Discussion Virtual Teams

Al-Ani, Horspool, and Bligh (2011) described qualitative aspects of working in virtual teams, often with virtual strangers (Here we sit in our virtual classroom!), ranging from the continued importance of face-to-face communication to an entirely “virtual presence.” As discussed in Week 6, a multigenerational workforce presents multiple levels of leadership challenges that have continued to evolve in parallel with the Internet age and the changing dynamics of the modern worker. A leader must still lead despite where teams may fall on the continuum. Does a virtual team benefit or stifle an organizational structure? What are the new leadership toolkits necessary for success? To Prepare Review the Learning Resources. Consider the communication challenges that exist in virtual settings. By Day 3 Post a description of the benefits and challenges of communicating with co–workers or clients/citizens in virtual settings. Can the problems be avoided or overcome? Use specific examples to explain your response. Required Readings Clawson, J. G. (2012). Level three leadership: Getting below the surface (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Chapter 12, “Leadership and Intelligence” (pp. 154–166) Simmons, A. (2006). The story factor: Inspiration, influence, and persuasion through the art of storytelling (2nd ed.). Cambridge, MA: Perseus. Chapter 8, “Story Listening as a Tool of Influence” (pp. 181–198) Al-Ani, B., Horspool, A., & Bligh, M. C. (2011). Collaborating with ‘virtual strangers’: Towards developing a framework for leadership in distributive teams. Leadership, 7(3), 219-249. Walden University Writing Center. (2015a). Common course assignments: Annotated bibliographies. Retrieved from http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/assignments/annotatedbibliographies Walden University Writing Center. (2015b). Common course assignments: Example. Retrieved from http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/assignments/annotatedbibliographies/example