7 Key Steps To Accelerate Performance of Your New Virtual Team

As the leader for a new global project team, you need to get everyone on board right from the start with energy, enthusiasm and commitment to work as a team. As a seasoned project manager, you may be adept at shepherding project teams through the usual phases of forming, forming storming and performing. But this time it's different, since most of the members will work from a distance for the duration of this two-year project.

Joining me in writing this edition of Communiqué is Kathy Connolly, founder of The Office Outdoors, a team development consulting firm. We show how some of the essential activities for building any high- performing team can be applied to project teams who must work virtually to get the job done.

Choose the right people.
When you have the ability to influence who participates (and this is not always possible), look for people with diverse perspectives with the right combination of skills, knowledge and experience. To operate successfully as a member of a virtual team, however, people need certain competencies that others may not. Examples: tolerance for ambiguity; sensitivity to cultural differences; willingness to work independently; ability and openness to communicate using a variety of methods, both asynchronously and synchronously; and keen listening skills.

Make shared goals explicit. While crucial for any team, this is more important and far more challenging for a virtual team. More important, because virtual teams have few opportunities to correct misunderstandings, fine-tune agreements, or debate differences. Without clear shared goals, virtual team members can more easily inadvertently veer off in different directions and become derailed quickly. More challenging, because few virtual teams allocate the kind of time necessary for the kind of in-depth conversations needed to hammer out explicit goals that all understand and agree to. Set aside a series of virtual meetings right up front to make the goals explicit, and make sure that everyone has an opportunity to reflect and revise.

Develop ground rules tuned to a virtual team.
For example, agree on who needs to attend which meetings and how frequently. Be specific about the extent to which multitasking is acceptable on team calls. Discuss the consequences of failure to do important prework. Agree how conflicts will be resolved among members. Establish an agreed-upon protocol for handling distracting, disrespectful or disruptive behavior. Agree who needs to be on the "to" list for certain topics and who can be simply cc'd. Establish conventions for sharing, editing and posting vital documentation, including editing and approval rights.

Facilitate connections.
Any time a new team is forming, people need time to cultivate trust to work well together. Team members who work virtually, however, often have few chances to really get to know each other beyond their respective deliverables and due dates. You can facilitate the getting-to-know- you process many ways. For example, invite people to complete a bio that helps to draw out the real person behind the voice. Ask for a picture and information about special skills or qualities, where they're from and where they live, languages spoken, values they live by, professional credentials, preferred communications method, etc. Post bios on a shared website and encourage people to make connections. Keep in mind that face time is the best way to build a new team. Leverage corporate events, sales meetings and conferences to bring people together without making too big a dent in your budget.

Model best practices.
For example, show up to con calls on time, fully prepared to participate in a productive conversation. Be respectful of others' ideas by practicing generous listening. Avoid the temptation to multitask, even if your inbox is on serious overload. Use IM judiciously, which may mean inviting a reluctant participant to contribute or asking someone for additional data. Do not use IM to have a side chat that will distract you and others from the conversation at hand. End meetings on time, and make sure that you've kept the team focused and on track in achieving your intended outcomes.

Make work fun.
Give people permission to make everyday interactions fun. All work with no play can suck the energy and spirit out of people. Playfulness and a sense of humor help people relax, bond and de- stress. Example: Start a virtual meeting off with some type of sharing that's not directly related to the task at hand. For example, you can start by revealing your greatest frustration for the week, keeping a light tone. Or talk about where you'd most like to be right now, if not in this terrific meeting. Send a humorous sound or video file that everyone can enjoy at the start of the meeting. Make sure to strike the right balance between having a social conversation and allowing people to focus quickly on the work at hand.

Celebrate achievements, milestones and successes.
Most projects go through certain phases when the work is stressful and the potential for burn-out or withdrawal is high. Show appreciation for contributions, achievements and sacrifices by making 1:1 contact with each team member. Send cards, either the paper or virtual kind, or personal emails. Or try picking up the phone to say thanks and check in. Get sponsors and other managers involved in showing appreciation, including public acknowledgement via emails, in meetings and in company publications. Plan virtual team celebrations by sending gift certificates for coffee, pizza or dinner. And perhaps the best reward of all: Give team members well- deserved time off when special milestones are met.

Like any other team that's starting up, a virtual team will undoubtedly move through the phases of forming, norming, storming and performing. Your challenge is to accelerate the time it takes to cultivate a high-performing team by applying sound project team development principles in new ways that reflect the unique dynamics of a virtual team environment.

Company News: Techniques and tips for mentoring in a virtual world was the topic for Rene Petrin's Voice America Mentoring Matters radio show featuring Guided Insights principal Nancy Settle-Murphy, which aired Nov. 2. By following the link above, you can listen to any of Rene's shows, including Nancy's Nov. 2 show. If you want to listen to the live show, tune in on Fridays from 9-10 AM.

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