Virtual Team Leadership: A Case Study in Christian Higher Education

Abstract

This study focused on virtual team leadership in Christian higher education by exploring the viability and acceptability of leadership practices defined by Malhotra, Majchrzak, and Rosen (2007). They identified six leadership practices effective leaders use to overcome the unique challenges associated with virtual teams, including: (a) establishing and maintaining trust through the use of communication technology, (b) ensuring that distributed diversity is understood and appreciated, (c) managing virtual work-life cycle (meetings), (d) monitoring team progress using technology, (e) enhancing visibility of virtual members within the team and outside in the organization, and (f) enabling individual members of the virtual team to benefit from the team. Using a case study design, a qualitative in-depth interview was conducted with an exemplary virtual team leader to explore his views of the leader's role and effectiveness within a virtual team environment in Christian higher education. Analysis of the data found that the leadership practices were conceptually accepted and practically applied; thus, this study concludes that these leadership practices are both valid and accepted by this exemplary virtual team leader.