Leading Virtual Teams
and
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Tweeting? Please use this tag:
#Virtual_Teams
Housekeeping
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Purpose of this Webinar i.e., what will you get?
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10 Tips for Leading Virtual Teams
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DEFINITIONS
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What is a Virtual Team?
• People who work in concert to achieve a shared goal
• Communicate primarily via electronic media
• Live in different parts of the region/country/world
• Across time zones
• Rarely or never see each other
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When does a TEAM become virtual?
The level of virtuality
correlates to how much
communication is
electronic.
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CHALLENGES SOLUTIONS
Individuals
CHALLENGES
Teams & Work Groups
Leaders
CHALLENGES Teams &
Work Groups
73% Managing Conflict
69% Making Decisions
64% Expressing Opinions
48% Producing Quality Deliverables
47% Generating Innovative Ideas
Source: Forrester
Individuals
94% Inability to read nonverbal cues
85% Absence of collegiality
81% Difficulty establishing rapport & trust
77% Difficulty seeing the whole picture
68% Reliance on email and telephone
CHALLENGES
Source: Forrester
• “How do I get/keep people on the same page?”
• “How do I build rapport and trust?”
• “How can I increase involvement without losing control?”
• “How do I encourage people to give direct feedback?”
• How can I effectively manage performance from afar?
• “How do I manage (even leverage) differences?
Leaders
CHALLENGES
How Can We
Begin to Get a
Handle on
These
Challenges?
Virtual group leaders & managers
spend 90+ percent of their time
preparing for, holding, and following
up on e-based conversations.
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CHALLENGES SOLUTIONS
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LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE:
Where To Focus My Attention
We interact mostly
online or on the phone.
I can’t assess the
situation or people’s
needs like I can when
I’m face-to-face. Neither
can others.
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Balance your
Attention: Results, Process,
Relationship
How people experience their
involvement and connection to
each other.
How a conversation is managed.
E.g., how a group moves through
an agenda & uses time.
What the conversation
accomplishes: decisions,
plans, agreements, etc.
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Δ +
Using the Dimensions of Success:
An Example
What’s Working
• Using WebEx instead of just
phones in our meetings is more
efficient. (process)
• Were enjoying getting to know
each other. (relationship)
• We all met our deadlines this
week. (results)
How We Could Improve
• Get clearer on everyone’s area of
responsibility. (process)
• Post everyone’s picture on our
team portal. (relationship)
• Said we’d shrink proposal process
to two weeks and we’re not there
yet. (results)
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LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE:
Getting People on the Same Page
Not all members on my
team have the same
idea of what we’re here
to do. I spend a lot of
time reminding people,
but seem to be pushing
this cart up the same
hill every few weeks.
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Build a Plan & Operating Agreements
Together
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Elements of a Plan
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Elements of a Plan
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Elements of a Plan
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Elements of a Plan
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Elements of a Plan
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LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE:
Building Trust & Rapport
Trust is a necessary
aspect of working
collaboratively and
motivating the team.
How do I develop
people’s trust when I
don’t have face-time
with my people?
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Foster Trust Based on
Performance
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I ASKED FOR
A,B,C.
YOU GAVE ME
A,B,C.
TIMELY
RESPONSIVE
STRAIGHT-
FORWARD
CONSISTENT
Qualities of Communication that Meet Our Needs
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Externalize Your
Thinking
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What to Externalize
Decisions
Concerns
Issues
Options
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1 Describe the situation
2 Say Why It s Important
3 Articulate
What s My Thinking
4 Make A Request if
Appropriate
How To Externalize Your Thinking
Decisions
Concerns
Issues
Options
Effective leaders:
• Demonstrate Moral Character
• Move People Emotionally
• Give Solid Reasoning for Actions
How you
Ethos Pathos Logos
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TRUST TOOLKIT:
Strategies for Building
Trust and Involvement
Something for You
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LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE:
Inclusion & Engagement
I want to get more
involvement and make
more decisions with my
group/team, but I get
concerned about
handling conflicting
opinions, wasting time,
and losing control.
