Establishing a Well-Understood Purpose

"You must look at purpose. Only when you have that right can you
 get from here to there".   Will Hutsell, Corporate Quality, Eastman

It is often said "If you don't know where you're going, you can't expect to get there." This is a key factor for all teams, virtual or otherwise. Yet, because of the complexity of working together through time, distance, and organizational boundaries, it is especially critical for building the effective virtual team.

Lipnack and Stamps express this clearly in their landmark book, Virtual Teams: Reaching Across Space, Time, and Organizations with Technology.

"The best predictor of a virtual team's success is in the clarity of its purpose and the participatory processes by which the group achieves it." (p.57)

The task of developing a team's charter is overlaid and affected by an equally important set of tasks having to do with ensuring [members] 'buy in', participation and support. (Duarte and Snyder, 94)

Clarifying purpose is more than communicating information about the team's initial charter. Virtual team members should be involved in a dialogue that assures their individual and collective clarity of how the successful performance of their team will be defined and how their individual efforts contribute to that end.

There is no substitute for this in launching a virtual team.This article brought to you courtesy of  http://www.aurora-pathfinders.com/  

Strategy:
Team Purpose Clarification: Team members reach a common understanding of their purpose, tasks and expected results.

Approach:
The team's charter and stakeholder (others who have interest in or direct connection to the team's work) input is shared with team members. (Members are encouraged to speak directly with stakeholders if possible)

Each team member documents his or her understanding of the purpose, its importance to the business, and their expected individual contribution

These descriptions are circulated throughout the team.

A team meeting is convened (either face-to-face or virtually) to discuss common elements, themes, as well as differences. A team version of the purpose (including mission, goals, tasks and expected results) is created.

This information is circulated for review and feedback from the team's sponsor and/or stakeholders.

Clarifying Stakeholder Expectations

"In retrospect, we realised we had a formula for success. Senior management involvement plus cross functional teams plus team commitment to the process plus stakeholder 'buy in' equals success."
Bill Crowley, SunTeam Leader, Sun Microsystems

Often virtual teams have multiple sponsors and/or stakeholders with a variety of needs and expectations. Understanding stakeholder needs contributes to assuring a clarity of purpose, as well as initiating the 'buy in' and support that may be critical later on in the team's process. Clarifying these needs and expectations at the onset of the project can also avoid potential team disablers…confusion, misdirected work and conflicts. This also helps team members understand the resources and know-how needed to support success.

Strategy: Clarify and assure a common understanding of stakeholder expectations.

Approach: Stakeholder Questionnaires and Feedback Summary

Each stakeholder or stakeholder group is sent a brief questionnaire (email preferred) to complete. Sample questions include:

What is the purpose or mission of the team?
What outcome is needed and/or expected from the team's performance?
When should the team's work be completed? Milestones?
To whom does the team report and how often?
What resources are provided to support the team in its work?
The responses to these questionnaires are compiled and summarized for the team to review. Stakeholders receive feedback as well.

The Stakeholder Summary is stored in the team's archive for future review and reference.This article brought to you courtesy of  http://www.aurora-pathfinders.com/  

Understanding Team Membership

"Who's on first…What's on second…"  Abbott & Costello

All teams function better when its members possess the complementary skills, knowledge and experience to accomplish their task. Many virtual teams, however, are formed without full understanding of the capabilities of its members. Effectively addressing this aspect at the beginning of the team's work will be invaluable as the team progresses.

Most virtual teams have at least three types of team members: core, extended and ancillary. It is important to identify those who will be fully accountable for the results (the core team) first, as well as recognise the value of adding know how to the team as appropriate (extended and ancillary). (Duarte and Snyder, 1999)

Strategy: Full understanding of the capabilities of individual team members, as well as skill, abilities, know-how, strengths and weaknesses. This can enable the team to maximize its own performance potential, as well as know when to seek additional team members (extended, ancillary) or support as required.

