1. The Difference between eLearning
and eLeading
Chicago eLearning & Technology Showcase
August 19, 2009
Lee S. Johnsen
Partners in Development
889 S. Dwyer Ave.
Arlington Heights, IL 60005
PH: 847-255-1031
johnsenL@ameritech.net
www.partnersindevelopment.net

2. The Difference between eLearning and eLeading
A Few Definitions
eLearning—the use of internet technologies to deliver a broad array of
solutions that enhance knowledge and performance (Rosenberg, 2001)
Leading—influencing individuals or groups toward reaching goal achievement
eLeading—leveraging technologies to lead individuals or groups toward goal achievement from
a distance (considering time, distance, and culture)
What’s the Current State of Your Virtual Workforce?
Needs Assessment
Use the following Index to quickly assess how large the needs and opportunities are for dispersed
team development in your organization.
Index Questions Responses
1. In how many different U.S. locations are your employees
and/or audience members?
2. How many different divisions or lines of business?
3. How many countries?
4. How many time zones?
5. How many different (non-native English) languages are
spoken?
6. How many cultures?
7. How many different organizations (if external members are a
part of our audience)?
8. How many leaders/managers does your organization have
who lead dispersed teams?
Total Number
What next?
Based on your responses above, you will begin to identify your challenges and the opportunities
of leading a virtual workforce. Don’t stop here.
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3. Three Key Elements of Teams
Team Purpose
Team Leadership
Team Membership
Team Leadership
Single-leader teams—the “formal” leader is in control and responsible for the direction and
success of the team.
Shared-leadership teams—the team members jointly determine performance approach and
establish the required individual and collective contributions.
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4. Team Membership
Collocated Teams—team members meet face-to-face and come from
similar business units with a common cultural background.
Dispersed teams—team membership is geographically dispersed, more cross functional, more
culturally diverse and more temporary.
What makes a team dispersed?
Distance
What Makes a Team Dispersed?
Culture
Time
Distance 20
Time
Culture
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5. How Effective are Dispersed Teams?
The Good News!
Now the Bad News.
Why Do Dispersed Teams Fail?
1. Difficulties in building trusting, positive relationships across the three boundaries
2. Complications from the use of electronic communications
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6. What are the Keys to Overcoming These Failures?
Managing task processes Leading people processes
Building Trusting, Positive Relationships—Two Kinds of Trust
Cognitive–trust that is based on rational or calculative assessments; it is based on one’s
perceived integrity and ability.
Keys to Building Cognitive Trust in Dispersed Teams—Managing Task Processes
• Facilitating communications
• Setting & clarifying goals
• Organizing & coordinating work processes
• Problem solving
• Balancing resources
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7. Managing Task Processes—Tools and Techniques
Facilitating Communications in Dispersed Teams
Team Face Clock
Team Communications Agreement
Web conferencing
Organizing & Coordinating Work Processes
Weboffice
Problem Solving
Virtual Workspace
Decision Support Systems
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8. Building Trusting, Positive Relationships—Two Kinds of Trust
Affective–trust that results from the social bonds developed in a relationship where there is
genuine care and concern for the welfare of another person; based on assessments of
benevolence.
Keys to Building Affective Trust in Dispersed Teams—Leading People
Processes
• Setting direction
• Engaging and aligning people (inside & outside the team)
• Motivating & inspiring
• Leveraging cultural perspectives
• Developing leadership
Think about ways in which leaders can build team affective trust in dispersed teams. Are there
technology tools that could support this?
Why Do Dispersed Teams Fail?
Overcoming complications from the use of electronic
communications
• Matching communications technology with the message and the audience
• Training to use communication and application-specific software
• Training on written communication techniques
• Ensuring technical “help” support
• Others?
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9. The Difference between eLearning and eLeading
Consider the benefits to your organization for improving the performance of dispersed teams.
Ensure that your organization’s learning strategy supports dispersed teams and their leaders.
Find ways to leverage distance learning and distance performance to support your organization?
Personal Action Plan
Three things you learned as a result of our time today.
Two things you will do with this information.
One thing you will never ever forget as a result of our time today.
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10. Pathways of Communication—Technology Tools
Listed below are a variety of electronic communications tools available to dispersed teams.
Consider how these can assist dispersed teams in managing task processes and leading people
processes.
• audio conferencing/teleconferencing
• web conferencing
• videoconferencing
Synchronous (same time)
• chat
communication tools--
• instant messaging
• whiteboards
• discussion boards
• online calendar applications
• links
• group announcements
• e-mail
Asynchronous (different time)
• surveys and polls
tools
• blogs
• podcasts
• social networks such as Twitter, Facebook,
LinkedIn
• courseware
• streaming media
• narrated slideshows
• videos such as YouTube
Content integration
• Weboffice
• Google groups
• e-books
• team rooms
• resource library
Document management • version tracking and control
• permission-based access
Adapted from Building Communities—Strategies for Collaborative Learning, by Loren Kaplan (August 2002)
Note: Those with name brands are listed as examples of the technology, not as an endorsement
of a particular product.
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11. References
DeRose, Darleen, M., Hantula, Donald, A., Kock, Ned, D’Arcy, John. (2004). Trust and
Leadership in Virtual Teamwork: A Media Naturalness Perspective. Human Resource
Management, Vol. 43, Nos. 2 & 3, p. 219-232.
Fermented, Jerry. (2009). Virtual Leadership for a Virtual Workforce. Retrieved July 9, 2009
from http://clomedia.com/includes/printcontent.php?aid=2565.
Greenberg, Penelope Sue, Greenberg, Ralph H., Announce, Yvonne Leader (2007). Creating and
sustaining trust in virtual teams. Business Horizons, Kelly School of Business.
Johnsen, Lee, S. (2004). Balancing the Scales of Team Leadership. Real World Teambuilding
Strategies that Work. Insight Publishing.
Katzenbach, J.R, Smith, D.K. (1993). The Wisdom of Teams. McKinsey & Company, Inc.
Katzenbach, J.R, Smith, D.K. (2001). The Discipline of Teams. Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Kotter, J.P. (2001). What Leaders Really Do.? Harvard Business Review.
Loges, Sober, Riley, Richard, R. (2008). Uniting the Virtual Workforce. Wiley.
Neal, Mollie. (2009). Managing a Virtual Workforce. Panton Media Inc.
Sapphire, Diane M. Horner. (1996) Productive Behaviors of Global Business Teams.
International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 20/2.
Siebdrat, Frank, Hoegl, Martin, Ernst Holger. (2009). How to Manage Virtual Teams. MITSloan
Management Review.
Trek, Melanie. (2005). Defining the Virtual Workforce. Retrieved July 9, 2009 from
http://nemertes.com/managing/defining_the_virtual_workforce.
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