Trends in Virtual Leadership

This chapter examines emerging trends in virtual leadership through an interview with Elliott Masie, a futurist who has been following trends in learning, leadership, and collaboration for nearly three decades. The interview begins with a discussion of Elliott’s and the Masie Center’s interest in this topic, and then proceeds to explore some of the trends that they are seeing, attempting to separate hype from reality. The chapter then looks toward the future, envisioning what the workplace of the future might look like, and what kinds of skills and practices will be necessary for organizations to continue to be effective as the workplace setting evolves. Elliott brings a perspective to this topic that is grounded not only in his past experience with emerging trends, but also in his current and relevant interactions with global leaders. An interview format was chosen for this chapter in order to allow Elliott’s unique voice and personality to be shared with readers.