Team members were given significant tasks and these tasks were accomplished without being directly observed by a manager. Electronic mail and the telephone were the primary information and communications technologies used. These information and communications technologies will change over time as new technologies such as Internet access, desktop conferencing, and electronic whiteboards become widely deployed. First, this is one of the first studies on leadership in virtual teams this researcher is aware of in the public domain. There are many other aspects of leadership in virtual teams that could be studied such as setting and shaping mission statements, setting goals, and establishing ground rules in a virtual environment, leading virtual teams with team members of different cultures, leadership of virtual teams where security issues such as access to computers and team members maintaining confidential or limited materials at home is important, power and influence or charismatic leadership in virtual environments, education and training requirements of team members in a virtual environment, and education and training delivered electronically to virtual teams.
Virtual teams are here to stay.
As information and communications technologies advance over the next few years enabling real-time video conferencing virtual teams will tend to become almost real, as team members will be able to see each other at the same time and work on the same documents at the same time using all the normal social cues. Where differences in time and space prevent teams from coming together in real-time, technologies will enhance this virtual environment as well. Teams are able to work together anytime and anywhere today it is only going to become easier.