Is there a better excuse to visit Boston and New York in August than to seek the company of pioneers open to sharing and exchange?
Preparing for the upcoming conference, „Virtual Work,“ in Berlin on October 2nd 2013, and to discuss their upcoming book, „Closeness at a Distance,“ (co-authored with Line Jehle), Marcus Hildebrandt and Stefan Meister traveled to the Eastern seaboard to meet two world authorities in virtual work face-to-face: Jessica Lipnack and Karen Sobel-Lojeski.
Meeting the Poineers of Virtual Team Research
Together with her late business partner, Jeffrey Stamps (1944-2011), Jessica Lipnack pioneered and continues to significantly advance research about virtual teams. Stamps and Lipnack wrote the first book on virtual teams in 1997. Karen Sobel-Lojeski formed the concept of „virtual distance,“ and further developed the concept into the realm of modern thought on professional leadership practice.
Topics Discussed
Topics discussed during the day-long meetings ranged from using software, to mapping network dynamics, to the complexity that virtual leaders and their teams face and the resulting challenges for those consultants and coaches with whom they work.
It was agreed that while assessments like the Virtual Distance Index (VDI) and the Virtual Performance Assessment (VPA) offer well-founded diagnostics for virtual teams and their leaders, many of the next-step organizational interventions derived from such tools require a skill set from consultants that is rarely found.
See You in Berlin!
The conversation continues with topics requiring urgent attention. First, how do we match current knowledge about what it takes to perform virtually in international contexts? Second, how do we develop the skills needed for competent consultant practice? If you want to learn more and continue the conversation with us, we look forward to seeing you in Berlin at „Virtual Work“! Jessica (virtually), Karen, Marcus, Line, Stefan, and many other wonderful hosts and guests will be thrilled to welcome you there.
