WEEK 3 DISCUSSION 2: Virtual Leadership: Is It Possible?

Prior to beginning work on this discussion forum, read the articles Working From Home During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Impact on Office Worker Productivity and Work ExperienceLinks to an external site., Diverse and Dispersed: Accessing the Hidden Benefits of Your Virtual TeamLinks to an external site., A Pandemic Leadership Program for Managers to Enhance Staff Resiliency and Psychological Safety During COVID-19Links to an external site., E-Leadership and Teleworking in Times of COVID-19 and Beyond: What We Know and Where Do We GoLinks to an external site., Rethinking Leadership and Culture in the New World of Work: 7 Pillars of Culture SuccessLinks to an external site., and Virtual Team Leader Communication: Employee Perception and Organizational RealityLinks to an external site., and watch the video segment Managing a Virtual TeamLinks to an external site..

It is also recommended that you review Chapter 2: The Challenges of Managing and Working Remotely and Chapter 8: Is Remote Working Right for Everyone? (Cook, 2019) and the articles Researchers Working From Home: Benefits and ChallengesLinks to an external site., Diverse and Dispersed: Accessing the Hidden Benefits of Your Virtual TeamLinks to an external site., Virtual Leadership in Organizations: Potential Competitive Advantage?Links to an external site., and The Effects of COVID-19 on Virtual Working Within Online GroupsLinks to an external site..

Marti-Marie Williams owns a company that makes maternity clothes for pregnant and nursing mothers. She is the principal designer of her clothing line and oversees all the production and sales of garments but outsources the actual sewing and assembly of the clothing her company designs. Marti-Marie’s company orders all the fabrics that are shipped to the companies that produce the garments, and she makes frequent trips to the manufacturing firms to oversee the production quality. Marti-Marie has a group of five designers who work collaboratively with her and with each other, and a sales team that sells company products to small independent maternity clothing stores. Currently the company operates in rented industrial office space from which all designers and sales staff work. Marti-Marie is exploring the option of becoming a remote-work organization but is not certain this will benefit her organization.

In an initial post of at least 350 words or more and citing at least two required resources:

• Discuss whether you believe it is feasible for Marti-Marie to transition her company to a remote-work organization, explaining the pros and cons of doing so.
• Anticipate the potential positive and negative reactions of employees if the company were to transition to being fully remote.
  • What aspects of being fully remote might be appreciated by employees? What aspects of being fully might cause problems for employees?
• Discuss the challenges and opportunities Marti-Marie will have as a virtual leader.
• Make a case for or against Marti-Marie transitioning to a fully remote-work organization.
  • What other options might you recommend Marti-Marie consider other than going fully remote?

Tutorial for Virtual Leadership: Is It Possible?