The document discusses the challenges of managing virtual teams from a distance and identifies key skills for effective virtual leadership and management. It notes that challenges are magnified when managing remotely compared to locally, as it is more difficult to monitor employees and motivate them at a distance. Effective skills for virtual management include providing strategic direction, strong communication, building relationships, setting goals, coaching, motivating employees, and providing feedback and support while managing by results rather than activity. The document provides tips for virtual team leadership, such as distributing work evenly, avoiding negative feedback by email, and being sensitive to different time zones.

1. The Virtual Manager Presented by Salvatore Gigante - Leadership and Effectiveness in Virtual Workplace

2. Today’s Objectives Identify the challenges to managing from a distance Assess self in key skill areas used to manage from a distance Identify key distance leadership and management skills Develop strategies to allow team to be more effective in a virtual environment

3. What are the challenges of managing from a distance? How do these challenges differ from managing a team locally?

4. Challenges become magnified when managing from a distance

5. Managing Local vs. Virtual Teams Local Face to face Monitor performance and actions Easy access Management by walking around Virtual Remote communications More difficult to monitor person’s actions Track them down Motivate at a distance

6. Effective Leadership and Management Skills Providing Strategic Direction Communication (staying connected) Building Relationships Setting Objective Goals Coaching Motivating Providing Development Opportunities Providing Feedback and Support Managing by results, not activity

7. Are your Employees Being Productive? Is Trust an Issue for You?

8. How well do you manage a virtual team?

9. How would you describe your current management style? Very direct with a "telling" style A coaching style A controlling style A wait and see style, allowing employees to "figure it out"

10. Do you have written measurable goals for each employee? Do you meet regularly with each employee in person to discuss what and how they are doing?

11. Do you do a formal orientation for new employees to the team? Do you formally work to build team cohesiveness?

12. How do you approach a performance issue with a remote employee? Allow the employee some time to work out the issue before addressing Address immediately by letting the employee know what is expected of them Discuss the situation with the employee as soon as you can meet in-person Address the situation as soon as you are aware of it through two-way discussion

13. Tools for Virtual Teams Telephone Scheduled Team Conference Calls (Weekly) E-mails IM – Instant Messaging Live Meeting Virtual Learning software Videoconference Face to Face Visits One on One Telephone Conference

14. So, What are the Best Tools for Managing Virtual Teams?

15. What Questions or Situations do you Have? Do you have a situation you would like to share? Do you have any questions?

16. Action Planning What are you currently doing well? What can you do better? Specifically, what do you need to do to improve your virtual leadership skills? By when will you make these improvements?

17. Virtual Team Leadership Tips Take pictures of the team and post them on a site that is available to the entire team. Don’t always handout project to the people who offices near you, be sure to distribute evenly amongst the team. Never deliver bad new or negative feedback by e-mail. Watch your tone in your e-mail. Be sensitive to the time zone of your virtual team. If you virtual team is in another country, be sure to accommodate them by having calls on their time zone

18. A Final Thought…. Here are the 4 critical dimensions of Communication Build Trust – The core of communication is developing trust. Share Knowledge – Knowledge is power. Equip your team with as much knowledge as you can. Provide Feedback – People need to know where they stand. Walk the Talk – We have to walk our talk personally and professionally.

19. Resources The Distance Manager by Kimball Fisher, Maureen Fisher Quick Guide to Interaction Styles and Working Remotely: Strategies for Leading and Working in Virtual Teams by Susan K. Gerke, Linda V. Berens http://www.qualitydigest.com/sept00/html/teams.html http://www.trg-inc.com/LVTeams1.pdf http://www.odnetwork.org/odponline/vol33n1/dispersed.html http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Managing+Remote+Employee&btnG=Google+Search