When Brad Smith talks about leadership, he doesn’t start with AI, technology stacks, or go-to-market frameworks. 

He starts with people.

“The ability to build trust and understand where someone’s coming from is just as important as knowing the technology,” Brad said on Nue’s The Lift podcast.

As Head of Solution Architecture at Zapier (a fully remote company with more than 800 employees across over 40 countries) Brad knows first-hand how the way we work is changing. 

Distributed teams, digital-first customer engagement, and the rapid rise of AI are reshaping how leaders connect with their people. But in Brad’s view, the fundamentals haven’t changed.

“Friend first, boss second” is more than a catchphrase for him. It’s a conscious way of operating. In a remote environment, where you can’t lean on hallway conversations or office drop-bys, trust doesn’t happen by accident. Brad says leaders have to create space for it.

That means taking the time to know people beyond their role, so feedback flows both ways and hard conversations become easier. “If people know you’re in their corner, they’re more willing to be open,” he explained. “And when they’re open, you can actually solve problems together.”

Brad applies the same lens to hiring. Skills matter but not as much as character. That approach shapes how he evaluates potential team members. While many hiring managers focus on whether a candidate can do the job on day one, Brad is equally interested in whether they can grow with the role and whether they’ll strengthen the culture.

Brad is no stranger to automation. At Zapier, AI and no-code tools are part of the company’s DNA. But he’s clear about their purpose.

That might mean automating repetitive reporting so a salesperson has more time with customers, or using AI to summarize meeting notes so the team can focus on decisions, not documentation. What it doesn’t mean is removing people from the loop.

In a co-located office, relationships often build themselves. In a remote company, they don’t. Brad is intentional about creating those touchpoints — whether it’s regular one-on-ones, cross-functional projects, or simply picking up the phone instead of sending another Slack message.

That investment pays off in more than just morale. It’s also a competitive advantage. Teams that know and trust each other collaborate faster, adapt more easily, and are more willing to bring forward ideas.

For Brad, leadership in the AI era is about integrating technology and humanity. Tools like AI can make teams more productive and open new possibilities. But without trust, empathy, and intentional connection, those tools won’t deliver their full value.

As he put it: “Technology is always going to evolve. What matters is whether your team trusts you enough to go through that change together.” 

It’s a question worth asking for any leader navigating today’s rapidly shifting world of work.

Hear more from Brad Smith on The Lift podcast.