Building Remote Teams With Heart and Humanity With Moe Carrick
Moe Carrick is a Senior Leadership Consultant at Moementum, Inc., where she helps CEOs, business owners, and senior leaders build unstoppable teams and cultivate strong organizational cultures. As a best-selling author with over 6,900 LinkedIn followers, Moe has been recognized as an award-winning leadership expert and culture pioneer, and her company has impacted organizations of all sizes, from small businesses to enterprises with over 30,000 employees. Outside of her consulting work, Moe is passionate about the parallels between team dynamics and horse herds, and she brings a unique perspective to leadership by drawing on insights from nature and her love of horses.
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:
Moe explains why human beings, just like horses, are hardwired for connection and why "belonging" is a survival instinct, not just a corporate buzzword.
A discussion on "connective labor"—why AI cannot replace the spontaneous human connection needed in leadership and caregiving roles.
Why video calls fail to convey emotional cues (like anger or hesitation) that we naturally pick up in person, and how leaders must over-communicate to fill that gap.
Moe shares a powerful analogy from horse training about moving employees from being "obedient marionettes" (shut down) to partners with agency and courage.
A practical case study on why switching from one long weekly meeting to short daily check-ins can save a remote relationship and align vision.
How to create an environment where adrenaline is used for work and creativity, rather than for stress and self-protection.
Why AI often gives better feedback than humans (because of clear prompting) and how to apply "prompt engineering" logic to human leadership to get better results.
In this episode…
What does it take to build a thriving, connected remote team in today's fast-paced, tech-driven world? With entrepreneurs increasingly relying on global talent and hybrid models, the challenge of fostering meaningful connection, accountability, and creative culture across distance has never been greater. How can leaders overcome isolation, cultural differences, and the pitfalls of remote work to create high-performing teams where everyone feels truly seen and empowered?
Moe Carrick, an award-winning leadership expert and culture pioneer, has found innovative ways to tackle these challenges head-on. In this engaging conversation, she shares how the core human need for connection remains constant, even as technology and remote work continue to reshape how we collaborate. Drawing on research, her experience building hybrid and distributed teams, and lessons learned from working with horses, Moe highlights the importance of vulnerability, clarity, and agency. She also explores practical strategies — from designing purposeful touchpoints and fostering psychological safety to leveraging AI tools that streamline hiring and onboarding.
In this episode of the Soul Soothing Podcast, host Christiane Witt sits down with Moe Carrick, Senior Leadership Consultant at Moementum, Inc., to explore how leaders can build connected and empowered teams in today's evolving world of work. Together, they discuss the psychology of belonging, leading across cultures, and the role of vulnerability in remote environments. Drawing from real-world stories and research-backed frameworks, Moe shares practical examples that help leaders rethink how they connect, collaborate, and build teams that are genuinely human and resilient.
Resources Mentioned in this episode
The Last Human Job by Allison Pugh
Psychological Safety (Amy Edmondson)
Quotable Moments
“As human beings, we are hardwired actually just like horses to live in a herd. We have a primal human need for connectedness, and when we don’t have that... we suffer.”
“My job as a horse trainer was always to defrost the heart... to get them from not shut down to curious, to courageous, to willing and able to make mistakes.”
“In a virtual environment, you can’t hide. You can just put your head down... but that doesn’t create a healthy team culture. It doesn’t create high energy output.”
“If we can create a work environment... so that the adrenaline is being produced for the actual work to be done, not for the alertness of ‘Oh my God, am I safe?’”
“Humans do much better when we have a deeper feeling of what [the context] looks like.”
Action Steps
Switch from "Monitoring" to "Connective Labor": Instead of just checking tasks, acknowledge that remote work removes physical cues. Intentionally design your meetings to include "connective labor"—asking how people are feeling and creating space for human interaction before diving into business.
Adopt the "Daily Huddle" Rhythm: If you feel a disconnect with a remote employee, try switching from a long weekly meeting (90 mins) to a short daily check-in (15-20 mins). This frequency builds better alignment and allows for faster course correction, preventing the "drift" that happens in isolation.
Give Context, Not Just Instructions: When delegating to remote teams (or using AI), don't just assign a task. Provide the "Context"—the vision, the strategy, and the why. Treat your instructions like "prompt engineering"; the more context you give, the better the output.
Encourage "Agency" over "Obedience": Check if your team members are acting like "marionettes" (waiting for commands) or partners. Create a safe space for them to take risks or suggest a different way of doing things without fear of criticism. Reward them when they offer a solution you didn't ask for.
Sponsor for this episode…
This episode is brought to you by Soul Soothing Co., where we help women founders build AI-enhanced systems and self-managing teams that restore spaciousness, flow, and creative freedom.
One example of how we help our clients is Lynley. We helped her go from working 16 hours a day, seven days a week, to embracing systems, AI, and structure — allowing her to multiply her income, create time to enjoy her hobbies, and reconnect with her deeper self.
If you’re tired of being a woman entrepreneur who has built a business that works but feels like that business is running you, visit us at soulsoothingco.com to book a quick chat, or email us at [email protected].
