This document discusses challenges and best practices for virtual teams. Virtual teams face challenges like cultural differences, communication barriers, and social isolation due to their geographically distributed nature. Good communication management is key to virtual team success. Effective practices include holding face-to-face kickoff meetings, using team charters to establish norms, and developing communication plans. Setting clear expectations, roles, and decision-making processes also helps virtual teams function effectively.

1. Kim Myers
MGT 607

2.  Virtual team-geographically distributed and
may rarely meet. Often limited existence.
(Berry, 2011)
 What are some of the challenges?
◦ Cultural differences, language barriers, social
isolation, diverse work schedules (Berry, 2011)
◦ Understanding norms and expectations,mission and
deliverables (Dewar, 2011)
 Communication management is the key to
success of virtual teams. (Weimann, 2010)

3. Hold a F2F Use a Team Have a
Kickoff Charter to Communication
Meeting establish norms Plan
Have a
Match ICT to
Knowledge
Needs
Repository

4.  Essential needs:  How it helps:
 Introduce members to  Team members
each other become more real to
 Develop trust through each other
team building  Learn about team
exercises mates’ cultures
 Goals and expectations  Set up procedures to
 Verify common skills deal with future
and software problems
Nunamaker, et al. (2009) Oshri, et al. (2008)

5. Document that
explains:
Team’s mission and problem to be solved
Individual’s roles and expectation
Team decision making process
Combs & Peacocke (2007)

6. Example of Team Norms and Expectations in a Team Charter
Category Norms
Keeping in Touch with Team members should check in daily at the Discussion Board in the
Other Team Members Knowledge Repository
Weekly progress meetings are held by Skype. Decision making meetings
will use WebEx as needed. Agendas are posted in advance. All members
Meeting Management should attend, unless excused. Notes will be posted within 24 hours.
Decisions require 70 % quorum
Carried on simple majority
Decision Making and
Problem Solving All parties have opportunity to be heard
Resolve as soon as possible
Use synchronous (i.e. chat, Skype, video conference) rather than email
Conflict Management Involve team leader if unable to resolve
Be clear on assignment
Working Together to
Understand due dates
Produce or Review
Documents Post documents to Knowledge Repository
Form Adapted from:
Duarte, D. L., & Snyder, N. T. (2006). Mastering Virtual Teams; Strategies,
Tools, and Techniques That Succeed. San Franciso: Jossey-Bass.

7.  Defines:
 What type of information to share with which
stakeholders.
 How the information is gathered and
distributed
 How often should it be shared
 Why?
 Keeping stakeholders informed helps with
buy-in, and helps keep problems in check
(Next slide is part of a Communication Plan I did for a Project
Team where I work)

8. •Milestone Reports •Download reports
•When? As needed •When?
•Monthly
Contributors
College
Administration Faculty, staff,
students
Project
Library
Management
Administration
Team
•Deliverables •Action items
•Status Reports •All Issues
•When- as happens •All Updates

9. Good for Kickoff –
Same Time/Same F2F Meeting getting the team
Place acquainted
Good for team
Same Time/Different Video Conference,
decision making and
Place Chat, Text
working together
Discussion Boards,
Different Time/Same Knowledge Repository Permanent Archive,
Place Agendas and Notes
Group
Different Email Correspondence
Time/Different Place Webinars (email)
Training (Webinars)
(Malafsky, 2004)

10. Types of Repositories Uses for the Repository:
 External Knowledge  Archive Company
(articles from experts) documents
 Internal Knowledge  Post articles for
(company research) Reference
 Informal Knowledge  As discussion board
(discussion boards)
(Davenport, et al. 1998) (Malhotra, et al., 2007)

11. Virtual teams are important to business success
They face many challenges due to their distributed
locations, and lack of face to face time
Good communication practices can help overcome
challenges
These practices can be applied in academic (online
class) setting as well as in the business
environment

12. Berry, G. R. (2011). Enhancing Effectiveness on Virtual Teams. Journal of Business
Communication , 186-206.
Combs, W., & Peacocke, S. (2007). Leading Virtual Teams. Fundamentals , 27-28.
Davenport, T. H., De Long, D. W., & Beers, M. C. (1998). Successful Knowledge Management
Projects. Sloan Management Review , 43-57.
Dewar, T. (2006). Virtual teams—Virtually impossible? Performance Improvement , 22-25.
Duarte, D. L., & Snyder, N. T. (2006). Mastering Virtual Teams; Strategies, Tools, and
Techniques That Succeed. San Franciso: Jossey-Bass.
Malafsky, G. P. (2004). Technology for Acquiring and Sharing Knowledge Assets. In
Handbook on Knowledge Management 2: Knowledge Directions (pp. 85-107). Springer
Science & Business Media B.V. / Books.
Malhotra, A., Majchrzak, A., & Rosen, B. (2007). Leading Virtual Teams. Academy of
Management Perspectives , 60-70.
Nunamaker Jr., J. F., Reinig, B. A., & Briggs, R. O. (2009). Principles for Effective Virtual
Teamwork. Communications Of The ACM , 113-117.
Oshri, I., Kotlarsky, J., & Willcocks, L. (2008). Building Critical Social Ties for Global
Collaborative Teamwork. Communications Of The ACM , 76-81.
Weimann, P. H. (2010). ―Changing the Communication Culture of Distributed Teams in a
World Where Communication is Neither Perfect nor Complete. The Electronic Journal
Information Systems Evaluation , 187-196.