how to lead virtual teams

By Sandie Taylor

As the work force becomes increasingly dispersed—with your closest co-worker no longer sitting in the cubicle next to you but several states or countries away—the ability to lead virtual teams is essential to continued productivity.

John Daly, professor of management and communications, teaches an open-enrollment class offered by Texas Executive Education, which addresses just this issue.

The two-day course, “Virtual Leadership: Leading Dispersed Teams,” focuses on why virtual leadership is so important in today’s global business environment and gives basic principles and optimal strategies for leading distanced teams, motivating team members and working cross culturally.

Here, Daly offers a snippet of the strategies he recommends for leading virtual teams.

Be Accessible and Approachable

A virtual manager can easily appear elusive and unavailable to his or her team. To avoid seeming like the man behind the curtain in “The Wizard of Oz,” initiate projects with a new team face-to-face. If you establish yourself in the beginning with a two- to three-week stay at the site where your employees are located, you will have a far easier time leading your team later.

“Distance threatens trust,” Daly says, “and some cultures demand more face-to-face interaction than others.” After the first few weeks, be sure to show up for other events important to the members of your team rather than only those events that are important to you. When traveling to locations near where your teams are working, make it a point to drop in and visit even if only for a few hours.

Back at home, use as many different communication technologies as you can. Some leaders prefer instant messages—over e-mails—to communicate with employees. And never forget to pick up the phone. Daly also recommends reiterating conversations using a different media. “Anytime you call, follow up with an e-mail. Anytime you e-mail, follow up with a phone call,” he says.

Empower Your Team

As the manager of a distanced team, you can’t manage with the same intensity as you can in person. Seek employees who can drive their own projects and work alone on them. Your team should self-manage, and members should assume more accountability and personal leadership in a virtual team. It’s your job to give team members the tools they need to excel without you.

Although some managers might be frightened by the thought of it, Daly says an empowered team is one where at least one member could replace you. “You want to be important, but you never want to be too vital,” he says. “Managers at their best create an environment where their people succeed.”

In a virtual team, it’s especially crucial to ensure your team members can keep projects running without a hitch even when you’re not around. Leveraging the individual skills of your team members and focusing on their strengths rather than weaknesses can create a prosperous environment. “People join companies and leave bosses,” reminds Daly. Being able to appreciate many different leadership styles and define where each style can best be utilized will further empower your team.

Personalize Your Leadership
While distance may increase the focus on tasks, it decreases the social interactions most co-workers fuel themselves with each day. “All work and no play is not a good model,” says Daly. Just because you’re far away doesn’t mean you can’t have “small talk.” Stop typing on your keyboard when you’re on the phone and be attentive. Keep a log of personal tidbits you learn about each team member, such as nicknames, favorite sports teams or family events. Share things about yourself, too. “To be a successful leader, you must also be a good story teller,” he says.

Manage Goals, Not Work
Specific goals lead to better performance, says Daly. “Managers let employees set their own goals because those are usually higher.” When the goals are not being met, use reinforcing and redirecting feedback to explain in detail what’s going wrong but also diagnose what’s going right. Daly says never to appraise a team member by e-mail. Face-to-face conversations are always best. “The manager should help employees meet goals by finding out blocks and providing resources,” he says. “And never forget that giving feedback about how well people are meeting their goals is crucial for effective performance. People—especially those working at a distance from their bosses—really want a sense of how well they are doing.”

The next “Virtual Leadership: Leading Dispersed Teams” open enrollment program will be offered Aug. 28-29, 2007. This program examines what it takes to successfully work with, and lead, distanced teams. The session, drawn from recent research, identifies the necessary skills members of a virtual team need for creating successful teams. The session introduces a two-stage model of distance leadership and teaches participants how to effectively work with and lead teams that work far apart.