Leadership Skills and Virtual Team Performance – The Case of Lebanese Multinational Companies

Abstract

Purpose: This study investigates the influence of leadership skills on virtual team performance within multinational corporations in Lebanon. Drawing upon established literature, the research examines four key leadership dimensions: motivation, coaching, appreciation, and empowerment, exploring their respective impacts on virtual team effectiveness.   Design/methodology/approach: The study, conducted in Lebanon, aimed to explore the influence of leadership skills on virtual team performance through a positivist, deductive approach using a survey method and mono-quantitative methodology. Analyzing 148 individuals across various global Lebanese enterprises, the research employed descriptive statistics, correlation, and regression analyses in SPSS to investigate the relationship between leadership abilities and virtual team effectiveness in the context of businesses utilizing remote collaboration due to globalization and technological advancements.   Findings: The study aligns with prior research attributing positive correlations between leadership skills and enhanced team performance. Findings support the hypothesis that leadership motivation skills significantly enhance virtual team performance. Transformational leadership qualities, characterized by strong motivational capabilities, correlate positively with virtual team effectiveness.   Implications: The findings underscore the pivotal role of specific leadership competencies in driving virtual team performance within multinational corporate structures. These insights contribute to a deeper understanding of how leadership motivational skills can be leveraged to optimize virtual team dynamics, ultimately improving organizational outcomes in diverse, multinational contexts.