Approach: Team Skill, Ability, and Experience Inventory

A team template is created to capture background information for each member. This is stored at a central location or circulated via email.

All or part of a team meeting is dedicated to reviewing the composite information and discussing perceptions, reactions, etc. Strengths and weaknesses are identified and initial planning for maximizing performance potential is done.

The composite information then becomes a 'living' database of the Team's Profile and is used for continual reference during the team's work.

Clarity of Roles and Responsibilities

"Successful virtual team members understand the importance of balancing coordination and collaboration with autonomy. Maintaining this balance is not easy." Duarte and Snyder

A big part of addressing this need is the clarity of understanding each team member's know-how, as well as his or her specific roles and responsibilities on the team. Obviously related is the need to assure that the team is positioned to maximize the utilization of its resources to produce results.

The need for role clarification for all team members is well researched. However, because of the lack of frequent personal contact, this need is even greater for virtual teams.

Strategy: Clarify individual roles and responsibilities of virtual team members.

A common understanding of both individual and shared roles and responsibilities is developed to maximize team performance. Modifications that are made over time are documented, distributed and discussed, as appropriate.

Approach:  A document is developed by the team's sponsor, manager, or leader that outlines the roles and responsibilities of individual team members. (An option would be for individual team members to document their own perceptions and exchange these with the leaders and each other.)

A common understanding is reached with each individual before sharing with the team at-large. This includes shared leadership expectations.

Each team member then reviews the complimentary roles and responsibilities and provides feedback to the team leader, sponsor, etc. Adjustments are discussed to assure that the team, as a whole, is organized to maximize performance results.

A directory is created for easy reference by those inside and outside the team.

A second recommended approach is a Relationship Map, which includes all core team members, extended and ancillary membership, resources, stakeholders, and sponsors.This article brought to you courtesy of  http://www.aurora-pathfinders.com/  

Building Rapport and Relationships

"Relationships among members are the bonds that enable virtual teams to do their work across boundaries."  Lipnack and Stamps

Virtual teams are at a significant disadvantage, because they lack the regular, face-to-face social contact that can be so helpful to accelerate team development and relationship building. This is much more than a "feel good" issue, because quality relationships support the trust building that remains a cornerstone of effective team performance.

Strategy: A virtual team exercise to support relationship building among team members.

Approach: This exercise is designed to help team members become better acquainted on a personal level.

A virtual team meeting is arranged and facilitated by either the team leader or outside facilitator.

Each team member is asked to bring to the meeting an emoticon or symbol that personally represents him or her in some way.

The images are arranged in a circle and made visible to participants on a screen with team-wide access.

Participants are asked to share, in clockwise order, why they chose their images and what it reflects about them. Similarities and differences are shared.

These symbols are then used as part of the normal communications exchange for team members.

Team members are encouraged to build one-to-one relationships via phone calls and/or emails with each other on an ongoing basis. (This simulates talking at the water cooler or on a coffee break.)

This article brought to you courtesy of  http://www.aurora-pathfinders.com/  

Communication Practices and Protocols

"It's 90% culture change and 10% technology."  Bob Buckman, CEO, Buckman Labs

Communication is the lifeblood of any virtual team. While the use of technology is critical to team communication, technology alone represents only the tip of the communication challenge iceberg.

In order to maximize team effectiveness, a great deal of attention must be paid to the use of technologies, how the team communicates, guidelines for assuring information is adequately shared (and understood) and so forth. Building a culture of familiarity, relationships and trust is, again, key to enhancing the quality of communication.

Strategy:  Make decisions, as early in its life as possible, about how it will address its communication needs.

Approach: Use of a Communications Effectiveness Checklist

The below checklist can be used by virtual teams to address their communication needs. You will note the emphasis on the process of communication, along with the technical tools enabling it.

