TheArt,ScienceofManagingtheVirtualTeam

BalancingTime,Focus
Today,teammemberscomefrominsideandoutsidethecompanyand
maybeworkinginthesametownoracrosstheglobe.Theycometogetherforaspecificproject
andsetofgoals.Fortheprojecttosucceed,theproject/programmanagerhastoclearthepath
fortheteammembers,keepthemfocused,keepthementhused.

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Intodaysvirtualorganizations,workisincreasinglybeingdonebyteamsmadeupofpeople
fromdifferentdepartmentsandinmanyinstances,withpeoplewhoareoutsidetheir
companies.

Thechallengeistogainthecooperationofindividualsyouhavenocontrolover.

Toeffectivelyleadthesecollaborativeteams,youmustrelyonpersonalpersuasion
ratherthanthepowerofyourposition.

Whetheryoureheadinganinterdepartmentalteamleadingacombinedcustomer,
companyandsupplierprojectorbuildingsupportfornewideasorprograms,theability
topersuadeothersisessential.

Toguaranteethesuccessofyourvirtualteamproject,followtheadviceofexperts:


EnsureManagementSupport
Whetheritisavirtualteamoraskunkworks
project,oneofthemostvitalpiecesofinformationyoullneediswhorequestedthatthe
teambebroughttogetherandtheirobjectives.

DidthecalltoactioncomefromtheCEOorthemanagementcommittee?Whatare
theirexpressedandimpliedobjectives?Makecertainthereisafirmcommitmenttothe
projectandprogramsowhentheteamisdonewiththeprojectactionsand
recommendationswillbecarriedout.

Ifthereisnocommitmenttotheproject,thenmanagementlosesitscredibility.

Opportunity,notPunishment
Ifyourerecruitingpeoplefortheprojectteam,
selltheindividualsontheimportanceoftheactivityandtheirpartinproducingresults.
Itisoftensaidthatifyouwantsomethingimportanttobedone,anddoneproperly,seek
outthebusiestindividualsbecausetheyknowhowtomakethingshappen.

Thesearethepeopleyouwantonyourteam.

ShortCircuitProblems
Ifyouvebeennamedtoheaduptheprojectteam,
theremaybesomeresentmentfromyourpeers.Insomeinstancestheymayfeelthe
honororresponsibilityshouldhavebeentheirsortheydontfeelyourequalifiedfor
theresponsibility.

Empoweryourteammembersfromtheoutset.Letthemknowyourethefacilitatorfor
theproject,nottheleader.

AgreeonGoals
Makecertaineveryoneisonthesamepageandworking
towardthesameobjectiveattheoutset.Atyourfirstmeeting,agreeuponacommon
objectiveorsetofobjectivesandthetimeframeforcompletingtheproject.

Thiskeepseveryonemovinginthesamedirectionandatthesamepace.Next,geta
commitmentfrommanagementtotheobjectivesandtheexecutionoftheoutcome.

Yourteamandseniormanagementmustagreethatnotsucceedingisntanoption.


BringingPiecesTogether

Foranyteamefforttobesuccessful,eachmembermustfeelhe/she
isimportanttothesuccessoftheprojectandhasthetalentandexpertisethecompanyneedsto
carryouttheeffortquickly,smoothly,effectively.Outlinetheobjectivesandallow/letthem
contributetothesuccessoftheeffort.

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InvolvetheTeamMembers
Makecertaineverymemberoftheteamfeelshis
orherroleandinputareimportant.

Askfortheirinputandideas.Then,asateam,considertheinputsseriously,ratherthan
dismissingorignoringthem.Bycloselyinvolvingeachofthemembers,theyhavea
stakeinmakingcertainthattheprojectorprogramsucceeds.

Iftheyarentinvolvedintheprocess,theyarentresponsiblefortheoutcome.Oncethe
projectiscompleted,nowcomestheimportantphaseofmeetingwithandassisting
thosewhomustimplementtheproject.

Theirinvolvementcomesattheoutsetbygettinginputsandsuggestionsandthen
communicatingtogettheirassistance/cooperationinmakingthechangeshappen.

Observe
Oneofthemostdifficulttasksforanyleaderistostepbackand
observeyourteammembersandanalyzetheirmotivesoractions.

Themostvaluableassetaleaderofanykindcanhaveistheabilitytodeterminethe
strengthsandweaknessesofyourkeypeopleandleveragetheirtalentsandinterests
sotheydeliverresultsfortheprogramandthemselves.

Itsastruggleforanymanagertocontrolhimselforherselffromassisting.Butgood
peopledontliketo,dontneedto,bemicromanaged.

Inaddition,unlesstheindividual(s)areheadingfortotaldisaster,mostpeopleonly
effectivelylearnbymakingmistakesandrecoveringfromthem.

Time,Focus
Mostvirtualprojectteammembershaveotherresponsibilities,otherpriorities.If
necessary,youmayhavetoassistthemtofreeupsomeoftheirtimefortheprojectwiththeir
seniormanagers.Thiscanbedonebyhighlightinghowtheircontributionsarenotonly
importantbutcanhelptheorganizationmorequicklycompletetheprojectforthegoodofthe
organization.

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AskforTime
Sinceyoudontdirectlycontroltheprojectmanagers,your
projectcanhavealowpriority,comparedtoworkthepeopletheyreportto.

Sometimesitsimportanttogettimefreedupforyourprojectmembers.Thismeans
goingtotheirsupervisorsandexplainingwhattheteamisdoing,whytheyaredongit
andhowitfitsintotheoverallpictureforthecompany.

Thishelpsmanagersunderstandthebiggerpicture.

AddressProblemTeamMembersHead

on
Yourvirtualprojectorprogramis
onlyaninterimassignmentfortheteammembers.

Itsnotmainstreamtotheirjob.

Insomeinstances,peoplewontattendmeetings,wontcompleteassignmentsand
arentreallycommittedtotheteamssuccess.Sometimestherearepersonalityor
personalreasons.

Inotherinstances,eventhebestpeoplehavereachedtheiroverloadlevelandthetime
schedule/prioritywindowsareclosed.Sitdownwiththeindividual(alone,notduringthe
meeting)andseehowthingscanberesolvedsotheprojectcanbecompletedand
everyonesneedsaremet.Attimes,itmaymeanrealigningtheworkloadsosomeone
elsecanpickuptheballandkeeptheprogrammovingforward.

Allofthepeopleintheprojectteamwereselectedforspecificreasonsexperience,
talent,drivebutnoteveryonehasanequaloverallworkload.

Bynegotiatingwithalloftheteammembers,workablesolutionscanbedeveloped.

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ClearDirections
Bringingtogetherateamevenwithintheconfinesofthesamebuilding
forashorttermproject/effortisatask.Bringingtogetherateamfrominside/outsidethe
companyandlocatedinavarietyoflocationsmeanseveryonecomesintotheteamwitha
differentperspectiveofthegoalsanddirectionoftheactivity.Oneofthefirstandbiggest
responsibilitiesforthepersonmanagingtheprojectistogeteveryonemovinginthesame
directionandsharingacommongoal.

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ManagingYourManagers
Everyoneinbusinesstodayunderstandsthat
downsizingandmergershaveslimmedtheranksofmiddlemanagementand
employeeshavebecomemoreempoweredtomanagethemselvesandtheirtimeout
ofnecessity.

Thatdoesntmeanthatsomeofthesepeopleareabletodealwellwiththeirlossof
powerorthisnewcrossorganizationfreedom.Employeeswhotaketheinitiative

threatenoldlinemangers.Manyfeeltheyworkedhardtogetwheretheyaretodayand
thattheyveearnedtherighttobeincharge.

Somerustbeltmanagersfeeltheflattenedandempoweredorganizationisthesameas
lettingtheinmatesrunthejail.Iftheinsecurityisntdeeplyrooted,youcanhelpthemby
keepingthemappraisedontheproject,itsobjectives,itsdirectionanditsprogress.

Whentheprojectiscompleted,makeitapointtothankthemanagersforhelpingproject
membersbymakingthemavailableandfreeingthemupsotheycouldaccomplishtheir
objectives.

Itsaminorpoint,butitcanreturnsomeoftheirmanagerialdignity.

WalktheWalk,TalktheTalk
Itisntenoughtogivelipservicetochange.As
theprojectleader,youhavetobeoneofthefirsttostepforwardanddemonstratethat
youarecommittedtoproducingresultsandachievingtheteamsobjectives.

Youalsohavearesponsibilitytohelptheorganizationplanout,monitorandrevisethe
teamsprogramasnecessary.

Ultimately,successisbasedonfollowthrough,followthrough,andfollowthrough.