Getting any team up-and-running successfully is a challenge, but helping virtual teams overcome distance, cultural, and technological barriers is an even more complicated process. Our tendency is to approach virtual teaming as a pure technological challenge, forgetting that this is being layered on top of the fundamentals of creating an effective team. Because these two components (technology and team) are so tightly interrelated, addressing either in isolation tends to be ineffective. This contextual approach is critical to establishing effective virtual work groups.
Distance, cultural differences, and reliance on technology all add levels of complexity to virtual teams above and beyond what ordinary teams must deal with. The mere structure of this environment creates greater dependency on certain aspects of team dynamics. In a virtual environment, team members loose the regularity of visual and non-verbal feedback, as well as the subtleties of everyday interaction that normally allow for trust and communication to develop. Maintaining a high level of trust is critical in the virtual world and essential for combating the associated higher levels of miscommunication, ambiguity, and variation in commitment.
Our approach is to establish a strong foundation for effective teamwork within the context of virtual interaction. We use activities specifically designed to mimic this environment and challenge the team to address common obstacles before they arise. We focus on proactive preparation by helping teams develop effective communication systems, common goals and expectations, basic operating principles, and most of all, a common history to build upon (including a better understanding of the individual players involved). This entire approach is designed to develop effective teams within a virtual environment.
Program Components:
• Building Trust – The Key to Making Virtual Teams Work
Through various activities, we focus on building trust within the group. This is essential since developing relationships in a virtual environment can be challenging.
• Creating a Common Shared Vision
This is often overlooked, but clarity and alignment between individual goals and overall team goals will prevent many conflicts down the road.
• Developing an Effective Communication Plan
The team needs to develop a plan for how and when they will communicate. They explore frequency, content, mode, expected outcome, and personal responsibilities.
• Awareness of Individual Strengths and Differences
One of the advantages of cross-cultural teams is the diversity they bring. It can also create one of the team’s greatest challenges. Groups explore ways of leveraging their differences and overcoming their frustrations.
• Managing Team Related Problems
Our activities are designed to make the most of the teams’ face-to-face time together. They will experience working together, evaluating success, discussing internal team dynamics, and plan on how to move forward as an effective team.
• Coping With Ambiguity and Uncertainty
Through activities designed specifically to mimic their situations, participants explore how they as a team will overcome the frustrations associated with technology, distance, and culture.