Picture your traditional office leader, rolling up their sleeves at brainstorming sessions and dominating the boardroom table. They are highly extroverted, self-assured and usually the first to speak up.

But their alpha days might be numbered.

A new breed of leader is emerging in the virtual working environment, and they come with decidedly different traits than their office counterparts.

While the Covid-19 pandemic remains at large, organizations of all sizes have had to figure out new ways of working.

Under the lockdown initiated by countries across the world, millions of workers have been relegated to the home office. Before long, an explosion of video conferences had many employees scrambling for a comb and a decent webcam.

And in their many virtual interactions, some may notice a seismic shift in the colleague dynamics at work (from home), particularly when it comes to how they perceive those that lead.

These people are often thought of as backroom operators, working behind the scenes to drive smaller work processes forward. But these are the new leaders who are coming to the fore.

Now, a new study has come to light exploring this phenomenon.

Researchers at the Marriott School of Business at Brigham Young University (BYM) looked at 220 student teams within two Midwestern universities. These teams either mostly worked virtually, or mostly in person.

The participants completed surveys about their own and their team members' characteristics and behaviors, as well as those they considered to be team leaders.

When combining this data with the transcripts of the group's virtual conferences, the researchers noticed patterns around "emergent leaders".

These were people who lack formal authority, but become recognized as leaders by their peers within their respective teams.

Where traditional leaders were perceived to be extroverted and highly intelligent, in an online environment, those traits were of far less value.

"On a virtual team, it's more important than in a face-to-face meeting to stand out as the one who helps others," says study co-author Cody Reeves and Professor at BYM. "Those who take the time to pause and assist others with tasks are more likely to be viewed as leaders."

These differences between IRL (in real life) and virtual leaders were "stark", says Reeves.

While the ability for leaders to socially connect with others remained important, online leadership was valued by being able to drive small actions, such as monitoring timelines and giving feedback.

"Online, perhaps because there are fewer cues available for human interaction and more opportunities for miscommunication, team members gravitate toward those who take concrete steps to ensure achievement, rather than toward those with charismatic personalities," reports an accompanying comment from BYM.

And while Covid-19 measures are likely to change the landscape of how we live and work forever, there seems to be no end in sight for the virtual working environment.

Therefore, the study's authors note that managers and team members need to understand that alternative leadership traits and behaviors are gaining traction in this new working world.

They also note that companies need to take a step back and re-evaluate who they want to promote within their organization, given that virtual contexts differ so much from those in-person.

"In virtual environments, our actions speak loudly," said fellow study author Steven Charlier, professor of management at Georgia Southern University. "The 'soft' skills that traditional managers rely on might not translate easily to a virtual environment."

Reeves agreed, noting that “a ‘natural leader’ who doesn’t usually engage in these specific leader-like behaviors but always kind of ‘has it’ needs to be extra careful—because those are the types that are at the highest risk of no longer being viewed as a leader in virtual contexts.”

"Now is the time for organizations and employees to gain virtual leadership competencies," said study lead author Radostina Purvanova of Drake University. "These are the skills of the future. Those companies that have already embraced virtuality are now reaping the benefits — and the rest of us must catch up quickly, or else we will simply be left behind."

The study is published in the Journal of Business and Psychology.

Keep your toilet lid closed when you flush - that's the advice being pushed by researchers in their continuing fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
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A Chinese study has revealed what goes down when you flush a toilet, and importantly, what stays up.
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Published in the journal Physics of Fluids, the research showed that when a toilet is flushed, a cloud of tiny droplets is propelled up to three feet in the air.

These micro-particles can then 'hang' in the air for up to one minute - enough time to be breathed in by the next person needing to go.

Recent studies show the Covid-19 virus can survive as it passes through a person's digestive tract, becoming present in their feces.

A flushing toilet is known to disperse other virus and bacteria in the air, in a process known as fecal-oral transmission.

Though person to person transmission of Covid-19 via this way wasn't clearly established by the study, the researchers say it's entirely possible, given the evidence.

The team from Yangzhou University analysed computer models that simulated the water and airflow in two types of flushing toilets.

They discovered that when water hits the toilet bowl, a large amount of turbulence is generated, leading to the formation of vortices. These vortices continue upwards past the bowl and into the air, accelerating droplets of fecal matter to speeds of up to five metres per second.​

"The simulation results are alarming in that a massive upward transport of virus particles is observed," reports the study. "In addition, 40%–60% of particles reached above the toilet seat, leading to large-scale virus spread."

The investigators recommended that people close toilet lids when they flush and practice good hygiene, such as thoroughly washing their hands and cleaning the toilet seat before use.

With lockdown measures easing in some countries, people are now returning to the office and other public spaces such as shops and parks.

However, public and work toilets could still pose a risk for spreading Covid-19, particularly in facilities with no toilet lid to put down.

The study authors note: "Blocking the path of fecal-oral transmission, which occurs commonly in toilet usage, is of fundamental importance in suppressing the spread of viruses. However, to date, efforts at improving sanitary safety in toilet use have been insufficient."

The study authors also recommend manufacturers start rethinking toilet designs to help minimize the spread of other viruses and bacteria when they flush.

According to new research, repetitive negative thinking might be associated with cognitive decline, though the nature of the association is still unclear.

Researchers from University College London looked at 292 people aged 55 and above. They were assessed on their cognitive function, including memory, attention, spatial skills and language.

Of these participants, 113 agreed to have their brain scanned, allowing the team to measure deposits of tau and amyloid proteins - biological markers for Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Across a period of two years, the participants were then asked about how they usually think about negative experiences, including how they thought about the past (rumination) and their worries about the future.

The researchers found that those who engaged in higher RNT patterns experienced a greater cognitive decline over a four-year period. High rumination and worry was also linked to worse cognitive performance and episodic memory. Not only that, they also discovered a greater buildup of amyloid and tau deposits in their brains - and the greater the buildup, the worse the cognitive decline.

Study lead author Dr Marchant hypothesized in 2015 that negative thinking could be an 'active ingredient' in the development of mental health conditions such as dementia and AD. She dubbed her theory 'Cognitive Debt'.

"People experiencing mental ill health frequently engage in a style of thinking called RNT," she explains. "This style of thinking involves the tendency to have negative thoughts about the future or about the past, and these thoughts can feel uncontrollable."

"These findings do suggest that repetitive negative thinking could one reason why depression and anxiety are associated with AD risk – which is in line with my “Cognitive Debt” hypothesis."

Despite the noted association between RNT and AD, Dr Marchant says they are yet to prove a clear cause and effect relationship. In fact, the opposite might hold true.

"People who experience a decline in their condition may become more concerned or worried about their health – leading to RNT. Or, amyloid or tau could have accumulated in the brain, disrupted its circuitry, making it more difficult to disengage from negative thoughts. At this point we are unable to know which came first."

The researchers conclude that future studies are needed to conclude if these thinking patterns pose a heightened risk of dementia. And if this is the case, people can look at RNT-reducing techniques such as cognitive behavior therapy or mindfulness to help lower their risk of these debilitating neurological conditions.

The study is published in the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia.