Remote Strengths: How to Lead Virtually with Confidence
By Monique Farmer, APR
I’ll never forget the day my kitchen table became my conference room.
It was early 2020. The world had just shifted under our feet and like millions of professionals, I was learning to lead in a whole new way—through a screen. One minute I was writing lesson plans and creating comms strategies from an office with whiteboards and watercooler chatter. The next, I was adjusting to the digital silence of Slack pings and Zoom lag. I found myself asking, “Can I really lead from here?”
What I discovered then—and what I’ve seen time and again since—is that distance doesn’t limit a leader who empowers their team. It magnifies your strengths and forces you to sharpen your skills. Remote leadership isn’t a compromise. It’s a calling to lead with greater clarity, creativity and compassion.
So how do we do it well? How do we build trust, foster connection and achieve results in a space where hallway chats and quick check-ins are no longer a given?
Here’s how.
🎯 Lesson 1: Results Over Rigidity
One of the biggest mindset shifts in remote leadership is letting go of control over how people work—and focusing instead on what they achieve. The traditional 9-to-5 clock-watching just doesn’t translate.
According to a 2022 McKinsey survey, 87% of workers offered remote work take it and nearly 60% say they would look for a new job if that flexibility were taken away. The takeaway? Flexibility is now a feature, not a perk.
Great remote leaders set clear expectations and then get out of the way. Empower your team to meet deadlines and deliver results, even if their workday looks a little different from yours.
🧭 Lesson 2: Trust Is the New Currency
When we’re not in the same room, trust becomes your most valuable leadership tool. And trust doesn’t just happen. It’s built through consistent, transparent communication.
As I shared in my piece 5 Ways to Build Confidence With Media Contacts, trust starts with you. Do what you say you will. Be honest about delays. Celebrate wins and acknowledge setbacks. Let your team know that you’re not just checking in to check up—you’re showing up because you care.
According to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, high-trust organizations see better collaboration, higher job satisfaction and lower turnover.
💻 Lesson 3: Leverage the Right Tools
The tools you choose can either enable great work—or get in the way of it. Remote leadership demands the right technology and the training to match.
Think beyond video calls. Use project management platforms like Asana or ClickUp to align efforts. Slack and Teams for quick updates. And don’t forget about asynchronous tools like Loom for recorded video updates that save time and increase clarity.
In my article How PR Pros Can Keep Up With Evolving Technology, I emphasize embracing new tech—even when it feels overwhelming. AI and automation can lighten the load, but they can’t replace the human touch. That’s your job.
🌍 Lesson 4: Lead With Cultural Competence
Remote work often means global teams. And with that comes beautiful diversity—and a deeper need for understanding.
Whether you’re scheduling meetings across continents or navigating different communication styles, be culturally aware. Be time-zone considerate. And always assume good intent.
As I wrote in 5 Ways to Stay Centered in a Changing World, knowing your audience—and honoring their context—can make or break your global strategy.
🧠 Lesson 5: Create Psychological Safety
Your virtual team can’t thrive if they’re afraid to speak up.
Psychological safety—where people feel safe to ask questions, admit mistakes and challenge ideas—isn’t just a buzzword. It’s a foundation for innovation and collaboration.
The Harvard Business Review backs this up: teams with high psychological safety are more effective, more resilient and more innovative. Check in often. Normalize learning from failure. And celebrate those who bring fresh perspectives.
📣 Lesson 6: Over-Communicate With Purpose
You don’t need more meetings. You need more meaning in your communication.
In remote leadership, clarity beats cleverness every time. Make your goals plain. Repeat what matters. Use multiple channels and formats.
In a crisis, it’s even more vital. As I outlined in 5 Steps for Navigating the First Hour of a Crisis, early, clear communication sets the tone for everything that follows.
💡 Final Thought: Remote Isn’t a Roadblock—It’s a Runway
Yes, remote leadership is different. Yes, it has its challenges. But it’s also a tremendous opportunity to reimagine how we lead.
You have the tools. You have the trust. Now lean into it.
Because here’s the truth: leadership has never been about proximity. It’s about purpose. And when you lead with intention, connection and courage, you won’t just lead well—you’ll elevate everyone around you.
Monique Farmer, APR, runs a PR/Communication Consultancy, Avant Solutions and is the creator of Anvil Ready, an online communication strategy builder that aids the communication professional in creating communication plans. She teaches at the University of Texas at Austin. Farmer spent 12 years working in the federal government prior to working in corporate communications for ConAgra Foods (now ConAgra Brands), then leading communication strategy for Nebraska’s largest school district. In March 2024, she published her first book, Chart Your Path: A 9-step Method to Getting Unstuck.
🔗 Sources
- McKinsey & Company. “What is hybrid work?” https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-explainers/what-is-hybrid-work
- U.S. Office of Personnel Management. “Trust in the Workplace.” https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/performance-management/reference-materials/trust-in-the-workplace.pdf
- Harvard Business Review. “How to Create Psychological Safety in Virtual Meetings.” https://hbr.org/2021/08/how-to-create-psychological-safety-in-virtual-meetings