MSL 630, Leading Productive TeamsAdvantages and Disadvantages of Virtual TeamsHeather BradleyBelhaven UniversityMay 9, 2015Author's NoteThis document was written to meet the educational requirements for:MSL 630, Leading Productive Teams , Belhaven University, Jackson, MS., 2015The Advantages and Disadvantages of Virtual Teams In today's virtual society, our office experience is increasingly dependent on computer culture. Due to the increase in employees working from home, virtual offices have become a convenient way for staff, clients, teachers, students and all other types of business people to stay connected. Conference calls, Skype, email and texting have become mainstream ways of conducting business, so it seems pertinent for companies to learn how to effectively create and lead virtual teams. “Human beings have always functioned in face-to-face groups. While the use of teams is on the rise—the Wall Street Journal reports that two-thirds of American companies employ them—the face-to-face aspect of normal working relationships is changing. Electronic communication and digital technologies offer people a historically unprecedented ability to work together remotely.” (Lipnack, J., & Stamps, J., 1997). However, working with a virtual team comes with its own set of challenges. When team members don't have the benefit of observing body language, vocal inflection, eye twitching, and other similar mannerisms, it's difficult to establish trust. Not to mention the distance and lack of tangible contact makes it harder to connect with other members enough to truly gain insights and perspectives into their character. Taking these things into consideration it's easy to see... half the paper. .....activities, tasks and leadership hinder team performance” (Zemliansky, P., 2008). In conclusion, I believe that despite the fact that virtual team members and leaders face unique challenges, they are revolutionizing the global workforce. When managed correctly and with strong leadership, virtual teams can increase productivity, reduce costs and save valuable time for organizations, businesses and their customers. References Lipnack, J., & Stamps, J. (1997). Virtual teams: Reaching space, time, and organizations with technology (p. 262). New York, NY: Wiley.DeRosa, D., & Lepsinger, R. (2010). Virtual Team Success: A Practical Guide to Working and Leading Remotely (p. 224). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.Zemliansky, P. (2008). Handbook of research on virtual workplaces and the new nature of business practices (p. 768). Hershey, PA: Information Science Reference.