By Kurt Schoch
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March 25, 2021
Quick – pop quiz: How many teams came to Indianapolis for the men’s NCAA basketball tournament? Full disclosure – I often get this wrong, because I forget about those “play in” or “at large” games. The answer: there are 68 men’s college basketball teams participating in the tournament – all in Indianapolis! Wow! That’s a lot of teams! All in one place! Do you ever feel like you’re on too many teams? Or work projects? Or committees, task forces? You’re not alone. And you’re also not alone if many of those teams or work groups have been virtual this past year (i.e., connecting remotely via a video conferencing system of some kind). So, how’s that working for you? Do you or your company have plans to continue that approach, at least in some way? Which begs the question of how to effectively manage and lead in a virtual team environment. How can we set ourselves up for success, as a leader and as a team member? Here are some guidelines which might be helpful, now and in the future. First, the basic foundation for effective teamwork in any environment is TRUST – and that applies to any relationship and both the in-person and the remote, or virtual, environment. There are two kinds of TRUST: Predictive trust, meaning, if you say you’ll do something (e.g., get a report done), I can count on you to do it. I know you well enough that I don’t question your intent or productivity. The next type of trust is what Patrick Lencioni calls Vulnerability-based Trust. That is more on the emotional level. It means a willingness to be completely open with one another – to let down our guard, admit mistakes, and ask for help. This kind of trust exists when we are confident that our colleagues’ intentions are good and there is no reason to be protective or careful in the team. It means we use our energy to ask for help and input, when we need it, rather than being worried about others’ impressions of us. The increase in productivity with Vulnerability-based Trust can be amazing. Secondly, communication in virtual teams has to be clear: create a charter that outlines norms of behavior, such as how to limit background noise (even though we know there are potential home life distractions), ensuring that people speak clearly and at a reasonable pace, that they listen attentively, etc. It is also helpful to establish guidelines on which communication modes to use when: phone, email, chat, share a document, etc. Consider a decision tree, which outlines which approach to use, based on the nature of a message: Sensitivity? Need for collaboration? Complexity of the message? Urgency? Phone calls may be better for sensitive or complex communication, but video conference may be best if you need collaboration or document sharing. Clear guidelines eliminate confusion and frustration. Caveat: don’t go with the “latest and greatest” technology just because it exists. Simplicity can suffice. Because members of virtual teams are, by definition, separated from each other, create time during meetings and after for those social interaction moments that you would normally have in the office around the break room, water cooler, stopping by a cubicle or office, etc. Virtual team meetings may not be the time to be efficient; resist the urge to “get in, get it done, get out.” It might take longer for collaboration and shared decision making, but that’s OK. While guidelines on background noise are helpful, we also need to recognize that people are working from home, there are family members in their lives, and that is part of who they are. Perhaps think about online meeting platforms as venues for social interaction as much as for meetings and productivity. Implement some level of shared or collaborative leadership. One-way leadership is about as effective as listening to a professor or teacher talk nonstop for an hour and expecting to really learn. In an environment where people can easily zone out or become distracted (literally go off camera at times), find ways to involve others in leading the team. And continue this approach when the team meets in person as well. How? Assign responsibility for special projects, identify and share best practices, have team members mentor each other in areas of need (remember that vulnerability-based trust?), and build in peer accountability. That last item is a whole ‘nother conversation, but basically it means that team members are willing and able to call each other on performance or behaviors that might hurt the team. Which can only happen when there is trust, healthy conflict around ideas, and true commitment to decisions. Finally, what teams are ultimately all about is accomplishing results, so be clear about those results – collective results, for the team. What is one rallying cry for the team? What is that key priority, such that the team can look back in six months, celebrate, and say, “We had a great six months!” Achieving a single top priority in a specific period of time goes a long way toward achieving cohesion, alignment, and integration. Many of us are probably in a virtual, or at least hybrid, environment for a while, if not the long term. No doubt we’ve all learned some lessons about how best to operate and work together. Having some mutual understanding and clear guidelines can go a long way towards enhancing cohesion and effectiveness as well as achieving results. I’m happy to share more and discuss ways to assess and improve your team’s alignment, integration, and productivity. See the "Schedule Now" link or send me a note: kurt@kwschochconsulting.com Kurt Schoch