successful virtual team. I try to explain these 6 lessons briefly.
. Focus on people issues. It is easier to succeed when the whole team is engaged and communicating
. No trust, no team. Sometimes in virtual teams trust is more at a task level than at an interpersonal level. It is important that the team meets face-to-face early in the team s formation.
. Soft skills are essential. Virtual teams who have been through team building and interpersonal skill development perform better. p align="justify">. Watch out for performance peaks. Many virtual teams face a performance peak after about 12 months. For virtual project teams this could be after shorter periods like 6 months. After that performance tends to decline. p align="justify">. Create a high-touch environment. Virtual team members need to meet at least once a year and for project teams regularly throughout the phases of the project. p align="justify">. Virtual team leadership matters. Leadership is the factor most important to the success of virtual teams. Team leaders in a virtual environment must be especially sensitive to interpersonal communication and cultural factors. br/>
conclusion, virtual teams are increasingly prevalent in today s world, and a lot of high quality information exists on how to work effectively as a team. As well as the economies that can be achieved from virtual teams, this style of project offers great potential for harnessing talent from many locations. Managing a virtual project team can be richly rewarding, and requires many of the same core competencies as managing a collocated team, with the added element of being highly sensitive to communication styles and ensuring appropriate styles are used depending on the occasion. The elements we discuss above are all part of effective communication needed to mitigate the project risks associated with not being collocated. . The project manager should assess their own ability to be a virtual team worker, as well as being able to assess their team members. When project communication is working well, high-performing project teamwork can be achieved.
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. Virtual Team Success: A Practical Guide for Working and Leading from a Distance (Jossey-Bass/A Wiley).
