Why human connection is essential for leaders and teams.

In a world of AI and dispersed working, the leaders who thrive will be those who build trust, compassion and human connection.

Someone recently said to me, only half-jokingly: “Aren’t you worried all your work will be replaced by AI?”

It’s a fair question! There’s a lot of talk about using AI as your personal coach or turning to a Chatbot for leadership development. It’s a question many of us are asking ourselves.

There’s never been a more urgent need for leaders and teams to build human connection.

With many of us working at home some or all the time, I frequently work with teams that only get together in person once or twice a year. The rest of the time, we only communicate through screens.

We’re living through a time of extraordinary technological change. Artificial intelligence, automation, digital platforms, hybrid working promise speed, efficiency, and new opportunities. And yet, for many of the leaders and teams I work with, the lived experience is often the opposite: disconnection.

McKinsey’s recent research on the future of people management makes the point clearly: in a world of digital disruption and shifting expectations, traditional operating models no longer suffice. Leaders will need to focus less on process and more on people, building trust, compassion, and psychological safety, and creating personalised experiences that make work meaningful.

Technology isn’t the problem in itself. In fact, it frees up time and opens up possibilities. But unless we pay attention to what it means to “be more human,” they risk building organisations that are technically efficient but emotionally lacking.

Creating human connection sits at the heart of everything we do at Growth Space.

We need to remember we are all individual human beings, with lives, interests, passions and challenges outside work. And when we lose that perspective, it becomes harder to build trust, navigate conflict.

Humans have to get better at being more human.

“As machines get better at being machines, humans have to get better at being more human.”

— Andrew J Scott, London Business School Economist

Technology can bring efficiency and insight, but it can’t replace the human skills that make organisations thrive: empathy, emotional intelligence, and the ability to create real connections.

That sense of belonging is built in small, human moments.

Why leaders can’t outsource “the human stuff”

Leaders sometimes talk about well-being, culture, or engagement as if these belong to HR; the people team can be a partner, providing skills, tools, and insights, but they can’t do it all.

Every interaction we have (in meetings, informal chats, how you respond to pressure and the behaviour you reward or tolerate) shapes the culture your people experience. Leaders set the tone for workplaces where people feel valued, trusted, and inspired to grow.

• The tone you set in a meeting.

• The way you respond under pressure.

• The behaviour you reward or tolerate.

What “being more human” looks like

So what does this actually mean in practice? It’s easy to say “be more human” - but in leadership, it comes down to creating the conditions where people feel safe, valued, and able to do their best work. That means:

• Empathy and compassion: listening to understand, recognising how people are feeling, and responding with care.

• Trust and psychological safety: showing up consistently so people know they can take risks, speak up, and be honest without fear of blame.

• Emotional intelligence: being aware of your own impact and noticing what’s going on under the surface in the team.

• Clarity and inspiration: helping people see the bigger picture, cutting through the noise, and connecting their effort back to purpose.

• Courage and consistency: having the conversations that matter, even when they’re tough, and modelling the behaviours you expect from others.

What gets in the way

One of the biggest barriers I hear from leaders is time. “We’re too busy for this stuff.” But if you don’t make time for connection, though, you spend more time firefighting. Misunderstandings, conflicts, and disengagement all take longer to sort out than an honest, intentional conversation would have.

Why connection is the leadership differentiator:

The differentiator will be whether leaders can create organisations where people feel connected to their purpose, to each other, and to the work they do.

• A team that talks honestly builds more trust in a day than in months of polite meetings.

• A leader who listens deeply earns loyalty that no pay rise can buy.

• An organisation that lives its values consistently wins both hearts and results.

• Connection isn’t fluffy. It’s strategic. It’s the foundation of execution, innovation, and growth.

So I’m not worried about being replaced by an AI coach. Coaching, Facilitating, Culture Transformation and Team effectiveness, leadership aren’t done by AI . They’re about sitting down together (or even walking together), building trust, asking the right questions, holding space for reflection, and challenging people to grow.

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Do you need support to build a more connected workplace?

At Growth Space, we work with leadership teams to create alignment around strategy, helping them clarify their story, build trust, and energise their people through team diagnostics, facilitation, and team coaching.

