Leadership trust in virtual teams using communication tools: A quantitative correlational study

The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to address leadership trust in virtual teams using communication tools in a small south-central, family-owned pharmaceutical organization, with multiple dispersed locations located in the United States. The results of the current research study could assist leaders to develop a communication plan that resolves the variables that relate to leadership trust using communication tools to virtual team members in the organization surveyed and for different organizations. The survey results indicated a statistically significant relationship between using quality communication tools to communicate with virtual teams from leadership greatly increases leadership trust. The study has implications for leadership and virtual team practitioners interested in adopting communication tools to improve leadership trust. Recommendations for future research include expanding the study to include larger, and multiple organizations to gain wider perspectives. Recommendations are provided for leadership and virtual team members to create communication plans to create leadership trust within organizations. Implications of these findings are needed for leadership to increased communication, and increased organizational learning for leadership, management, and virtual teams that are dispersed within organizations.