer blockbusters and AAA games launch as if they are competing. In truth, they are. Video games are pushing 100 billion dollars worldwide each year. It's been a long time since you could wave off a…

1
WLP359 We Geek Out on GenAI and May Recommendations 1:01:12

12M ago1:01:12

1:01:12

In today’s episode, Pilar Orti welcomes regular guest Mark Kilby onto the show, to find out how he’s using generative AI. They share their personal experiences, preferences, and cautionary tales surrounding various AI tools. Plus, they have plenty of reading, listening and tool recommendations for you this month! Recorded on 24 April 2024, so some …

1
MC79 Context is Everything! 20:22

12M ago20:22

20:22

A theme we keep coming back to in the Management Café is the importance of context. In each situation there are many variables that influence what happens. For example the company culture, our manager, our team, the particular task and our own capability. Sometimes we have to accept that the current context is not good one for us and we're not goin…

1
Dungeon Creeps - The T-Shirt Episode: Speak Friend and Enter 59:00

12M ago59:00

59:00

Send us a text Gather your friends, grab the torches, and watch out for traps because it's DUNGEON CRAWLER TIME! It's the best crawl of them all. The genre has developed quite a bit over the years. Gone are the days of bad graphics, and terrible mechanics. I know we all miss gaming on the eternal and superior MS-DOS but who are we kidding? We've ev…

1
WLP358 The Birth of Telework and The Persistent Quest for Change by Jack Nilles 44:21

1y ago44:21

44:21

Today’s show notes are a little bit different. We’d like to keep Jack’s story in his own words as much as possible, so we’re sharing a polished version of the transcript over at: https://www.virtualnotdistant.com/podcasts /jack-nilles-telework Talking to our host Pilar Orti, Jack takes us on a journey through the very early days of telecommuting, s…

1
Dead IP's 1:06:02

1y ago1:06:02

1:06:02

Send us a text As time goes by popular titles and genres fade from vogue. The new shiny pops up stealing our attention and shifting an industry. Somehow, we still trot out remakes, updates, spiritual successors, or reimaginings of old titles to sell nostalgia. We know what they are doing but the chance to relive "The Moments!" is too good of a chan…

1
MC78 Helping Employees Avoid Burnout from Challenging Tasks 27:59

1y ago27:59

27:59

Step into the Management Café with your hosts Tim Burgess and Pilar Orti. This conversation was inspired by an article Pilar read in Organizational Dynamics: "How managers can help employees navigate tough decisions without burning out by Andrew Molinsky and Laura Noval. They describe a specific type of burnout, that which arises from having to con…

1
We'd love your input into our new series on Manager Emotions 4:58

1y ago4:58

4:58

A short bonus episode to let you know what's brewing in the Management Café. In about a month, we'll be starting a new series, on manager emotions. In each episode, we'll dive into a specific emotion, discussing what it feels like, its purpose, and how it can help or hinder us as managers. Our recent episode on regret resonated with listeners, and …

1
WLP357 Team Narratives, Harnessing Technology and Social Learning 44:59

1y ago44:59

44:59

In this episode, Pilar interviews Jaap Linssen, the founder of OrangeTrail, a company that helps organisations navigate change and adopt new ways of working. Jaap has been helping people in organisations collaborate and communicate through harnessing the power of technology since 2011. Through Jaap’s examples, they talk about asking questions to dr…

1
MC77 Evaluating Potential in the People We Manage 28:39

1y ago28:39

28:39

Our hosts in the Management Café believe that everyone has the potential to be better at something. And for them, as for many of us, helping someone grow is one of the most rewarding aspects of being a manager. Similarly for employees it's a wonderful feeling to have a manager who believes in us, gives us opportunities to improve and offers their s…

1
Stellar Blade: Bum, Bewbs and Activism… Don’t Forget Censorship! 46:30

1y ago46:30

46:30

Send us a text Stellar Blade is out and the activists hate it. Why? Good bloody question. We live in a modern age of sex positivity, female empowerment, and apparently demonizations of all things that fail to bend to the tyrannical will of fringe crazies. Nothing says tolerance like openly calling for the murder of those who boldly disagree with yo…

1
WLP356 April Monthly Reading and Listening (and Watching!) Recommendations 53:22

1y ago53:22

53:22

We’ve struggled this month to create a collection around remote work, so we’ve gone a bit “around the edges” - but it’s still all relevant to our audience. There is much content around hybrid work at the moment, and it tends to have more of a “how to” angle to it , so we often give it a miss. So, please send through anything you think we might add …

1
Gamer Protein Juice 59:23

1y ago59:23

59:23

Send us a text In a world where gamers are fapping away immeasurable amounts of energy, one company seeks to harness the power of the gamer protein juice and use that power for EVIL! Sort of. Games elicit so many emotions. Anxiety, fear, happiness, hope. What is it that gives you the feels? What gets your juices going? “… something something the fe…

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Virtual Not Distant Podcasts

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