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Seek
Maximum
Appropriate
Involvement
in Decision-
Making
The Simple Discipline
1.What’s the decision?
2.Who are the stakeholders?
3.What level of involvement will
each have?
4.How will I communicate the
decision-making approach to
them?
© Interaction Associates
LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE:
Complaining & Indirect Criticism
I sometimes get
backdoor complaints
from one person about
another person’s
behavior. How can I
improve relationships
and encourage direct
feedback when
everyone is virtual?
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Errors in SLT
deck. Dont
send.
NO WAY
Yeah bad. U
scrwd up.
ME? NOT
LIKELY.
YEAH. U
The possibilities for misunderstanding: ENDLESS!
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Model Direct and Respectful Feedback
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Effective Virtual Feedback
Voice-to-Voice
Timely & useful for receiver
Focus on behavior
Use a collaborative approach
Offer assistance
1 “This is what happened…”
(the facts)
2 “This was the impact on me on
others…
3
“What’s your
perception of what
happened?”
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“Here’s my request…”
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BUILD AN AGREEMENT
Feedback Steps
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LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE:
Managing Differences
There are so many different styles on my team some work alone and are more analytical. Others are creative and social.
There s a big gulf between them. How can I bridge the gap?
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Teach a Common
Collaborative Language &
Skillset
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Desired Outcomes
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Open-Narrow-Close
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Seek to understand before trying to convince.
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LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE:
Virtual Meetings
Our face-to-face
meetings aren’t the
best, but some of these
virtual meetings are
downright painful! How
can I engage people in a
way that satisfies needs
for accomplishment and
connection?
© Interaction Associates
The Leader Often Tries To Do It All
• Set up the logistics
• Define the purpose
• Create the agenda
• Clarify the process
• Facilitate discussion
• Define the issue
• Analyze the issue
• Generate options
• Weigh the options
• Resolve conflict
• Make decisions
• Build action plan
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Share Responsibility
for Virtual Meeting
Management
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Five Key Functions
Decision Making
Participation
Information Management
Process Management
Logistics Management
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Leader
Attendees
Recorder Facilitator
Technologist
Blend Functions & Roles
Decision Making
Participation
Information Management
Process Management
Logistics Management
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LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE:
People Feel Isolated & Disconnected
There are people I lead
who say they don’t feel
connected to their
colleagues, or part of
the ‘bigger mission.’
How can I reduce
isolation and increase
interaction in a way that
isn’t artificial?
The leader s job is to create a place where everyone can have access to each other and involvement in things that matter.
The virtual leader s job is not to change people.
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Partner People On
Short Assignments
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• Solve a problem
• Map a work process
• Develop a proposal
• Plan an event
Types of Assignments
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How to Do It
1 Create logical sub-groups
(pairs, trios).
2 Delegate with clear constraints.
3 Build agreement on timeframe
and your own involvement.
4 KEEP IT SIMPLE.
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Set Time Aside for
Learning & Socializing
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SINGLE POINT LESSONS
1 LATEST INSIGHT ABOUT OUR WORK
2 CELEBRATIONS & UPDATES
15-45 MINUTES
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Balance your Attention:
Results Process
Relationship
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Build a Plan & Operating Agreements
Together
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Foster Trust Based on
Performance
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Externalize Your
Thinking
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Seek
Maximum
Appropriate
Involvement
in Decision-
Making
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Model Direct and Respectful Feedback
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Teach a Common
Collaborative Language &
Skillset
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Share Responsibility
for Virtual Meeting
Management
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Partner People On
Short Assignments
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Set Time Aside for
Learning & Socializing
Write in Chat:
WHAT IS SOMETHING YOU LEARNED TODAY THAT YOU CAN APPLY BACK ON THE JOB?
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TRUST TOOLKIT:
Strategies for Building
Trust and Involvement
Something for You
Leading Virtual Teams
Please watch for our email, and give us feedback.
THANK YOU!
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