Never thought a “quick 15-minute call” could teach me this much.

Never thought a “quick 15-minute call” could teach me this much.

This week, I led our daily stand-up meetings for the first time, and trust me, it wasn’t just about ticking a task off the list.

It started with nerves (and multiple drafts of what I’d say 😅).

But by the end of the week? I was looking forward to that little window where we all show up—not just as teammates, but as people.

I’ve led before. I’ve guided interns, hosted meetings, spoken up.

But this? This felt different. This felt like holding space for real connection, even if it was just 15 minutes on a screen.

Because remote or not, people want to be seen. Heard. Understood.

And I’m someone who genuinely loves understanding people.

Here’s what I’ve learned (and what I’ll carry forward):

🔹 Small Talk Isn’t Small: Those first 2 minutes of laughter or “how was your evening?” open doors. Remote work feels a little less remote when we talk like real humans.

🔹 Energy Is Contagious: If I bring warmth, curiosity, and excitement—others mirror it. Tone sets the tempo.

🔹 Leading ≠ Speaking More: It’s about guiding the conversation, not dominating it. The best moments came when I just listened.

🔹 Mistakes Are Part of the Music: Did I fumble? Yes. Did I recover? Also yes. That’s growth, and I’m owning it.

🔹 Connection Beats Control: I started off thinking I needed to manage the flow. I ended up realizing—I needed to connect to people first.

Stand-ups weren’t just a task on my calendar.

They became my daily reminder that how we lead is how we care.

About people. About voices. About doing things with heart.

How do you bring life to your virtual meetings?

P.S. If you think leading is about always having the answers, you’re not alone. But it’s in the questions, the pauses, the warmth… that real leadership takes root.