The role of the team leader is essential for the success of the team, whereas the team is co-located or the virtual. But the role of the team leader is even more important for the virtual team as the commitment and the motivation of the members of the team depend on the leading quality of the team leader. Following is a brief discussion on the characteristics of an effective virtual team leader: 1. Ability to manage the transition: The virtual team faces the change in the team more harshly than the co-located team. A change makes the team members of a virtual team more confused and sometimes a bit reluctant about their role in the team.