The widespread shift to hybrid work, blending in-office and remote work, has transformed traditional work environments, introducing new opportunities and challenges for organizations, team leaders, and employees. This study investigates how hybrid work influences e-leadership and virtual team (VT) dynamics, with the aim of identifying effective strategies for managing successful and sustainable hybrid virtual teams (HVTs). Adopting a qualitative two-phase research design, we first conducted an exploratory online questionnaire to capture current hybrid work environments, followed by semi-structured interviews to delve deeper into the impact of hybrid work on e-leadership and team dynamics. Our findings underscore the critical role of trust, communication, and adaptability in e-leadership within HVTs. We discovered that trust in HVTs hinges on the perceived legitimacy of remote work and visibility within the organization. Effective e-leadership requires balancing structured information and communication technology (ICT) use with spontaneous interactions to maintain team cohesion and productivity. Furthermore, phased integration and continuous adjustment based on corporate and hierarchical maturity are essential for sustaining HVT performance. This research extends existing theories on trust dynamics, leadership challenges, and employee well-being in VTs by highlighting unique aspects of hybrid settings. Our findings offer significant practical implications, suggesting that fostering managerial empathy, ensuring visibility, and legitimizing remote work can enhance trust and productivity in HVTs. Tailored leadership strategies and structured ICT use are vital for effective communication and team cohesion in hybrid settings.