Leading at a Distance - Practical Lessons for Virtual Success: Practical Lessons for Virtual Success

"Leading at a Distance is a highly practical guide that leverages the authors' in-depth research and consulting experience--and that of the global leadership advisory firm behind them--to provide a resource for leaders and executives. This book is a hands-on toolkit filled with examples and insights to guide leaders as they navigate virtual work. The book shares tips and best practices to onboard leaders virtually, build trust, shape organizational culture from a distance, enhance top team effectiveness,and conduct high-impact virtual meetings. Working remotely will likely become a more common factor for leaders guiding teams and organizations in the future. In this context, leaders must master virtual work environments to keep geographically dispersed team members aligned, connected, engaged, and performing. Leaders are aware that leading virtual teams and geographically dispersed employees can be very challenging. It is more difficult to hold employees accountable, build trust and strong relationships, as well as coach from a distance. Yet, organizations need to adapt to a virtual way of working as virtual leadership plays an increasingly important role in driving overall organizational effectiveness and performance"--
A timely and hands-on resource informed by lessons learned from Fortune 500 CEOs and executives Leading at a Distance provides executives with the necessary skills to successfully lead in the new virtual workplace, backed by the research and expertise of global leadership firm Spencer Stuart. Although working remotely is not new, the global pandemic has placed virtual work at the center of everyday life. And it has thrust workforce strategies to the core of business operations globally. As the shift towards large-scale virtual work continues to grow and become a permanent fixture—by some estimates, 30% of the workforce will be working virtually – leaders must understand how to build virtual work environments that foster connected, engaged, and high-performing teams. Although some forward-thinking companies and not-for-profit organizations have made significant investments in technology and virtual collaboration, many others have simply joined the “Zoom culture” without fully appreciating what it takes to operate effectively at a distance on a sustained basis. Leading at a Distance is a timely, research-based, and highly practical guide for developing and implementing strategies for conducting high-impact virtual work, building trust, and enhancing team unity. Designed to help leaders shape organizational culture remotely, this must-have resource demonstrates how to conduct virtual onboarding for senior leaders, build top teams from a distance, manage accountability in the new virtual environment, and much more. A hands-on toolkit filled with compelling examples, expert insights, and invaluable advice, this book: Provides clear guidance on establishing effective leadership in the virtual workplace Offers practical approaches for establishing strong relationships, increasing employee engagement, and coaching from a distance Addresses ways to keep geographically dispersed team members aligned and accountable Illustrates creative ideas for boosting team morale Features an overview of the unique challenges facing leaders in the virtual workplace Discusses often-overlooked topics such as virtual hiring and onboarding Leveraging the authors' in-depth research and consulting experience, Leading at a Distance is required reading for anyone needing to adapt to a virtual way of working and develop their virtual leadership skills to maximize organizational effectiveness and performance.