E-Leadership for Virtual Teams Prof. Dr. Satya Subrahmanyam Department of Business & Management ISHIK University, Erbil, Kurdistan satya.sub@ishik.edu.iq +964 7518657632 Abstract Today more and more corporates increasingly conduct business using globally distributed teams, also called virtual teams, because of the availability and ubiquity of information and communication technology. E-leadership refers to leading through computer-mediated communication. The purpose of this paper is to discuss how e-leadership behaviours affect team performance in the context of virtuosity, in particular, interpersonal trust and corporate commitment of the virtual team members. Virtual or e-leadership is multidimensional with characteristics differentiating it in important ways from traditional leadership. Virtual leadership can be viewed as a combination of skills and knowledge structures, which include cognitive abilities, cognitions and meta-cognitions that contribute to performance. To manage virtual teams effectively, virtual leaders need to understand the business environments they are dealing with. Challenges of mastering the technology, adjusting to cue-deprived communication environments, synergizing dispersed teams and still achieving high productivity are new for today’s leaders. Virtual leaders can be trained to successfully influence team members while relying on computer-mediated communication, building trust, shortening the subjective distance, sharing information, processing gains and losses, dealing with feelings of isolation, encouraging participation and enhancing coordination and cohesion. Keywords: Virtual Leadership, Virtual Team, Virtual Environment, Corporate Strategy, Corporate Performance International Journal of Management, Technology And Engineering Volume IX, Issue I, JANUARY/2019 ISSN NO : 2249-7455 Page No:1737