• Leadership Strategy Off-site facilitation >

• Culture Transformation >

• Systemic Team Coaching

If you’d like to explore how I could support your team, get in touch

Email: hello@growth-space.co.uk or call 07966 475195.

Creating Culture, Connection and Collaboration in a Hybrid Team

I’ve been reading Daniel Coyle’s The Culture Code, and it's a reminder of how much the world of work has changed since it was published just six years ago.

In the book, Coyle emphasises the impact of physical proximity in building trust, collaboration, and a strong team culture. He suggests that it’s easier to create connections and a shared sense of purpose when teams are physically close.

Today businesses are grappling with the challenge of balancing some employees' preference for hybrid working, while others want to return to the office. Then there are the needs of the business that are pushing some organisations to enforce a return to the office on a more regular, if not, full-time basis. There’s no simple solution.

So, what does that mean for how we build a culture of trust, collaboration, and psychological safety in teams when we can’t be physically close?

It’s all about creating another kind of proximity—emotionally, virtually, and through human-to-human interaction. Here are a few ways we can adapt Coyle's insights to the modern hybrid and remote workplace:

• Build Belonging
  Just because teams aren’t physically together doesn’t mean they can’t feel close. Can you create virtual "watercooler" moments or spontaneous interactions through video calls or chat channels? These can replicate those spontaneous office interactions that help people bond. Can you meet for breakfast, lunch, or after-work drinks just for fun?

• Create Connections:
  When team members are scattered across different locations, it’s easy for people to feel isolated or left out. Checking in with people individually and as a team is even more important when we're not physically together. Emails, Teams or Slack messaging lack that opportunity for real human-to-human connection that we all need. Use video calls and start with a chat to show you care about each other as individuals before jumping into the meeting's agenda.

• Set Clear Expectations, Roles and Boundaries
  One of the biggest challenges in remote teams is lack of clarity around roles and responsibilities. This can lead to confusion and missed expectations. To avoid this, ensure that each team member has a clear understanding of their role within the team and how they contribute to the team’s success. This clarity helps to reduce stress and promotes a greater sense of purpose and alignment.. Also, establish boundaries to protect work-life balance, especially in remote settings.

• Co-create Your Culture, Values, and Behaviours:
  Your team culture will evolve whether you like it or not, so it’s crucial to involve everyone in consciously shaping it. For example, a culture where people turn up late for meetings, leave cameras off, and multi-task breeds more of the same behaviour. So, discuss and agree on your norms and expectations as a team.

• Create Psychological Safety:
  Psychological safety refers to an environment where team members feel safe to take risks, make mistakes, voice concerns, and share ideas without fear of judgment. Create an environment where team members feel safe to speak up without fear of judgment or reprimand. Be vigilant to ensure that when someone shares their concerns or ideas, they are met with support, not dismissal. Praise openness and reinforce that transparency is both safe and valuable.

• Celebrate Small Wins Together:
  Highlight shared successes and praise individual contributions or positive behaviours. Collective recognition goes a long way in building and maintaining motivation and trust.

• Be Vulnerable and Empathetic:
  As the leader, role model transparency, vulnerability and empathy - acknowledge the challenges the team has faced, demonstrate vulnerability, and openly discuss how to address the ongoing issues. Leaders who embrace vulnerability help to cultivate psychological safety by showing that it’s okay to admit mistakes, ask for help, or not have all the answers.

• Have fun together:
  Introduce fun team-building activities - not just for work-related tasks but also on getting to know each other as individuals. This could include storytelling sessions, where team members share more about their lives outside of work. Remember those virtual pub quizzes or wine and cheese tastings we did during lockdown?

Hybrid work doesn’t have to mean disconnected teams. It can be an opportunity to build a stronger, more resilient culture.

How do your teams build connection and trust when you're not physically close?

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If you would like to strengthen the culture, communication and collaboration of your remote or hybrid team, get in touch with Polly to discuss how a facilitated team workshop could help. Contact Polly by email on polly@pollyrobinson.co.uk or call 07966 475195.