Michael Lissack
Purpose alone doesn’t guarantee coherence, but coherence is impos- sible without a compelling, shared purpose. As Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard observes, “Without a cause, values aren’t values at all—they’re just good intentions.” COHERENCE IN DISTRIBUTED ENVIRONMENTS The rise of remote and hybrid work has fundamentally changed how organizations create and maintain coherence. When people worked in the same physical location, coherence often emerged organically through informal interactions, shared context, and cultural osmosis. In distributed environments, coherence requires more deliberate cultivation. This challenge became acute during the pandemic when even tradi- tionally co-located organizations had to maintain coherence across phys- ical distance. Those that succeeded developed new mechanisms for cre- ating shared context, communicating purpose, and fostering connection. Gitlab, a software company that has been fully remote since its found- ing in 2014, offers instructive lessons. With over 1,500 employees in more than 65 countries, Gitlab achieves remarkable coherence through several deliberate practices: Radical Documentation: Gitlab maintains an exhaustive handbook (over 2,000 pages if printed) that documents everything from company strategy to detailed work processes. This creates a shared reference point that enables autonomous action. Asynchronous Communication: Rather than relying on real-time meetings, Gitlab emphasizes thoughtful, written communication that doesn’t require simultaneity. This allows diverse team members to con- tribute meaningfully regardless of time zone. Principle-Based Decision-Making: Gitlab’s values and principles are continually referenced in discussions, serving as a shared framework for evaluating options.
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