How can you get a 'virtual' team - with members in global locations - to work effectively together?

Why is this a problem?
These days many corporations are developing global approaches to business, requiring international teams to work closely together. Yet simultaneously, there is pressure to reduce costs and frequent air travel to attend review meetings is impossible. There is often difficulty in establishing common purpose, goals and ways of working. Members are influenced by the needs and operating styles of their local surroundings.

Developing a remote or 'virtual' team

International Project teams, common in large corporations, meet very rarely. Even some teams in smaller organisations normally communicate with other using email, 'groupware' systems, tele and video conference. Remote communication is not an easy medium to use properly, and tends to magnify poor behaviours.

This increases the likelihood of misunderstandings and frustration when team members wish to resolve complex issues. If a team has to use these media, dramatic improvements can be made with a small amount of corrective work!

What can be done?
If the team does get an opportunity for a face-to-face meeting, this should incorporate a review of how the team is working. It is important to build an understanding that the real identity and authority of the team is built around its purpose and goals. These should be clearly defined and discussed.

It would be a good idea to 'rehearse' at this event some sort of problem-solving activity, simulating remote communication. Therefore building agreement about groundrules for future operating procedures and remote communication.

If there is no opportunity for face-to-face meeting, this sort of thing is far harder to do by email, teleconference and/or videoconference. But it canbe done to a limited extent. A VC meeting, or at least a part of one for example, could be convened to discuss communication principles. The agreed rule at the beginning wouldhave to be a very tight control on speaking and istening, with an identified chariperson at 'each end', if it was a large group.

Case Study: Developing a virtual team

We worked with an international Division in a large corporation that had mirror teams in the US and the UK. The management group frequently communicated by videoconference (VC), which they described as a 'nightmare'. A short development session helped them improve this situation.

They managed to come to an agreement on a new system of pre-call preparation. Tight, purpose / outcome-driven agenda would be exchanged and agreed. Then in the VC session, stricter listening behaviours would be encouraged. This proved a spectacular success and they achieved much more in a single VC than ever before.