An unexpected positive consequence of the pandemic is the increased use of virtual teams. Even after the situation returns to the (new) normal, the use of virtual teams is likely to continue because we would have become used to their advantages. After having experienced efficiently working with cohorts from different nationalities, cultures, and expertise, we are unlikely to return to the traditional techniques.
Synopsis
Each team is given some questions about managing virtual teams. The teams interview successful virtual managers and collects practical guidelines. Later, the teams share their collections of advice with each other.
Purpose
To collect and implement practical guidelines for effectively managing virtual teams.
Participants
Minimum: 5
Maximum: 35
Best: 15 to 30
Panel
Assemble a panel of experts from among practicing virtual team managers. Strive for as much diversity among these experts as possible in such areas as age, gender, levels of experience, educational qualification, and industry.
Time Requirement
Minimum: 30 minutes
Best: 90 minutes
Handouts
How To Manage a Virtual Team
Supplies
Sticky note pads
Pens
Flip chart pad
Felt markers
Equipment
Countdown timer
Whistle
Room Set up
Set up a table for each team. Arrange enough chairs around each table for each team member, plus an additional chair for the expert.
Flow
Collect questions. Come up with key questions related to managing virtual teams. You may choose suitable questions from the sample list at the end of this article. Alternatively, you can come up with these questions through reading books and talking to virtual managers.
Organize teams. Divide the participants into 5 teams of two to seven members each. Make the teams equal in size, although it does not matter if some teams have one more member than others. Seat the teams to sit around their tables.
Distribute questions. Give each team the complete list of questions with a few items circled. Make sure that the circled questions given to the teams are different from each other.
Conduct the first round. Ask teams to focus collecting expert answers to the circled questions. Announce a 5-minute time limit and begin the first round by sending out an expert to each team. Ask the team members to interview the expert on the circled questions. Encourage them to take notes, focusing on the goal of coming up with practical guidelines related to the questions. Set the countdown timer for 5 minutes and start it.
Conduct additional rounds. At the end of 5 minutes, blow the whistle, announce the end of the round and ask the experts to move to the next table. Ask the eam members to begin interviewing the new expert about the same questions. Repeat this process until each team has interviewed all experts.
Ask teams to prepare practical guidelines. At the end of the last round, ask team members to spend another 5 minutes to review their notes and come up with five practical guidelines related to the questions assigned to them. Distribute pads of sticky notepaper and ask the teams to write each of these guidelines legibly on a notepaper.
Post the guidelines. While the teams are writing their practical guidelines, tape sheets of flip chart paper on different areas of the wall, each with a topical heading related to the selected questions. At the end of 5 minutes, ask participants to stick their guidelines on the appropriate flip chart paper.
Conduct a gallery walk. Ask team members to review the guidelines on all flip chart sheets, noting down items for immediate implementation. Invite the experts to also participate in this review. Announce an appropriate time limit.
Conclude the session. Thank the experts and the participants.
Follow up. Collect all the practical guidelines and type them up. Send them as an email attachment to the participants (and the experts). Also upload them to a web site where you can accumulate the guidelines from future session.
Handout
How To Manage a Virtual Team
What major challenges are associated with virtual teams?
What are the advantages of a virtual team? How do we achieve them?
What technologies are required for managing a virtual team?
What resources are required by virtual team members? How do we provide them?
How do we jointly establish the goals for a virtual team?
How do we establish and maintain norms in a virtual team?
How do we conduct team-building activities in a virtual team?
How do we improve communication among virtual team members?
How do we improve the level of trust among virtual team members?
How do we maintain accountability among the members of a virtual team?
How do we handle national, cultural, and individual differences in a virtual team?
How do we handle time-zone differences in a virtual team?
How do we resolve conflicts in a virtual team?
How can we train virtual team members to work more effectively and cohesively?
How can I learn about becoming a more effective virtual team manager?
What is the future of virtual teams? How should we prepare ourselves for this future?