Stop Blaming Zoom: The Real Remote Work Culture Crisis with Jeff Geier
No More Leadership BS
Stop Blaming Zoom: The Real Remote Work Culture Crisis with Jeff Geier
January 28, 2026
The reality check you need: Culture is king. Remote work is here to stay. And the windshield is bigger than the rearview mirror for a reason—stop trying to reverse into the future.
Remote Work Didn't Break Your Culture—It Just Exposed What Was Already There

Think remote work killed your company culture? Plot twist: Your culture was probably already on life support. The hosts tackle the uncomfortable truth that whether your team works from home in their pajamas or suits up in corner offices, culture isn't determined by zip codes—it's designed by what leaders reward, tolerate, and actually give a damn about.

Stop Blaming Zoom for Your Leadership Gaps

The real issue isn't whether Karen can see Bob's facial expressions during the morning standup. It's whether you've built the foundation of trust, clarity, and connection that makes any team—remote or not—actually function. Remote work didn't create your cultural crisis; it just made it impossible to hide behind the illusion that proximity equals productivity.

The Know-Like-Trust Triangle You're Probably Ignoring

You can't skip steps. You can't know, like, and trust someone without the "know" part first (and no, knowing their Slack handle doesn't count). Remote teams need intentional relationship-building—the kind that doesn't happen by accident at the water cooler. Annual offsites, non-work-focused meetings, and genuine recognition aren't nice-to-haves; they're the connective tissue that keeps remote teams from becoming glorified call centers.

Project-Based vs. Butt-in-Seat: The Culture Shift You Missed

Here's what changed: We finally figured out that showing up doesn't equal showing results. Remote work forced the uncomfortable evolution from measuring presence to measuring productivity. But here's the kicker—this shift also flattened hierarchies (everyone's the same size on Zoom), expanded talent pools (geography stopped mattering), and revealed which leaders were actually leading versus just managing the room.

The Bottom Line: Culture isn't created by office floor plans or Zoom backgrounds. It's built through deliberate choices about what you preserve, what you change, what you improve, and what you eliminate. Remote work is the mountain we're climbing, and complaining about the rocks won't change the view from the top.

Tune In For:

The reality check you need: Culture is king. Remote work is here to stay. And the windshield is bigger than the rearview mirror for a reason—stop trying to reverse into the future.

Have questions,  suggestions or just a great story to tell about some Leadership BS you have experienced? Let us know by emailing us 

Today's Featured Coach - 

  • Jeffrey Geier - Motivational Speaker, Trainer, and Coach - Helping You Win in Work & Life  Owner/Founder of Phoenix Coaching LLC Reach Jeffrey at [email protected] or 509-553-9248Jeffrey Geier - Motivational Speaker, Trainer, and Coach - Helping You Win in Work & Life  Owner/Founder of Phoenix Coaching LLC Reach Jeffrey at [email protected] or 509-553-9248


The rest of the gang: