The last time I brought up the subject of virtual leadership on the blog was earlier this year in March when I penned Long-distance leadership? Insist that complaints be accompanied by recommended solutions. The Remote Leadership Institute recently reprinted one of my articles – Managing Virtual Teams: Four Ways to Overcome the Challenges of Long-distance Leadership – at their website, and their interest made me think that it is worth bringing up this very relevant topic again. In today’s workplaces, remote workers are more the norm than the exception. Some people work at home for one day a month or a week, others full-time, but it’s not just working from home that creates off-site employees. Other staff are virtual because they are geographically remote from their bosses, and salespeople who operate mainly out of their vehicles are working long-distance as well. It’s pretty much a given that virtual leadership is a necessary skill for leaders in today’s world of business.
The number one complaint from those who work remotely is that they feel left out of the loop. “I never know what’s going on” and “I’m not included in the decision-making” are the most common criticisms I hear from those who work virtually. In the article, I lay out four keys to leading from afar; after all, long-distance leadership IS possible if you’re willing to fine-tune your leadership approach. Give it a read, and then come on back to the blog and share your experiences. What works (and doesn’t) for you when it comes to virtual leadership?