“It’s more important now that I’m working virtually than it was when they were working face to face.” –Cody Reeves, assistant professor of Organizational Behavior and Human Resources at the BYU Marriott School of Business. So maybe, if nothing else, this becomes a catalyst to help instill some of those skills to train our leaders so they’re better equipped to work with their teams. If I’ve got workers working collaboratively, especially if I do have formal leaders and I don’t want them to be undercut by others who are emergent leaders, I need to be training them on what are these behaviors to engage in,’ he said. ![]() “It’s a really an important point for businesses to realize. Reeves said the perceived differences between virtual and traditional leaders are “stark.” He added that although social connection is still critical for leaders on virtual teams, online productive leadership is driven mostly through minor acts like timeline monitoring, providing feedback, as well as teamwork coordination. Comparing the data with transcripts of the students’ virtual interactions, researchers noted patterns in how leaders tend to surface over the range of virtual to in-person teams. The students completed surveys regarding their own and their team members’ characteristics and behaviors, along with who they thought to be their team leaders. “Those who take the time to pause and assist others with tasks are more likely to be viewed as leaders.”įor the study, Reeves and his colleagues observed 220 student teams at two Midwestern universities who met to work on assigned projects mostly virtually, mostly in-person or in a combination of the two options. “On a virtual team, it’s more important than in a face-to-face meeting to stand out as the one who helps others,” Reeves explained. The study shows that because there may be fewer social cues available for human interaction along with increased chances for miscommunication, team members may tend to gravitate toward individuals who implement tangible measures to ensure goal attainment over those people with charismatic personalities. “Do you help to monitor our resources, monitor the environment, are you helping others (by) reaching out and assisting them? Are you doing things that are leader-like, not just ‘Are you a leader type?’” “I still form impressions (through), ‘Are you intelligent or conscientious?’ But now my perceptions of your leadership are driven far more by, ‘Have you done things for the team that are leader-like?’” said Cody Reeves, assistant professor of Organizational Behavior and Human Resources at the BYU Marriott School of Business. But in virtual settings, those qualities are not as effective. Researchers discovered that in face-to-face situations, team members value individuals with “classic” leadership traits - like extroversion and intelligence. A new study published in the Journal of Business and Psychology examined “emergent leaders” - those with no formal authority but who are recognized as leaders among team members - in groups with varying levels of virtual interaction. Research from Brigham Young University indicates that members of virtual teams tend to recognize leaders in very different ways compared to in-person team members. PROVO - The skills it takes to become a leader in the real world may not be the same attributes that will work as well in virtual reality, a new study shows. ![]() ![]() Reading or replaying the story in itsĪrchived form does not constitute a republication of the story. Only for your personal, non-commercial use.
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