Leadership Development in a Virtual, Globally Distributed Context

Abstract: In recent years, the use of virtual work has increased due to digitalization and the effects of theCovid-19 pandemic. A growing number of companies have shifted to a hybrid model or anentirely virtual model of work. This trend toward virtual work has created a need for leaders tohave skills applicable to the complexities of communication and connection that can occur ina virtual environment. Since for many leaders and companies this environment may be new,they are presented with the challenge of developing leadership skills that can help them tonavigate their roles. Leadership development is an area that has been studied extensively butnot necessarily within the virtual context. Therefore, in order to face the challenges of virtualleadership, leadership development that considers the complexity of a virtual and globallydistributed context is needed. As such, this thesis aims to investigate whether virtual leadershipprograms can develop leaders, given this complex context, and if so, in what ways. This thesisis a qualitative case study, and the data has been collected with questionnaires from a companythat has completed virtual leadership program. Data were later analyzed in connection with atypology of development to determine how leaders in a virtual and globally distributed contextcan be developed. The findings show that the virtual leadership development program’sefficiency depends on how well different kinds of developments have been included in it.