[  ] Do we have agreement on our team ground rules?
[  ] Turn around time on emails, phone calls, etc.
[  ] How we share information
[  ] Willingness (and method) to give & receive direct feedback
[  ] How we make decisions
[  ] How will we effectively use media?
[  ] Conference Calls (Whole and/or part of team)
[  ] Email
[  ] A meeting/interaction platform (i.e., NetMeeting, others)
[  ] Document/Information Sharing/Knowledge Management
[  ] Face-to-face Opportunities (Whole and/or part of team)
[  ] Other tools?
[  ] How will this team handle disagreements and/or conflict?
[  ] How will we remain connected to our stakeholders or customers?

This article brought to you courtesy of  http://www.aurora-pathfinders.com/ 

Conclusion

As with conventional teams, there are no easy answers or foolproof ways to launch a virtual team. However, devoting adequate time and attention to the building blocks that support a virtual team's successful performance can prove an invaluable up-front investment.

Without addressing these conditions for a successful start up, maximising performance results may be virtually impossible.

http://www.aurora-pathfinders.com/

What you know about listening to people has more to do with breaking into the highest levels of management than any amount of technical knowledge. While working with over 4,000 managers to set workplace oriented, personal development goals, I have found that many of them struggle with one particular issue - they don't know how to listen effectively. Oh, these managers listen. That is not a problem. But most don't listen effectively. This article will coach you on how to use a tool you already have in your management toolbox. If you use this tool effectively, you can expect your stock to rise with senior management and your effectiveness to increase with your direct reports.

First, the tool. You've heard it before - "God gave you one mouth and two ears for a reason." However, in spite of this clever observation, the best tool for letting others know you are listening is not your ears - it is your mouth - if you use it right. Your mouth? Yes - if you use it right. Think about it. How do you know if someone has really listened to what you've just told them? The best clue is the first thing that comes out of their mouth.

Let's say you've been working on an idea for a long time, and you've just shared that idea with your boss, and he replies, "That's fine. However, right now, I need you to work on XYZ." You might wonder if your boss really heard you.

One of the main reasons managers don't listen effectively is they are so busy. Frantic schedules and tight deadlines are simply the reality for most managers. But listening effectively doesn't need to take lots of extra "warm fuzzy" time. You can push for productivity and listen effectively at the same time. For instance, here is a way that same boss could have handled the same conversation and validated that employee; "That's great! It sounds like you have put a lot of thought into this idea. How long have you been working on this?" By responding with an (on the topic) follow up question, the manager validates the employee and the employee knows they have been heard. The manager can then get right back on task; "You know, I want to explore your idea further, but right now we've got a tight deadline and I need you to do XYZ. Bring this up with me again when we have some more time, OK?" Asking a follow up question assures the person you have been listening. Try it in your next conversation and watch the results. It works! This article is brought to you by http://www.aurora-pathfinders.com/

Another tip for letting your mouth do the listening is reflective listening. This form of listening summarizes what a person has just shared and asks for a response. This works great in meetings, especially meetings where everyone seems to be saying the same thing over and over again (ever been to that meeting?)

My wife used reflective listening at a volunteer child care meeting recently. She was asked to come in and give input on how to manage the program. As new ideas were shared on how to improve the program the outgoing director would tell the volunteers why their ideas wouldn't work - she had tried them all. The meeting went nowhere fast. My wife began to listen to the director's frustration and mirror her emotions back to her in the form of questions. She used questions like these: "It sounds like you're disappointed that more parents didn't volunteer. Is that how you feel?" "If I'm hearing you right, you don't think a new check-in system would work because you tried something similar three years ago. Is that right?" It worked! The outgoing director calmed down and the meeting became productive.

Many times when people say the same thing again and again, or communicate with aggression or frustration, it is because they haven't felt heard. Reflective listening ensures a person's point is recognized, enabling the group to move forward. Reflective listening will keep your emp-ployees communicating and your meetings on target.

Managers who have mastered the art of communication are rare. You will be noticed and your career will move forward much quicker by letting your mouth do the listening.