(ThyBlackMan.com) We are living in a world full of technological advancement. Every other day, a new trend emerges. A virtual team is a good example where they play a big part in the organizational structure of a company. As a leader of your organization, you can always get work done well without necessarily directing your workers face to face.
In the past, all employees used to work under the same roof in an organization. Well, that is not the trend in this era. You will find that other employees, known as virtual teams, can freely work at the comfort of their homes and deliver excellent results.
However, dealing with virtual teams is not that easy. It is a tough process that requires proper planning, communication means, transparency, among other factors. Some of the reasons why working with virtual teams are difficult is because of language barriers, different time zones, ways of working, and different cultures among your workers. As a boss, it is important to put in mind all these factors when dealing with virtual teams. An effective virtual team must have a system whereby every employee has an opportunity to express their views, suggestions, and above all work well without any technical difficulties. One of the biggest reason why most virtual teams fail is due to poor communication and poor management system.
Now, as a boss, how do you ensure your virtual teams work and deliver the required outcomes? What is the main requirement to make virtual teams work effectively? Below are some of the proven tips to use as a boss:
Leadership Skills:
Any leader must possess the required skills to achieve a given target. The same applies to virtual teams. As a leader, you must acknowledge the importance of trust for your team to be productive. As a virtual team boss, you must have specified leadership skills which are not common to any type of a leader. A good virtual team leader must have a positive attitude and treat all the employees with respect.
Now, how do you build trust among your workers? It is simple; all you need to do as a boss is to build strong teamwork among your virtual teams. However, creating an environment of teamwork among your virtual teams isn’t that easy because of different locations among your workers. But then, technology is here to help you overcome such challenges. Simply use applications like messaging apps where every member can communicate effectively despite where they come from.
When there are trust and open communication among your virtual teams, there is no doubt your company will be productive because workers are free to air their views, complains, and suggestions. Also, when there is an emergency, it will be dealt with promptly and within a short time.
Advanced Technology:
Any leader of virtual teams has to embrace the ever-changing technology. As a manager, to make sure your virtual teams work, you have to be up to date with any technology that arises, especially in matters involving communication. Use the platforms available when communicating with your workers to promote productivity. Among the technologies any virtual team leader should embrace include video conferencing, conference calls, and use of messaging applications to communicate. Although, this does not imply that you ignore simple means of communication like phone calls. It can as well solve a big emergency issue.
Important Touchpoints:
Despite the difference in location of virtual teams, it is vital as a manager to ensure that all the members involved meeting face to face even if it is once every year. However, if it is challenging for some members to make it, they should at least contribute to the meeting via virtual media such as videoconferencing.
As their leader, you should target moments such as the launching of a new project, celebrating an achievement, and introduction of new members to the existing group to set up the meeting. This simple act will motivate your virtual teams and make them work even more.
Number and type of Virtual Team Members:
For any virtual team to bear fruits, the number has to be manageable, and the people involved must have a positive attitude. The team members need to embrace the spirit of teamwork, have open and excellent communication skills, self-driven, and be able to adapt to new changes instantly.
As for the number, it is advisable to have a small team that you, as the boss can manage without difficulties. A team of less than ten people is the best. A small team increases the chances of transparency and open communication.
Conclusion
Leading a virtual team and ensuring the work is done correctly is a process that requires a skilful, ambitious, dedicated, and ready for changes kind of a leader. The entire process requires the right mindset, the right virtual team, and defined goals for the work to run smoothly.
Staff Writer; Paul Short