Theories for the How to lead virtual teams-guide https://www.thinglink.com/scenariocard/1521767923624968193

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How to lead virtual teams?
- Work & productivity

2. CONTENT
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Overview of the Team development stages
Enjoy and celebrate!
• Autonomous teamwork
• autonomy paradox
• self-managing teams
• Constructive and positive feedback
• Reflection on virtual teamwork and shared mental models
• Celebrating achievements
Recommendations for the virtual team leaders at stage 4
References & Suggested readings

3. - Getting to know each other
- Finding out and
understanding about - the
team objectives, values and
rules
- Respecting leadership
- Including all team members
in the process
- Forming subgroups
- Competition in teams
- Conflicts are increasing
- Leadership changes
- Aggressive feedback
- Clarity in objectives and tasks
- Understanding how to deal
with the conflicts
- Collaboration in working
- Forming a stronger
relationship with team
members
- Solving problems
collectively in a team
- Decision making is made as
a group
- Constructive feedback
- Safe and secure working
environment
- Clear communication
Stage 1
Dependence &
Inclusion
Stage 2
Counterdependence &
Fight
Stage 3
Trust & Structure
Stage 4
Work & Productivity
OVERVIEW OF THE TEAM DEVELOPMENT STAGES
(Adapted from Wheelan 2005 & Wijaya 2018)

4. ENJOY AND CELEBRATE!
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Stage 4 is called High Performance
At this stage communication is direct and open. The team
can start self-organizing, and the leader´s role is
changed from directing to members overcoming
barriers autonomously.
The focus is strongly on the task.
Critical factors for the virtual team success at this stage
are:
• Understanding the concept of self –managing teams &
autonomy paradox
• Giving constructive and positive feedback
• Reflecting virtual teamwork and shared mental models
• Celebrating achievements

5. SUPPORT AUTONOMOUS TEAMWORK (1/2)
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Autonomy is an “ability to exercise a degree of control over the
content, timing, location, and performance of activities. Autonomy is a
central factor in self-managing teams “(Haas 2010)
• leads to greater flexibility and capacity to perform teamwork
• increases the sense of competence and being in control Giving
constructive and positive feedback
• increases team members performance and motivation (e.g. Haas
2010)
However, at team level teams granted more autonomy often end up
increasing control over individual members.
Autonomy paradox
Choosing to work anywhere and anytime
using technology, virtual team members tend
to use technology diminishing their autonomy
in practice: working more hours, blurring
personal and work time, and increasing
work–family conflict.
(Mazmanian & al. 2013)

6. SUPPORT AUTONOMOUS TEAMWORK (2/2)
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Psychological empowerment provides the autonomy and self-management (Han et al., 2017) that
modern technology makes possible for virtual teams.
A team culture culture that values autonomy, trust, psychological safety, mutual support, flexibility,
engagement, recognition, and individual well-being, will support leaders as they strive to create a
resilient workforce (Peterman, 2019, p. 47)
Following a shared leadership model, team members carry increased responsibility, autonomy, and
influence, with the ability to direct and change the behavior of others (Maduka et al., 2018)

7. GIVE CONSTRUCTIVE AND POSITIVE FEEDBACK
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Low intensity
feedback
Given and received
at the conclusion of
the teamwork
Refer to as the postproject only feedback strategy, reflects a
common method of using feedback in teams, and would be
typical of the "annual review" used in many organizational
environments.
Moderate
intensity
feedback
Given regularly, but
not distributed until
project completion
Refer to as the weekly exposure feedback strategy, requested
weekly feedback from each team member about each of their
peers, but the feedback was not distributed until the end of the
project.
High intensity
feedback
Given and received
at regular intervals
throughout the
project
Referred to as the weekly distribution feedback strategy,
requested and distributed the feedback from one's team peers
on a weekly basis.
Peer Feedback:
Three Different
Strategies
(McLarnon & al. 2019)

8. GIVE CONSTRUCTIVE AND POSITIVE FEEDBACK
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First of all, ask for permission – “is it ok that I give you some feedback now”?
Types of feedback from “I” perspective:
Fact: You just came in late.
Action/reaction: That disturbs me and I get out of focus.
Feeling: I feel / the feeling I get is that you don’t respect me as a lecture.
Recommendation: I would like you to come on time in the future, or wait outside until the first break.
Possible reactions: ACT ON, STORE, or FORGET
How to give feedback?
Kaospilot training material, Denmark, 2019.

9. GIVE CONSTRUCTIVE AND POSITIVE
FEEDFORWARD 1/2
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What the feedforward is?
• The main goal of feedforward is – to help for your team members.
• Only possible when somebody asks for your input.
• It is possible only with a trust.
• No criticism or condemnation, motivation matters!
(Goldsmith 2015)
Do not criticise –
INSPIRE! Future
orientation – not
past!

