Personal & Professional Development: Digital Norms for Teams

Overview

Communicate with your team in an environment free of pressure or stress with digital anthropologist and author Rahaf Harfoush! Digital communication is at an all time high, but so is the opportunity for miscommunication. It’s getting harder for some of us to disconnect, to have clear boundaries between work hours and personal hours, and to navigate interpersonal team dynamics. Join Rahaf as she walks you through her Digital Charter to improve collaboration and prevent burnout on your team. Together with Rahaf, you will: * Decode your and your team’s digital habits * Define your team constraints * Negotiate clear expectations * Create a calendar strategy that works * Expect the unexpected and define the hierarchy of urgency * Communicate your boundaries * Make the changes stick After taking this class, you’ll have a deeper insight into your own communication style and expectations and hopefully a better understanding of how technology impacts the way your team functions on a fundamental level. Whether you work with geographically distributed teams, have a hybrid work culture, or are merely interested in improving asynchronous communication on your team, you’ll walk away from this class with a plan you can put into practice right away. Rahaf’s class is designed for students of all levels to participate and enjoy. Instructor bio: Rahaf Harfoush is a Digital Anthropologist, professor, and New York Times bestselling author specializing in the impact of technology on how we live and work. She is the Executive Director of the Red Thread Institute of Digital Culture and a visiting policy fellow at the Oxford Internet Institute. Her courses focus on humane productivity and creative performance, helping learners thrive without burnout by building sustainable systems of work. Rahaf has taught innovation and disruptive business models at SciencesPo in Paris and has authored several books, including Humane Productivity and The Decoded Company.

Syllabus

Rethinking Digital Habits for Healthier Collaboration

In this module, learners will explore how digital habits shape team culture and communication. You’ll learn to identify unproductive or unclear digital norms, then begin defining team-specific constraints that lay the groundwork for more intentional, effective collaboration. This foundational work is key to building a healthier and more sustainable hybrid team environment.

Designing Norms That Actually Work

This module equips you with the tools to collaboratively build team-wide digital norms that stick. You'll learn how to facilitate conversations about expectations, set up time management structures that support well-being, and proactively account for disruptions. These practices will support both individual and collective performance in a hybrid work environment.

Communicating and Reinforcing New Team Norms

The final module helps you put your digital norms into practice. You’ll focus on communicating your boundaries confidently and ensuring that new behaviors become consistent habits. Learn how to reinforce these norms over time and keep your team aligned, adaptable, and thriving in a constantly evolving digital work environment.