What’s really going on?

As organisations adopt hybrid models, many leaders struggle to adapt. Leadership approaches that once depended on in-person interaction and informal control signals no longer work in distributed settings.

Hybrid work requires leaders to be far more intentional. The harsh reality is that trust, clarity, autonomy, and communication don’t happen by accident – they must be actively designed. I mean, that is even the case in non-hybrid work environments. We need to dial up on intentionality to create impact!

When Covid hit, I quickly signed up for a training on how to run online workshops and trainings, because  I simply  had no idea! All I had ever done was to be face to face with people, engaging on all communication channels (particularly the kinesthetic one). It was a steep learning curve that saved my work!

So, it’s just natural that leadning hybrid teams is still a challenge for some leaders, because leanring on the job, juggking all other responsiblities, is hard (and slow).  In my line of work, specially through team coaching, patterns become visible very quickly: when leadership behaviour shifts, collaboration improves – regardless of location. 

What happens if you do not upskill?

When leadership approaches fail to evolve, hybrid teams pay the price. Often quietly at first.

• Loss of trust: micromanagement or silence quickly erodes confidence.
• Lack of clarity: unclear expectations lead to frustration and delays.
• Reduced autonomy: over-control stifles ownership and innovation.
• Poor communication: information gaps undermine collaboration.
• Weak working agreements: without shared norms, friction grows.

These patterns often reflect leadership blind spots rather than lack of skill. This is where leadership development work can help leaders recognise the impact of their behaviour before issues escalate. If you want a quick overview check our Leadership Guide! 

Five leadership practices that strengthen hybrid teams

1. Cultivate trust through transparency

Direct answer: trust grows when leaders share context, explain decisions, and invite questions, not just updates.

Trust is the foundation of hybrid leadership. Transparency around goals, decisions, and challenges helps people feel informed and respected.

Reflection: Most leaders realise they explain decisions far less when pressure is high. Not because they don’t care – but because they’re moving fast.

2. Provide clear expectations and boundaries

Direct answer: clarity reduces friction and supports accountability across locations and time zones.

Hybrid teams need clarity more than ever. Clear roles, decision rights, and communication norms reduce friction and improve accountability.

Reflection: Many teams assume they are aligned on these basics – until friction shows up. That’s usually the moment leaders realise nothing was ever made explicit.

3. Foster autonomy and empowerment

Direct answer: hybrid leadership works best when leaders focus on outcomes rather than activity.

Hybrid leadership works best when leaders let go of micromanagement and focus on outcomes rather than activity.

Reflection: This is often uncomfortable. Leaders tend to notice they trust outcomes in theory, but still watch activity when things feel uncertain.

4. Prioritise effective communication

Direct answer: strong hybrid teams agree clear rhythms for alignment, feedback, and connection.

Strong hybrid teams don’t rely on a single tool. They establish rhythms for alignment, feedback, and connection.

Reflection: Most teams don’t struggle with tools. They struggle with unclear expectations about when something deserves a conversation – and when it doesn’t.

5. Maintain focus on team morale and culture

Direct answer: in hybrid work, culture becomes less visible, so leaders must reinforce belonging intentionally.

Culture doesn’t disappear in hybrid work – it just becomes less visible. Leaders need to actively reinforce belonging and appreciation.

Reflection: Leaders often spot this only in hindsight – when a reliable contributor disengages without much warning.

A real example

A technology company we worked with saw productivity drop as teams moved to hybrid work. Confusion around priorities and expectations created tension.

After a leadership programme focused on trust, clarity, and autonomy, leaders changed how they communicated and involved their teams. Working agreements were clarified, and decision-making became more transparent.

Within months, engagement improved significantly. One team member shared:

“The clarity and trust from our leaders make me feel focused and motivated again.”

What do we learn from this?

Leading hybrid teams requires letting go of outdated habits and embracing leadership behaviours that support trust, clarity, and shared ownership.

This shift aligns closely with a personal, relational, and systemic leadership approach – one that recognises how individual behaviour shapes team dynamics and organisational culture. 

Conclusion

Hybrid work didn’t break leadership. It just removed the shortcuts.

When people are no longer in the same room, trust and clarity cannot be assumed. They have to be built on purpose, and revisited when pressure rises.

If this article felt a little too familiar, that’s usually a useful signal. Most teams don’t need a new tool. They need a few leadership habits to change, consistently, over time.

Next steps

If your leaders are navigating hybrid or distributed work, explore how our Leadership Training, Team Coaching, and Executive Coaching services can support them.

If you’d like to reflect on your specific challenges, you can also book a clarity call to explore next steps together.