Virtual Leadership

Dr Penny Pullan is Director of Making Projects Work based in Leicestershire, UK and a thought leader in the field of virtual leadership, specializing in leading risky change projects involving virtual teams. She has run the Virtual Working Summit since 2010 with thousands of participants from around the world. She is the author of Business Analysis and Leadership also published by Kogan Page.

Chapter - 01: The ups and downs of virtual working;
Chapter - 02: Virtual leadership: mindset and approach;
Chapter - 03: Working virtually with others;
Chapter - 04: Technology for virtual work;
Chapter - 05: Leading virtual meetings;
Chapter - 06: Virtual working in between meetings;
Chapter - 07: Virtual working complications: time-zones, languages and generations;
Chapter - 08: Hybrid
Chapter - 09: Potential pitfalls and how to overcome them;
Chapter - 10: Inspiration for your virtual leadership

"Since the pandemic began, the virtual world has become our oyster. Love it or hate it, we now teach, learn, lecture, attend committees, manage staff, harmonize, hold teambuilding events and get to know and trust one another online. This book is packed with evidence-based tips and useful anecdotes from someone who has operated in this virtual space for more than 20 years. A timely book at a unique time in history."

"This book is a boon for anybody working with other people in the post pandemic world. Penny's updated guidance on how to both anticipate and manage the challenges of hybrid working will benefit teams of any size. Especially useful are the hacks for supporting a hybrid team as a leader, these really help you set the culture and connect your team together."

"With the prevalence of digital workplaces and the popularity of remote and hybrid work models, the subject of virtual leadership could not be more timely. Drawing on her project management roles across different organisations and sectors and her vast knowledge of the subject, Penny presents an exceptional and practical guide that will be of use to those business leaders and project managers who increasingly need to manage dispersed employees."

"During the Covid-19 pandemic, virtual and now hybrid working have become essential. We can choose whether we see and experience them as constraints, or routes to new possibilities. Penny has lots of advice on how, with intentional design and thoughtful use of appropriate technology and tools, we can lead virtual and hybrid teams and teamwork to be engaging, inclusive and high-performing -- while maintaining the inherent advantages such as flexible location and lower cost. She explores the all-important mindset and behaviour to do this well, and gives practical suggestions and illustrations."

"As a GP working as the Clinical Director of a Primary Care Network requiring GPs at different practices to work together at scale, the suggestions and practical advice on convening virtual meetings has been invaluable. We have even managed cross practice collaborative workshops using suggested resources. General Practice teams are changing for example, the introduction of virtual Multi-Disciplinary Teams to facilitate patient care. I have used the book to support colleagues' development, facilitate tutorials with GP registrars and support hybrid patient virtual consultations, This is truly a book for our time."

"In my role within a global organization, I see daily the need for better leadership for remote teams working towards a common goal. Dr Penny Pullan offers us all the help that we need in this with insight, practical guidance and a dash of inspiration, which is always welcome. Covering all the aspects of time, language, culture, and generations which make this a complicated leadership task, the book shows us all a clear path to success in this virtual world we all work in today."

"This book will guide you to becoming an effective and graceful leader of virtual teams. Penny Pullan hits all the key points around establishing, nurturing and working with diverse groups, wherever their individual members may be located. Virtual Leadership reveals the importance of a leader mindset, deals with technology and virtual meetings, lays out a path for managing virtual work in between meetings, and addresses the complications and pitfalls that every virtual worker faces. Throughout it all, the author shines a light on the often-overlooked truth about virtual work: that its most important aspect has nothing to do with technology, and everything to do with being human. Stop suffering through virtual work. Instead, transform it through applying the skills and practices in this essential handbook."

"Penny's latest book is your own personal leadership coach. Pragmatic and practical, this book will help you avoid horrible virtual meetings and quickly boost productivity wherever your team are based. Targeted sections let you dive into solutions for issues you are facing with your teams today. Highly recommended for team leaders, managers and those working virtually whether in a formal leadership position or not."

"I am so pleased that Penny has written this book and can share her skill and inspiration for really successful virtual working with even more people. When I met Penny, I was working with three global companies and was spending half of my days (and lots of early mornings and late nights) on calls with colleagues. Penny taught me so much about how to make these into really successful meetings and reading this book reminded me of all that and more. Penny is also the master of communicating in a clear and simple way, even though the subject matter is complex. I recommend this book to everyone who needs to do business in a "same time, different place" context - I am confident that practising what Penny recommends will transform the quality of your work."

"Penny has done a magnificent job of covering every single element which you need to master. I've been managing virtual teams for over 20 years and thought I knew it all. I didn't. And you won't either until you have read this book."

"As someone who has spent over twenty years living the virtual life, I loved this book! Penny's book has creatively captured the foibles and tricks and tips for success with virtual leadership."

"This book is a comprehensive handbook for anyone who spends time in the virtual world of work. A lot more than just insights into the technologies, it is a detailed, practical guide to all aspects of team building, managing meetings, engaging across cultures and styles, and so much more. It is indispensable and required reading for leaders in the modern workplace."

"When I first began to think about virtual working, I didn't predict all the different factors that need to be taken into consideration and learned a lot by trial and error. I would have saved a lot of time and energy by reading this book! Even now, with several years' experience in virtual working, I found this book chock-full of useful tips and ideas that will help me to be far more effective going forward. I hope that this book will become a classic. It certainly deserves its space on my bookshelf as both a primer that I can lend to newbies and a very useful resource for me to use as I think through and address increasing the complexity of virtual working in multiple time zones in the world of work."

"What I love about this book is the richness of practical insights. These come from Penny's impeccable academic background, her vast corporate experience and her ability to simply connect challenges to solutions. If you are leading virtually, your colleagues will be glad you've read this book. They should too."