10. GIVE CONSTRUCTIVE AND POSITIVE
FEEDFORWARD 2/2
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Why it matters?
• it is much more productive to prove to group
members that they are right than to correct
their mistakes
• we only can change the future, not the past
• share of feedback / feedforward responsibility
• it can be provided by everyone, who is
familiar with the question
• is not accepted in person as far as feedback
is received
• listening more closely than feedback

11. REFLECT TEAMWORK AND SHARED MENTAL MODELS
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Shared mental models provide team members with
a common understanding of the tasks and
information requirements.
Team- based shared mental model: knowledge
about teammates’ skills, attitude, preferences.
Task-based shared mental model: knowledge about task
procedures and strategies.
Shared experience, information sharing, the ability to identify and
resolve misunderstandings are some of the determinants of
shared understanding in virtual teams

12. CELEBRATE ACHIEVEMENTS!
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There are many ways how to celebrate
a teamwork success!
Celebrating success can have a variety of
tangible benefits for any team:
• bringing team members together and
creating positivity
• helping to build momentum and a sense of
progress
• improving morale, and making the hard
times feel worth it
• creating a sense of meaning in people’s
work.
When should you celebrate?
• First victories when people are tackling new responsibilities for the
first time, authentic praise and recognition are a great way to give
them confidence that they are on the right track.
• Consistently good work – by celebrating these unsung heroes, you
can demonstrate dedication and perseverance are valued and will
not be taken for granted.
• Being a team player – encouraging and celebrating the times when
individuals supported and helped each other in small ways reminds
your team that their actions have an impact.
• Upholding team values – Your team members live your values and
help to reinforce your team culture.

13. CELEBRATE ACHIEVEMENTS!
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What to celebrate?
• Commitment to team success and shared goals - team members are committed to the success of the team and their shared
goals for the project.
• Interdependence - team members create an environment where together they can contribute far more than as individuals.
Individuals promote and encourage their fellow team members to achieve, contribute, and learn.
• Interpersonal Skills includes the ability to discuss issues openly with team members, are honest, trustworthy, supportive and
show respect and commitment to the team and to its individuals.
• Open Communication and positive feedback - create an effective work environment.
• Appropriate team composition – team members fully aware of their specific team role and understand what is expected of
them in terms of their contribution to the team and the project.
• Commitment to team processes, leadership & accountability - team members are accountable for their contribution to the team
and the project. They are aware of team processes, best practice and new ideas.
(Tarricone & Luca 2002)

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• The leaders of winning
teams always let their
people know where they
stand.
• Winning teams know the
game plan.
• Winning teams are honest.
• Winning teams celebrate.
RECOMMENDATIONS- HOW TO BUILD A WINNING TEAM

15. REFERENCES & SUGGESTED READINGS
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Ellis, K. (2010) Achieving and Celebrating Academic Milestones: Pomp and Circumstance or High Fives and Dogpiles. . https://www.edutopia.org/blog/teamwork-dedication-commitment-education-reform-ken-ellis
Galbraith, D. D., & Webb, F. L. (2013). Teams that work: Preparing student teams for the workplace. American Journal of Business Education (AJBE), 6(2), 223-234.
Goldsmith, M. (2015). Try Feedforward Instead of Feedback. https://marshallgoldsmith.com/articles/try-feedforward-instead-feedback/
Haas M, R (2010). The double-edged swords of autonomy and external knowledge: Analyzing team effectiveness in a multinational organization. Acad. Management J. 53(5), 989–1008.
Han, S., Chae, C., Macko, P., Park, W., & Beyerlein, M. (2017). How virtual team leaders cope with creativity challenges. European Journal of Training and Development, 41(3), 261– 276.
McLarnon, M. J., O'Neill, T. A., Taras, V., Law, D., Donia, M. B., & Steel, P. (2019). Global virtual team communication, coordination, and performance across three peer feedback strategies. Canadian Journal of Behavioural
Science/Revue canadienne des sciences du comportement, 51(4), 207.
Maduka, N., Edwards, H., Greenwood, D., Osborne, A., & Babatunde, S. (2018). Analysis of competencies for effective virtual team leadership in building successful organisations. Benchmarking : An International Journal, 25(2),
696–712.
Mazmanian, M., Orlikowski, W. J., & Yates, J. (2013). The autonomy paradox: The implications of mobile email devices for knowledge professionals. Organization science, 24(5), 1337-1357.
Müller, R., & Antoni, C. H. (2020). Individual perceptions of shared mental models of information and communication technology (ICT) and virtual team coordination and performance—The moderating role of flexibility in ICT use.
Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice, 24(3), 186. https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2020-48733-001.pdf
NFP, People blog (2021). How to celebrate success in your team – and why you need to do this more. https://nfppeople.com.au/2021/06/how-to-celebrate-success-in-your-team-and-why-you-need-to-do-this-more/
Peterman, M. E. (2019). Resiliency for a high-performing workforce. The Journal of Government Financial Management, 68(3), 46–50.
Tarricone, P., & Luca, J. (2002). Successful teamwork: A case study. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://scholar.google.lt/&httpsredir=1&article=5007&context=ecuworks

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THANK YOU!
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This presentation is part of TOO4TO project. This project has been funded with the
support from the European Commission. This content reflects the views only of the
authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be
made of the information contained therein.