The Long-Distance Leader

Kevin Eikenberry and Wayne Turmel, cofounders of the Remote Leadership Institute, wrote this book for managers who suddenly find themselves leading people they cannot see every day. The core argument is straightforward: leadership principles do not change just because your team is distributed. What changes is how you apply them. The book offers nineteen rules organized around the authors’ Remote Leadership Model, covering everything from using technology effectively to coaching at a distance to building trust without in-person interaction.

Why This One

Remote and The Year Without Pants focus on company-wide culture and philosophy. The Long-Distance Leader zooms in on the individual manager’s experience. If you have recently started leading a remote or hybrid team, this book speaks directly to your daily challenges: running productive virtual meetings, giving feedback over video, maintaining team cohesion when everyone is scattered, and avoiding the temptation to micromanage because you cannot see what people are doing.

The authors are practitioners, not academics. Their advice comes from years of working with organizations making the transition to remote leadership. The book is structured around common situations rather than theory, which makes it immediately applicable. It pairs well with the bigger-picture thinking in Remote by grounding that philosophy in the tactical realities of managing people from a distance.

What to Expect

A concise, practical read at 192 pages. The writing is clear and direct, aimed at busy managers who need actionable advice. Each of the nineteen rules is self-contained, so you can jump to the ones most relevant to your situation. Expect checklists, reflection questions, and concrete suggestions rather than case studies or extended narratives. This is a reference book you will return to as new challenges come up in your remote leadership journey.