Building High Performing Virtual Teams

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Building High PerformingVirtual Teams
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To Begin Some Definitions

• What is a Virtual Team?
• Range of definitions, depending on the writer
• A group of individuals who work across time,
  space and organizational boundaries with links
  strengthened by webs of communication technology.
  

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Thinking About Virtual Teams

• Why? What are the Benefits?
• Cost reduction
• Perform work in most cost-effective location
• Reduce travel accommodation expenses
• Reduce consulting through access to skilled
  internal personnel
• Productivity Effectiveness
• Apply most appropriate resources (from anywhere)
  to job
• Can schedule to follow-the-sun/around-the-clock
• Reduced susceptibility to disaster (multiple
  locations)
• Improved Staff Satisfaction
• Opportunity to participate in projects they may
  not otherwise
• Can build ongoing relationships/networks across
  business

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Selecting Your Resources

• Task competence becomes MORE critical
• Individuals may have less support available
  locally
• Estimates for completion may be less accurate
• Concern over performance may lead to withdrawal
• Communication competence becomes critical
• Individuals must be able to manage communications
• Individuals must be able to communicate
• Progress task-related questions
• Issues, concerns, problems
• Information relevant to other team members

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Standards and Protocols

• Team Members come from diverse backgrounds
• Provide clear standards for all work, available
  to everyone (e.g. website, eRoom, etc)
• Refer back to these standards, and allow them to
  continue growing and developing
• How do you address one another?
• What are your calendars? Website? Outlook?
• Public holidays
• Religious requirements

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Standards and Protocols

• Ensure behavioural norms are documented and
  understood
• Date Time references
• GST? AEDT? 24h or am/pm?
• dd/mm/yy or mm/dd/yy or yymmdd?
• When is close of business, Friday?
• How long to return phone calls and emails?
• What are the teams working hours, when can you
  call?
• To whom do you copy which emails?
• What does finished mean? Draft? Final? Handed
  over?

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Challenges Communication

• Consider existing resources
• Is it appropriate to the task at hand?
• Is it available to all members of the team?
• Is it reliable?
• Communications vary widely across countries
• Do the team members understand its use?
• Consider language
• Avoid local terms select a team language
• Avoid emotional terms they can be misconstrued
• Ensure proper respect is maintained for all team
  members

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Additional Risks

• Consider
• Team member focus being pulled to local tasks
• Team member inaccuracy in estimating completion
• Inconsistency in quality of delivered outcomes
• Failure in communication/delivery infrastructure
• Additional time required to
• Develop skills for team members, where required
• Review and coach team members
• Conduct meetings
• Maintain stakeholder participation