Editing Virtual management (section)

=== Presence and Instruction ===
Virtual team leaders must become virtually present so they can closely monitor team members and note changes that might affect their ability to undertake their tasks. Due to the distributed nature of virtual teams, team members have less awareness of the wider situation of the team or dynamics of the overall team environment. Consequently, as situations change in a virtual team environment, such as adjustments to task requirements, modification of milestones, or changes to the goals of the team, it is important that leaders monitor followers to ensure they are aware of these changes and make amendments as required.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.hubstaff.com/5-steps-to-becoming-a-better-virtual-employee-an-employers-perspective/|title=5 steps to becoming a better virtual employee – An Employer's perspective|last=Nevogt|first=Dave|date=21 August 2013|publisher=[[Hubstaff]]|access-date=24 September 2013|archive-date=28 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928002459/http://blog.hubstaff.com/5-steps-to-becoming-a-better-virtual-employee-an-employers-perspective/|url-status=live}}</ref> The leaders of virtual teams do not possess the same powers of physical observation, and have to be creative in setting up structures and processes so that variations from expectations can be observed well virtually (for instance, virtual team leaders have to sense when "electronic" silence means acquiescence rather than inattention). At the same time, leaders of virtual teams cannot assume that members are prepared for virtual meetings and also have to ensure that the unique knowledge of each distributed person on the virtual team is fully utilized.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Malhotra|first1=Arvind|last2=Benson|first2=Ann & Rosen|year=2007|title=Leading Virtual Teams|journal=Academy of Management Perspectives|volume=21|pages=60–70|doi=10.5465/amp.2007.24286164|s2cid=154076074}}</ref> Virtual team leaders should be aware that [[information overload]] may result in situations when a leader has provided too much information to a team member.<ref>{{cite journal|year=2008|title=Key themes for effective virtual team leaders|journal=Illuminations|publisher=Australian Psychological Society|pages=5–7|author=Jury, A. W.}}</ref>