Team Success: A Mixed Methods Approach to Evaluating Virtual Team Leadership Behaviors

Abstract

The virtuality of organizational teams have gained interest and popularity in recent years, and have become more prevalent amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Organizational productivity and team relationship-building may suffer certain pitfalls in virtual communication and support without the understanding of the dynamics of short-term, project-based virtual teams. The manuscript aimed to expand what is currently known about short-term virtual team dynamics related to types of effective leadership behaviors. The present study employed a mixed method approach to understanding the dynamics of these teams at both the individual and team level. Small teams were formed and instructed to collaborate on a virtual survival task. Team-related outcomes were measured at the individual level, such as team coordination, team support, and team success. Additionally, distinct latent profiles of leadership behaviors were developed and analyzed at the team level. Team support, more so than team coordination, significantly predicted team success at the individual level, with instrumental support having the strongest effect. Distinct leadership behaviors emerged in teams and were classified through a latent profile analysis, but none of the profiles were significantly related to team performance scores. Demonstrating instrumental support in short-term virtual teams may improve team success. It is important to understand that distinct leadership behaviors exist and future research should explore the impact of these leadership behaviors on other team-related outcomes.