PurposeThe purpose of this article is to provide guidelines to help leaders understand and lead virtual teams.Design/methodology/approachThis paper discusses the importance and implementation of effective leadership for virtual teams. It begins with a review of conventional versus virtual teams, and then describes the two primary leadership functions in virtual teams – performance management and team development. Following the discussion of the development and function of new teams, the article then provides a detailed guide for the leadership of virtual teams over the life of a project. These guidelines follow the four stages of a project timeline: Pre‐Project, Project Initiation, Midstream, and Wrap‐Up.Practical implicationsFollowing guidelines and understanding the differences between conventional and virtual leadership will enable managers to become effective virtual team leaders.Originality/valueThe paper shows how, in the context of increasing globalization and technology, leaders can manage the challenges of leading virtual teams.

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Negotiations occur at all levels of human interaction and range from interactions among friends to events of worldwide importance. The individual negotiator may represent self, a group, or an entire organization. Managers and personnel administrators at all levels are increasingly called upon to handle negotiations and many problems arise.Rubin and Brown (1975) list five characteristics indicative of negotiation:(1) Every negotiation involves at least two parties.(2) A conflict exists over one or more issues. The importance of the various issues will differ among the parties. The conflicts are ones that must be faced, although some parties risk not being well liked.(3) Negotiation is a voluntary relationship. The gain the parties stand to make is greater than in the situation of not negotiating. Their common interests have brought the parties together. (4) Each party is partially dependent on the other for the outcome. (5) Negotiating is a sequential activity.Most novice negotiators depend on their past limited experiences as a basis for their negotiating techniques. Negotiators with AUTHORS' NOTE: An earlier version of this article was presented at

The effects of the incorporation of instructor humor in both the traditional and online classroom settings was examined. Students react to instructor humor in positive ways that demonstrate both increased engagement with the material and increased information recall following the use of instructor humor in lecture. Challenges of instructor and student relationship and connection within the classroom could be mitigated in part through the use of humor. Despite its challenges, instructors should incorporate humor in the classroom. The ability to project one's personality and connect with students in the classroom is a the incorporation of humor, instructors should play to their own strengths and talents in the delivery of humorous material in the classroom, both traditional and virtual.

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