E-Leadership Competencies for Virtual Teams: A Study in the Philippines

Abstract

noneIn developing countries like the Philippines, the adoption of remote work was relatively new before the COVID-19 pandemic. However, companies and employees have embraced the shift towards remote or hybrid work arrangements. Even after the pandemic, organizations have recognized the benefits of virtual teams and continued their implementation. In the context of virtual teams where in-person interaction is minimal, e-leadership is anticipated to present greater complexity despite sharing fundamental responsibilities with traditional leadership. To assist e-leaders in preparing themselves for this new arrangement, this research aims to (1) examine how e-leaders navigate the transition from traditional work to virtual environments in managing their subordinates and (2) identify the leadership strategies changes that come with it to investigate how they apply the e-competencies of e-leadership, using the Six E-Competency (SEC) Model, when managing their virtual teams. This study was conducted using the mixed method and phenomenology approach. Twenty-four e-leaders from the Philippines were interviewed and asked to self-evaluate their e-leadership competencies, and 103 complete subordinate evaluations and surveys were collected. This study revealed the process of transitioning to virtual work as outlined following Kurt Lewin’s Change Management model and how e-leaders showed their competencies using the SEC Model. The findings highlight the intricate blend of communication, social interaction, adaptability to change, teamwork, and maintaining a culture of trust that constitutes e-leadership.