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Our Story

Performance doesn't come from paperwork. It comes from people who know how to work well together.

OUR STORY

How it all started

Joanna earned her PhD in Medical Sciences and began her career in academia. She experienced firsthand how unclear expectations, poor communication, and lack of support quietly erode performance — even in rooms full of talented, committed people.

When she moved into business environments, she saw the same pattern: people weren't failing because they lacked ability. They were failing because the systems around them made it harder to collaborate, communicate, and lead well.

That's what led her to build T Shaped.

Her work bridges two worlds: the rigor and clarity of science, and the emotional intelligence that people need to thrive. The mission has stayed the same from the start — help mission-driven teams fix the structural problems that stop good people from doing great work.

Our Story Image
WHAT IT MEANS

What does “T Shaped” mean?

The letter T captures our philosophy.
The vertical bar represents deep expertise — the specialist knowledge your team already has. The horizontal bar represents the ability to collaborate, communicate, and lead across differences.
Most organizations never fully leverage both. Day-to-day fires, unclear roles, and unstructured decisions drain the focus that great work requires. That's where we come in.
OUR VALUES

What Sets Us Apart

Deep Science
Roots

Founded by a scientist for other data, evidence, logic driven leaders. We truly understand what innovation - driven teams in sectors like biotech and life sciences need to thrive.

Evidence Based
Methods

Combining organizational psychology and human behavior with hands-on experience.

Bespoke
Solutions

Customized workshops addressing the specific needs of teams, no two sprints look the same.

Client
Centric

Our success is measured by the transformative impact on our clients.

OUR CLIENTS

Teams Collaborated With

Columbia University Logo
WHO Logo
University of cambridge Logo
EIT Food logo
Weill Cornell Medicine Logo
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IMDEA Institute Logo
EPHIA Logo
EUFIC Logo
Institute of Animal Reproduction Logo
Joanna Potrait

MEET THE FOUNDER

Joanna Kaniewska, PhD

Joanna Kaniewska, PhD, is a scientist-turned-strategist who swapped pipettes for Post-its and launched T Shaped — a company that fuses evidence-based standards with organizational psychology to help innovation-driven teams execute with clarity and speed. With a decade across academia, industry and non-for-profit sectors , she rewires performance review cycles, sets crystal-clear accountabilities, all while championing people and their unique skills and personalities.

A sought-after speaker on topics like “Coaching Skills for Leaders,” “The Human Side of Science,” and “Self-Awareness for Leadership Success,” Joanna inspires audiences to lead with both head and heart. Curious how her energy feels in real time?

Book a 15-minute call to see whether a workshop or performance review redesign is the right fit for your team.

Ready to Build a Stronger Team?

Every engagement starts with a conversation. Tell us where your team is right now — and we'll tell you exactly where to start.

OUR GALLERY

PROOF OF WORK