Leading virtual teams by slowing down
by Markos Papadimas
A virtual leader supervises and leads virtual teams, that is remote teams spread around a country or even the entire world. These teams rarely or never meet face-to-face. Nowadays, thanks to a few factors, such as the Internet, globalization and outsourcing, the number of virtual teams has grown and it is easier than ever before to collaborate remotely, if the virtual leader is trained appropriately. As with in-house teams, the right management of virtual teams is of paramount importance because we ultimately want to increase our teams’ efficiency and productivity. However with time zone constraints, lack of face-to-face meeting, and cultural differences, this can be challenging.
One of the best strategies to apply in virtual teams management is to slow down in order to speed up. While it is tempting to race ahead, slowing down gives team managers the time to understand what’s needed, how things work and what may help or hinder the ability of the team to operate seamlessly. It is really helpful to take time upfront to build a team charter as a group and agree how the team will operate together, thus avoiding many pitfalls ahead. A common vision and objectives, with shared goals and a strong purpose, will help each team member to find their place and to work together with their virtual colleagues.
Once the team members are identified, elaborate on what you need from each one of them so no time is wasted. Make sure that all team members have access to the same technology and tools, that there aren’t any site-specific obstacles that will lower the project’s priority, that you and the team know each other’s working hours, the norms, as well as any cultural considerations that may present opportunities or challenges for the virtual team.
And then, document your findings and use the communications plan and team operating agreements to address how these can be worked through or can benefit the team. If you don’t have a system worked out in advance of team member expectations, how to deal with conflict, how decisions are made and so on, when it comes to dealing with these issues, it then becomes a negotiation and you have to deal with adversity which in turn will take time and energy from your side. By slowing down upfront like this in a virtual environment team managers have the opportunity to focus more on all interactions, to set clear expectations on how the team interacts on a daily basis, and have set the foundations for the team ultimately to move on to a faster project execution.
