I was pumped! In my first step out of academia, I’d been hired as a “Senior” Consultant by a CEO who emphasized mentorship and development. He promised growth and regular check-ins. I just knew this was the place for me.

I prepped for our first 1-on-1 meeting—professional, confident, camera-ready. Minutes before logging in, I got a message:

“Sorry, we’ll have to reschedule. An important client meeting came up.”

No problem, I thought. I’m flexible. I’m cool.

But it happened again the next week, and the next. When we finally met, the CEO was clearly distracted - I could see him scrolling and checking emails. His questions were scattered, and when our 15-minute check-in ended, he logged off before I could finish asking my questions.

Alone in my home office, anxiety kicked in:

I don’t know what I’m doing.

Maybe I’m not as smart as I thought.

I’ll never figure this out.

The issue? This leader had a trust problem.
He was smart and capable—but lacked the follow-through to build trust.

Trust is essential in any organization, but it’s absolutely critical in remote work. Without casual conversations or body language cues, we end up relying on our assumptions and best guesses—and when trust is low, those assumptions often spiral into:

Disengagement

Negative stereotypes

Caution over innovation or honesty

Information bottlenecks and misalignment

So how do we build trust in virtual environments?

We need to amplify our communication. Remote relationships demand more intentionality and clarity than in face-to-face settings. We can no longer take our connections for granted.

Here are a few things to consider:

Trust killers:

• Quick replies (e.g., “K”) that create confusion and stress

• Error-ridden messages signaling “too busy to care”

• Multitasking during calls (yes, we can tell)

• Ghosting emails or Slack messages (what better way to say “you don’t matter”)

Trust builders:

• Connection – Create consistent, intentional spaces for discussion, questions, and alignment.

• Predictability – Show up regularly. Pay attention. Reliability signals commitment and tells people, “You really do matter.”

Trust isn’t automatic—especially online. It must be built deliberately, consistently, and visibly. Only then can you tap into the full potential of your remote team.

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