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.

Briar Nolet found a passion and a career in dance. But it all hung in the balance when her seizures began. She speaks exclusively with Epilepsy Today about her journey.

Briar Nolet is standing on the stage alone, poised and ready. She’s about to perform on World of Dance, a competitive dance TV show based in the US that’s watched by millions. The lights fade to black, and the cheers of hundreds of audience members quieten to a whisper.
 
Golden spotlights illuminate her as the Canadian suddenly erupts into an energetic dance routine to the beat of Celine Dion’s Out of Ashes. Her emotional performance wows the audience as she tumbles and pirouettes through the air seamlessly and effortlessly. Each spirited flip and trick makes the crowd go wild with louder and louder cheers and applause.
 
It’s a routine that’s not just technically excellent, but also packed with raw emotion, as Briar reveals her dance was inspired by five years of living with epilepsy. The 21-year-old trained in competitive gymnastics from an early age, having been inspired by her father, a former Olympic gymnast.
 
However, Briar started having back problems after just a few years and was encouraged by her dad to try other sports. She decided that dance would become her new pursuit, and began lessons when she was seven years old.
 
“Since I can remember dance has been the biggest part of my life,” she said. “I would practice from 2pm until 10pm at night. I lived for those days, dancing and learning new tricks and challenging myself, it was the best.”
 
She discovered she had a natural talent for dance – being able to learn the routines quickly became like second nature to her. Dancing was also an escape to refresh and reset her mind.
 
“It takes me away, balances me and puts me in this amazing state of mind.” Briar knew she had found her calling.
 
However, at the age of 16, she started showing symptoms of epilepsy, which began plaguing her recitals. At a dance convention during a class, she started having jerks, making her forget specific moves or lose her timing.
 
“In the middle of it I would almost trip out, like a having a blackout without the black. I would laugh it off and keep going – I knew something was weird, but I didn’t think anything of it.”
 
Briar’s symptoms often meant she couldn’t learn her dance routines as quickly as she once did, which puzzled both her teachers and her parents. Then one day, she found herself running late for a hip-hop class. She snuck to the back of the room to try and catch up, where the blanks returned once again, and Briar struggled to focus on the instructor.
 
During the group routine, she suddenly forgot all her choreography and her mind went into a blur. She was having her first tonic-clonic seizure.
 
“My right hand started to shake, and I fell to the floor – I think I passed out for about 10 seconds.”
 
Briar woke up on the dance studio floor, surrounded by her worried teacher and fellow students. She was taken to the hospital and was referred to a paediatric neurologist. She had tests done but everything came back clear – she was told she had a suspected concussion.
 
After this, the seizures kept coming back and she was having them every couple of months.
 
“They were triggered while was learning choreography – I never had a seizure outside a dance studio.”
 
This was a challenging experience for Briar, who didn’t want to give up dancing because of her seizures. She danced for up to 40 hours a week, so it was a huge part of her life.
 
She’d also recently been given a starring role on Canadian teen TV series The Next Step, which is broadcast in the UK on CBBC. It follows the life and times of a dance group as they compete in dance tournaments and deal with drama on and off the stage. But with her seizures, her career as a dancer and actress was potentially in jeopardy.
 
“It was hard for me because I love to push through things. I’d thought maybe it was some kind of anxiety that was causing the seizures, because it was only happening at the dance studio. So I was thinking it was something that I could eventually control.”
 
Her reluctance to take a break from dance was tough on her family.
 
“It was frustrating to see how much of a toll it took on them. My mum had still never seen me have a seizure, and she was confused as to why they kept happening. My family just wanted me to stop dancing to figure it out. But I was saying no, I’ll keep going at my own pace.”
 
Briar later started seeing a psychologist to see if her dancing really did bring on stress and anxiety. But she recognised something was still off, as she knew she wasn’t one to get stressed, let alone be stressed enough to have a seizure.
 
She decided to keep dancing, and the seizures worsened over time, getting longer and occurring more frequently. “They used to appear when I was learning quick dance styles, then they crept in when I was learning contemporary dance, which is a lot slower.”
 
The seizures also started to affect her education, as the jerks would appear if she typed or wrote quickly. When she was 18, Briar was referred to another neurologist in Toronto who gave her an EEG test. Again, the test revealed nothing.
 
The specialist then arranged for her to have a three-day EEG test at home, which finally revealed a diagnosis of epilepsy. It was a relief for Briar, who was finally starting to get answers. She also had a big choice to make – what medication to go on.
 
She also decided to take a break from dancing for three months to give her body the rest it needed. After then, it was time to go back to the studio and face the music. As dance was the one activity that triggered her seizures, Briar knew she had to find out if the drugs were working.
 
“I started back slowly, getting back into doing slower routines and making sure I was okay, then building from there to faster hip hop dances. From then on I got more comfortable as I knew I wasn’t having any of the blackouts.” The medicine was doing its job, and Briar was delighted to be able to keep her dancing shoes on.
 
Her journey with epilepsy was something she wanted to draw from for her emotional routine for World of Dance. She’d entered the competition a year after becoming seizure-free.
 
“Going on to the show I knew I wanted to do a dance about epilepsy, but wanted to wait for the perfect song, which I found after I got through the first round.”
Before her routine, she reflected on how far she’d come – the jerks, the blanks, the tonic-clonic seizures, all in the dance studio. And as a dancer, she would usually focus on perfecting her moves at a technical level. For this performance, she let go and danced for herself. This time, nothing was holding her back.
 
“That dance was the first time I really dug deep and expressed a story that meant something really special to me.”
 
Briar has now been seizure-free for two years. Thanks to her performance and her speaking about her epilepsy, her condition has opened her eyes to those living with epilepsy.
 
“I get lots of great feedback and messages all the time from people with epilepsy, asking for advice or sharing their story with me. I love reading about them because I obviously wasn’t familiar with the epilepsy community before any of this happened. Now one of the most important things for me is to stay involved and do what I can.”
 
For Briar, she counts herself among the lucky ones, being able to come back to do the thing she loves and forge a career with it.
 
“I’ve always been grateful for dance, but I feel like when you go through something so traumatic it definitely makes you even more grateful for it. Being able to dance again was all I ever asked for when I was going through it all. I never take it for granted, as I know of a lot of people with epilepsy can’t find the medication that works for them.”
 
Briar has recently completed a global dance tour with The Next Step cast. She spoke about her love of dancing on stage and being able to see the reaction of fans.
 
“It’s incredible. It’s pretty crazy looking out into the audience, hearing so many voices and seeing so many people. I get so much adrenaline and want to give them the best show possible because that’s what they deserve. It’s a crazy feeling.”
 
Touring around the world took her thousands of miles from home. But Briar found she had another family she could count on to look out for her – her Next Step cast mates.
 
“They’ve been more than I could ever ask – my parents trust them so they know I’m in good hands. Jordan Clark, who plays Giselle, was there for six of my seizures and she knows exactly what to do, how to calm me down and was there when I woke up.”
 
Reflecting on her own experiences with epilepsy, Briar hinted that she would have probably done things differently looking back.
 
“In my case, it was hard because I wanted to dance all the time.”
Lastly, she shares a message for those going through what she has.
 
“Obviously your health is first, so stay safe if you know what’s triggering your seizures. Taking a step back for a second is only going to drive you forward, rather than pushing yourself too hard and having to take five steps back later. Have hope, believe in yourself and know that everything’s going to be okay.”