Why talk about intimacy in the digital world?
We usually think of intimacy as something private, romantic, and emotional.
But its deeper meaning is simple: to be made known.
To let what’s inside become visible — to ourselves, to each other, to the systems we inhabit.
So the real question becomes:
What kind of intimacy are we creating in digital spaces?
We’re not just working differently.
We’re relating differently — through screens, threads, shared docs, and now… algorithms.
And yet:
67% of hybrid workers say they feel unseen by their teams
AI therapy is now the #1 global use of generative AI
Emotional field sensing is a key predictor of team resilience
So why does this matter?
Because systems don’t just run on tasks —
They run on trust. On presence. On the unseen forces that shape how we show up together.
And if we don’t bring intention to our digital ways of relating,
we risk designing systems that are fast… but empty.
Connected… but not in a relationship.
Always on… but never felt.
Digital Intimacy™ is not soft.
It’s structural
It’s what allows us to work in ways that are sustainable, meaningful, and truly human
Discover our four invitations and experience our model
WITNESS each other
Can you picture your story at work?
In digital ways of working,
truly seeing each other is not a given.
It’s a shared skill we cultivate.
When you witness someone’s journey —
their struggles, breakthroughs, and quiet transformations,
we participate in something larger than ourselves.
To see is to be near,
even across distance.
Digital intimacy isn’t about physical proximity.
It’s about collective presence.
I noticed how quiet she’d been on calls lately — not withdrawn, just… different. A few weeks later, she shared she'd been navigating burnout. I realised I’d been witnessing her shift without even knowing it
SENSE to name
What would be your nickname at work, if they gave you one?
What is the energy in the room —
when the room is a screen, a chat, a dashboard?
Our bodies are still sensing.
Still attuned.
We feel when something shifts,
even in silence:
tension, curiosity, distance, resonance.
Digital intimacy isn’t romantic —
it’s the courage to name what’s real.
To trust our signals.
And give them language.
During a team check-in, something felt off. The usual energy was missing. I paused and said, ‘Is something in the air today?’ Suddenly, three people named the same unspoken tension.”
RELATE to and with technology
What do you give up, and what do you elevate, when you use technology?
Technology isn’t neutral.
It shapes how we relate, what we reveal, and who we become.
We automate, delegate, streamline —
but sometimes lose the very parts of ourselves that matter most:
spontaneity, nuance, the space to feel before responding.
Digital intimacy means forming a conscious relationship with our tools.
Not just using technology — but relating with it.
Letting it extend us — not erase us.
I used to respond to messages instantly — always performing. When I switched to async voice notes, I noticed I sounded more like myself. Slower. More thoughtful. Less reactive.
SHAPE with intention
If you were to draw the boundaries around your team, what would they look like?
Digital spaces don’t naturally hold us.
They blur edges. Flatten nuance.
Make it easy to disappear — or dominate.
That’s why digital containers must be shaped —
carefully, intentionally,
with enough room for emotion, tension, and genuine connection.
Digital intimacy means creating environments where people can be human —
not just productive.
It’s not about perfection.
It’s about presence, especially when things get messy.
It’s about naming what the space is for — and what it’s not.
We added one line to our weekly meeting: ‘What’s one thing you’re not saying?’ It shifted everything. We stopped performing alignment and started building real trust.