Emotional Presence Without Proximity: Leading Teams You Don’t See Every Day

We often think of presence as something physical. Being “in the room.” Sharing the same table. Reading the body language between the lines.

But in today’s leadership reality, we can lead people for months—sometimes years—without ever standing beside them. And here’s the truth: presence is not a postcode.

Just because we’re not in the same room doesn’t mean we can’t be present.

The Risk of Emotional Drift

When we lead remotely, the absence of casual touchpoints—the chat by the kettle, the shared taxi to the airport, the walk between meetings—can quietly erode connection. Without realising it, we start communicating in transactions instead of relationships.

This drift doesn’t happen overnight. It happens email by email, meeting by meeting, until trust is thinner, collaboration is slower, and teams feel more like a list of names than a living network.

Signs Your Emotional Presence is Fading

– You talk about your team more than with them. – Meetings focus only on tasks and updates—not shared wins or challenges. – You can’t recall the last time you learned something personal about a colleague.

Staying Present Across Screens and Time Zones

Presence without proximity is a practice, not a coincidence. Here’s how to sustain it:

1. See the Person, Not Just the Role Take deliberate time to connect beyond the job description. Ask about their environment, their challenges, what’s making them proud this week. It’s not “small talk”—it’s leadership.

2. Create Shared Moments That Aren’t Meetings Virtual coffee breaks, book clubs, short voice notes—small rituals build big trust. They signal you value the person, not just the deliverable.

3. Use Video Intentionally, Not Relentlessly Video calls can create fatigue as much as connection. Choose them for moments that matter—feedback, celebration, difficult conversations—then allow voice or chat for the rest.

4. Anchor the Team in Purpose When distance stretches, shared purpose pulls you back together. Revisit it often. Celebrate progress towards it. Purpose is the glue that survives geography.

5. Show Up in the Ways That Matter Most Presence is less about frequency and more about quality. When someone needs you—during a crisis, after a success, or in moments of uncertainty—make sure you’re there, fully.

Because Connection is a Leadership Choice

Geography can limit proximity. It should never limit presence.

Your team may be across cities, countries, even continents. But trust grows when they feel seen, valued, and supported—no matter the distance.

The real measure of leadership is not whether you can stand beside your team – it’s whether they can still feel you standing with them when you can’t. If you would like to explore ways of being more ‘present’ even at distance, contact me via laura@lauraserrant.com

Remember:

“Presence isn’t about being in the same room. It’s about making someone feel they matter, wherever you are.” — Professor Laura Serrant