CEO at Ai 4 EI, Goleman EICC, ICF Certified Coach, American Psychological Association Member, International Leadership Association Member.
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The term "e-leadership" refers to those who carry out all of their leadership responsibilities and activities via electronic means. Therefore, the context in which each type of leader functions is the primary factor that differentiates the traditional leader from the e-leader.
As an illustration, the Covid-19 pandemic was a crucial element that contributed to a shift toward remote working. The application of information technology has not only played a supportive role in the process, but it has also had an effect on the growth of e-leadership. This impact can be observed in the way that members of a team communicate with one another, in the organizational duties that are carried out and in the results that are produced.
In light of the advantages and disadvantages that new technology brings to the workplace, as well as the ongoing development of virtual and flexible work options, an increasing number of employers are attempting to formalize their policies regarding virtual work and acquire a better understanding of how to manage virtual workforces. This is in response to the fact that technology has the potential to bring both positive and negative effects to the workplace. E-leadership, also known as digital leadership, and virtual teams, sometimes known as digital teams, are two concepts that have emerged as a direct consequence of this phenomenon.
This fresh concept is undeniably connected to the manner in which a single person directs and incites behavior in a setting that is governed by technology. An e-leader is a person who is capable of influencing other people through the use of technical means and initiating a change in the goals, sentiments, ideas, behaviors and performance of individuals and groups in order to accomplish a certain objective. These changes can be made in order to achieve the desired result. A virtual organization is a collection of people working together from different geographical locations and generally technology-dependent fields in order to communicate with one another and achieve the objectives of the company.
Traditional face-to-face leadership and online leadership can have many similarities in terms of both style and content. This point is of utmost importance in light of the continuous development of technological capabilities. The “participative leadership” style of management calls for creating an environment in which individuals have the opportunity to take a more direct part in the decision-making process. Participatory e-leaders are able to employ information and communication technologies, such as electronic polls and chat rooms, that allow followers to share thoughts and submit feedback. E-leadership, much like other styles of leadership, has the potential to be inspiring and assist organizations in accomplishing their objectives in a more efficient manner.
A study was conducted at the University of San Francisco with the objective of determining the components of e-leadership theory and how it could be utilized to teach healthcare leaders to develop virtual teams within a healthcare organization. In particular, the researchers focused their attention on the executives’ healthcare leadership and their perceptions of several e-leadership dimensions. They conducted a case study with a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods to investigate 10 members of a senior healthcare leadership team.
The findings suggest that the incorporation of empirical research into e-leadership studies is required in order to enhance leadership efficacy in virtual communication in healthcare organizations as a result of the growing use of technology.
If we examine another dynamic environment, such as education, where school leaders are dispersed from the school staff and spend the majority of their time away from their institutions for meetings and commitments, we will notice that the academic team is taking more aggressive steps toward integrating new technologies to encourage the new generations to become independent learners and collaborators, which is essential for them to become leaders. During the Covid-19 pandemic, when all stakeholders, including parents and students, were exposed to the use of technology and virtual learning environments to keep teaching and learning going, the current leadership model in education became increasingly outmoded.
Leaders had no choice but to adapt to the new trend and acquire e-leadership abilities in order to support their employees and fulfill consumers' (students and their parents) rapidly changing needs. In a short time, all education leaders adopted new communication and collaboration technologies, as well as e-learning platforms.
What can we learn from these two examples?
The next generation of leaders is getting ready to use technology that hasn't been made yet to solve problems we don't even know about yet. It's only a matter of time before we have to completely change our styles to understand how Millennials and Gen-Z want to lead. Technology is here to stay, and whether we like it or not, things will change. Successful leaders know how to deal with change. They don't try to avoid it; instead, they expect it and know how to bend and flex with it.
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