Our remote COO is highly productive on paper, but their lack of physical presence is causing a disconnect with the in-office leadership team, leading to whispers and a lack of trust. How do I resolve this hybrid leadership gap?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Trust is challenging to build and maintain when there's a physical disconnect within your leadership team. A hybrid setup, where some members are in the office and others are remote, can naturally foster an "us versus them" dynamic and subtle status management behaviors. To bridge this gap, you must implement strong communication protocols and intentionally create connection points.

Here's how to resolve the hybrid leadership gap:

• Ensure Equal Visibility in Meetings: Your weekly [Level 10 Meeting™ sessions](/qa/rein-in-level-10-meeting-segue) must be run with high-quality video. All team members, whether remote or local, need equal visibility and the ability to participate seamlessly.
• Boost Trust with Personal Communication: Actively work on the trust dynamic within your team. Encourage more personal, direct communication between your remote COO and the in-office department heads. Simple video calls to discuss non-operational topics can often break down the invisible barriers that form over text or email. Building [vulnerability and safety in leadership](/qa/building-vulnerability-and-safety-in-leadership) requires consistent effort.
• Mandate Physical Presence for Critical Sessions: Most importantly, make physical presence mandatory for your quarterly offsites and annual planning sessions. These intensive meetings are where deep relationships and genuine [vulnerability are cultivated](/qa/building-vulnerability-trust-rprs-calls), which simply cannot be replicated online. This face-to-face interaction is crucial for ensuring the leadership team can truly operate with an [enterprise-first mindset](/qa/shifting-leadership-mindset-to-enterprise-first).

By structuring your communication and prioritizing in-person interaction during critical alignment sessions, you can eliminate the disconnect and build a cohesive, trust-based leadership team.

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