ABSTRACT
Overview
This Chapter explores e-leadership – what it means and the application of traditional and new leadership models and theories to virtual project management. It begins with an examination of 20th century leadership styles that cannot be adapted to the virtual work environment. Control-related leadership, leadership through empowerment, transformational and transactional leadership styles, contingency school of leadership, situational leadership styles, decision tree approach, agile project management, servant leadership and grateful leadership, models of team development, the ARCS model, entrepreneurial leadership, and extreme agility are discussed as they relate and apply to virtual management. These theories are followed by a section on which e-leadership approaches are not effective in the virtual environment. The chapter concludes with how managers can begin to move toward multiple e-leadership styles and the benefits of multiple leadership styles in virtual projects.
