In yesterday's Cincinnati's Post article "Working from home" Colleen Garton, author of "Managing Without Walls," suggests telecommuters are more likely to be passed up for senior positions because your face is not seen enough in the office. I would disagree with that in my profession of consulting. In a sales-focused organization you either produce or you are pushed out. Productivity or "hitting your numbers" is the most important thing and it has a large bearing on your advancement.
Also with senior type positions they typically have resource management responsibilities and being able to effectively communicate is critical. With the advent of email, IM, smartphones and everything else keeping you connected to the office your face shouldn't be the issue. Telepeeps are probably reaching out and communicating with peers, bosses and etc. more than the typical in-office worker. Unless that senior position is required to look down on the factory workers or walk around the cube farm with a cup of coffee to physically check-up on people, I can't imagine being "virtual" is going to be a negative factor. Plus when I think back on my past jobs, I remember talking to my peers about how upper management never really did anything and was never around, so potentially how would this be any different ;)
