Leading a Virtual Team Julián E. Dipp

Topics What is a Virtual Team? Leadership Principles Communication and Coordination Using Technology Conclusions Questions

What is a Virtual Team?

Leadership Principles

Communication and Coordination

Using Technology

Conclusions

Questions

What is a Virtual Team? Leadership Principles Communication and Coordination Using Technology Conclusions Questions

What is a Virtual Team?

Leadership Principles

Communication and Coordination

Using Technology

Conclusions

Questions

Aka geographically dispersed team Is a group of individuals who work across time, space, and organizational boundaries with links strengthened by webs of communication technology.

Aka geographically dispersed team

Is a group of individuals who work across time, space, and organizational boundaries with links strengthened by webs of communication technology.

Key Characteristics Complementary Skills Common purpose Interdependent performance goals Everyone is accountable for everyone’s work

Key Characteristics

Complementary Skills

Common purpose

Interdependent performance goals

Everyone is accountable for everyone’s work

Benefits Skilled employees may be located anywhere in the world Workers can balance personal life with their work responsibilities The workday is 24x7 instead of 8hs New and more efficient technologies are promoted Problem solving possibilities/approaches are widened Organizations are more flexible and responsive to the marketplace

Benefits

Skilled employees may be located anywhere in the world

Workers can balance personal life with their work responsibilities

The workday is 24x7 instead of 8hs

New and more efficient technologies are promoted

Problem solving possibilities/approaches are widened

Organizations are more flexible and responsive to the marketplace

What is a Virtual Team? Leadership Principles Communication and Coordination Using Technology Conclusions Questions

What is a Virtual Team?

Leadership Principles

Communication and Coordination

Using Technology

Conclusions

Questions

Leadership Definition Process of social influence* in which one person is able to enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task. *Influence means that the relationship between people is not passive; it is reciprocal.

Leadership Definition Process of social influence* in which one person is able to enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task.

*Influence means that the relationship between people is not passive; it is reciprocal.

The Seven Competences of an Effective Virtual Team Leader

The Seven Competences of an Effective Virtual Team Leader

5 Do’s and Don’ts for Virtual Team Leaders DO be a leader, results catalyst, facilitator, barrier buster, business analyzer, coach and living example. DO “purpose” the team well. DO help everyone understand what each person does and needs from others. DO get them the tools, time, and budget necessary to succeed. DO install the systems, tools, protocols, and training for success. DON’T be autocratic nor an abdicator. DON’T allow poor team start-ups. DON’T allow unclear roles and responsibilities to confuse people. DON’T starve teams of resources DON’T forget to create both social and technical infrastructure

DO be a leader, results catalyst, facilitator, barrier buster, business analyzer, coach and living example.

DO “purpose” the team well.

DO help everyone understand what each person does and needs from others.

DO get them the tools, time, and budget necessary to succeed.

DO install the systems, tools, protocols, and training for success.

DON’T be autocratic nor an abdicator.

DON’T allow poor team start-ups.

DON’T allow unclear roles and responsibilities to confuse people.

DON’T starve teams of resources

DON’T forget to create both social and technical infrastructure

Interacting with different cultures The good leader must : Understand that everyone has their own background, religion and habits. Flexibility or receptiveness is vital when dealing with people from different countries Create a team atmosphere Take advantage of the various ways of thinking Create rules of engagement for the teammates and making sure everyone knows them

Interacting with different cultures

The good leader must :

Understand that everyone has their own background, religion and habits. Flexibility or receptiveness is vital when dealing with people from different countries

Create a team atmosphere

Take advantage of the various ways of thinking

Create rules of engagement for the teammates and making sure everyone knows them

Hiring This is a crucial step when developing a Virtual Team. Applicants must: Be self-confident Be Independent Be Proactive Actively seek for communication with their teammates and Team Leader Willingness to work with different cultures

Hiring

This is a crucial step when developing a Virtual Team. Applicants must:

Be self-confident

Be Independent

Be Proactive

Actively seek for communication with their teammates and Team Leader

Willingness to work with different cultures

What is a Virtual Team? Leadership Principles Communication and Coordination Using Technology Conclusions Questions

What is a Virtual Team?

Leadership Principles

Communication and Coordination

Using Technology

Conclusions

Questions

Coaching Good coaching clarifies goals and measures, and entails lots of communication and employee involvement. Goals and measurements are especially important to leaders who must coach from a distance. Metrics are almost like a virtual manager that keeps everyone focused on the most important priorities.

Coaching

Good coaching clarifies goals and measures, and entails lots of communication and employee involvement.

Goals and measurements are especially important to leaders who must coach from a distance. Metrics are almost like a virtual manager that keeps everyone focused on the most important priorities.

Shared accountability creates a feeling of real partnership. Good accountability systems create a feeling of clarity, purpose, and empowerment. Coaching Tips Watch for clues that tell when to step in and coach Implement a peer feedback process Establish regular one-on-one coaching sessions with each employee Use a structured improvement plan

Shared accountability creates a feeling of real partnership. Good accountability systems create a feeling of clarity, purpose, and empowerment.

