In this post, I would like to get back to a really basic interest of the Leading Virtually group. There are at least a few prominent articles (see, for example, the Seriosity report and an HBR article) that predict multiplayer online games offer us a preview of the future of the business environment and leadership. While this may be true, we are interested primarily in the potential of… Read more →
In one of her recent posts, Betsy Carroll blogged about alternatives to email. Email tends to be misused because of its accessibility and convenience. People end up using it in situations where alternatives would be more suitable. While stressing that email is great for communication but not for collaboration, Betsy discussed alternatives to email and the situations where they would… Read more →
A common problem that office workers face today is email overload. For some, email has taken over their work life and it is damaging, rather than improving, their productivity. In our Leading Virtually Digest of June 20th, we point to an article that reports how the onslaught of email or webmail is hurting productivity. A major reason for email’s negative… Read more →
Author’s note: Project Wonderland has now “forked, ” and the original team led by Nicole Yankelovich has branched off to work on Open Wonderland. Businesses are moving beyond marketing in virtual worlds and are exploring other applications of virtual worlds (see a recent BusinessWeek article & slideshow). Enabling collaboration among remote workers is one such application (see our past posts… Read more →
What: This past week, there continued to be a number of articles in regional newspapers about companies who are considering or trying out telecommuting. Check out a few from Michigan, Virginia, and Connecticut. There are plenty more available with a search. Posts to which it is related: Journal article cited in the Digest on June 13, Leading in Face to… Read more →
Email has become part of our everyday communication both in the office and at home. Correspondence that use to take place via the phone or in person are now being done virtually via email or webmail. Because of the unique nature of email contact and the prevalence of email in our everyday communication, a new set of challenges have arisen when it comes to the rules of email etiquette. One such rule is saying “thank you” via email.
The unexpected results from our studies comparing virtual team collaboration in virtual worlds to that in instant messaging (see previous post in which we discussed this) have prompted me to rethink the value of virtual worlds for virtual team collaboration. I have so far been focusing on the potential of virtual worlds to add value during the collaboration event itself…. Read more →
One of the benefits of virtual collaboration is that team members and leaders have a number of ways they can complete tasks, interact, and communicate. In this posting, I want to highlight this range of possibilities and draw from my own experience to demonstrate the broad range of leadership roles that can be accomplished virtually. I have a coaching and… Read more →
I have been thinking about what one can do in virtual team meetings conducted in virtual worlds to make participants feel and react as if they are face-to-face with other participants. Part of me says that this is an “ideal” that we may never reach. At the same time, I am aware of research (more) indicating that it is possible… Read more →
Betsy’s last post on the power of self-efficacy perceptions reminded me of a recent study by Professor Ellen Langer of Harvard University. I am fascinated by Prof. Langer’s ability to conduct provocative research and have used her ideas in my research on the illusion of control in spreadsheet-based decision making. Prof. Langer’s recent study, which showed that perceptions can be… Read more →