Coaching Tips

Watch for clues that tell when to step in and coach

Implement a peer feedback process

Establish regular one-on-one coaching sessions with each employee

Use a structured improvement plan

Building Effective Teams The Leader should: Create a team charter Set operating guidelines Clearly define team member roles and responsibilities Provide clear processes Teach how to give and receive feedback Teach good conflict-management skills Employ empathic listening skills Develop good decision-making processes Integrate new team members effectively

Create a team charter

Set operating guidelines

Clearly define team member roles and responsibilities

Provide clear processes

Teach how to give and receive feedback

Teach good conflict-management skills

Employ empathic listening skills

Develop good decision-making processes

Integrate new team members effectively

Training from a Distance Limit Web-based training sessions to two hours or less Where possible, use a combination of remote training and face-to-face sessions Stay focused on results, not activities Take into consideration the environment in which the individual(s) will be located Assess the needs of your team to assure that the appropriate topics and methods of delivery are used Try to simulate face-to-face training as much as possible Carefully select the method of Web-based training

Training from a Distance

Limit Web-based training sessions to two hours or less

Where possible, use a combination of remote training and face-to-face sessions

Stay focused on results, not activities

Take into consideration the environment in which the individual(s) will be located

Assess the needs of your team to assure that the appropriate topics and methods of delivery are used

Try to simulate face-to-face training as much as possible

Carefully select the method of Web-based training

Building Trust from a Distance Communicate openly and frequently To get trust, give trust Be honest Establish strong business ethics Do what you say you will do, and make your actions visible Make sure that your interactions with the team are consistent and predictable

Building Trust from a Distance

Communicate openly and frequently

To get trust, give trust

Be honest

Establish strong business ethics

Do what you say you will do, and make your actions visible

Make sure that your interactions with the team are consistent and predictable

From the outset, set the tone for future interaction Be accessible and responsive Maintain confidences Watch your language Create social time for the team

From the outset, set the tone for future interaction

Be accessible and responsive

Maintain confidences

Watch your language

Create social time for the team

What is a Virtual Team? Leadership Principles Communication and Coordination Using Technology Conclusions Questions

What is a Virtual Team?

Leadership Principles

Communication and Coordination

Using Technology

Conclusions

Questions

Getting the Right Technology The best solution isn’t always the most expensive Consider which is the best technology according to the service you will provide and how effectively it will fit into your system Determine what Software you’ll need before you determine what Hardware to use Provide reliable communication equipment systems (e.g. DSL, phone, pagers, web cam, etc.)

The best solution isn’t always the most expensive

Consider which is the best technology according to the service you will provide and how effectively it will fit into your system

Determine what Software you’ll need before you determine what Hardware to use

Provide reliable communication equipment systems (e.g. DSL, phone, pagers, web cam, etc.)

Virtual Meetings As people are geographically dispersed Virtual Meetings are important to enhance and promote communication. The leader must: Have facilitator and communication skills Know how to make the best use of technology Share documentation Consider different time zones before setting up the meeting

Virtual Meetings

As people are geographically dispersed Virtual Meetings are important to enhance and promote communication. The leader must:

Have facilitator and communication skills

Know how to make the best use of technology

Share documentation

Consider different time zones before setting up the meeting

Using e-mail to manage a Virtual Team Have a “no-scrolling” rule Keep group lists up to date Check e-mail regularly Use the description line well Use automatic replies when necessary Ensure privacy and confidentiality are not violated Educate the team on appropriate and inappropriate use of e-mail Be careful of putting emotional content into e-mail

Using e-mail to manage a Virtual Team

Have a “no-scrolling” rule

Keep group lists up to date

Check e-mail regularly

Use the description line well

Use automatic replies when necessary

Ensure privacy and confidentiality are not violated

Educate the team on appropriate and inappropriate use of e-mail

Be careful of putting emotional content into e-mail

Using shared workspace Use collaborative applications Train people how to work together in shared applications Do regular backups Do not use confusing file names Have protocols for the common space

Using shared workspace

Use collaborative applications

Train people how to work together in shared applications

Do regular backups

Do not use confusing file names

Have protocols for the common space

What is a Virtual Team? Leadership: Foundation Principles Communication and Coordination Using Technology Conclusions Questions

What is a Virtual Team?

Leadership: Foundation Principles

Communication and Coordination

Using Technology

Conclusions

Questions

Global business challenge is coordinating people from a distance. New management strategies and techniques are needed. While conventional leaders can watch what their team is doing, a virtual Team Leader must rely on his people. A Virtual Leader must master technology in order to use it for the benefit of his team.

Global business challenge is coordinating people from a distance.

New management strategies and techniques are needed.

While conventional leaders can watch what their team is doing, a virtual Team Leader must rely on his people.

A Virtual Leader must master technology in order to use it for the benefit of his team.

Technology alone is insufficient. Leaders now need to also master interpersonal relationships which is even harder from a distance. There is no cookbook for leading people in remote locations. This concept is challenging traditional management.

Technology alone is insufficient. Leaders now need to also master interpersonal relationships which is even harder from a distance.

There is no cookbook for leading people in remote locations. This concept is challenging traditional management.

Questions?