Here's how you can navigate the challenges of managing virtual teams.

Building trust and rapport means creating a safe space for a virtual team to thrive. What this looks like is taking time to get to know everyone in the team by sharing simple facts like having everyone with their cameras on, asking each person to share where they are from and a few quick facts about their experience or coaching philosophy. (I was part of a coaching/consulting team for an outplacement firm). Building trust can be connecting with each of your team members on LinkedIn and engaging beyond the work hours to avoid feeling siloed. In a remote setting, you can connect but doing so may mean doing some things that are not easy yet overtime are not as difficult liking being in Zoom or Teams meetings with your camera on.

Establishing clear expectations is crucial. Define specific goals, deadlines, and responsibilities from the outset. Use project management tools to track progress and ensure everyone is aligned with team objectives. In my experience, daily reports are essential to keep everyone on the same page.

Effective communication is vital for the success of virtual teams. Use a combination of emails, chats, video conferences, and other communication tools to keep everyone informed and engaged. Encourage open and regular communication to avoid misunderstandings. I recommend maintaining daily reports for future reference and lessons learned.

When I was part of a virtual team within a corporate contract, we had a table with all of the team members contact information (name, email, phone # and location). We understood that we were spread out all across the US (in another opportunity, the world) and we had to adjust our interactions accordingly. The accountability partner I had was thankfully on the same coast as me even though they lived 1000 miles away. It was great to establish rapport with team members and we also were adaptable to schedule changes to avoid potential conflicts that could arise. I highly recommend encouraging connecting with team members outside of office hours if applicable even if it is just for a brief check-in to see how things are going.

Technology is a powerful ally in managing virtual teams. Use collaboration software, video conferencing platforms, and project management tools to facilitate teamwork. Stay updated with the latest technological innovations to optimize processes. In my experience as a manager, I've used various platforms, but I recommend starting any project with the WBS Chart as an ally.

One of the ways the virtual teams I was part of were able to thrive and thrawt isolation is by sharing all of our emails and contact information. We'd have an accountability partner through our training period and continued to form small groups or check-ins amongst ourselves as needed. When we had larger group meetings, it was also helpful to have a few minutes to simply ask questions or share our experiences of what was working well and what could be improved. We would also discuss best practices. I find this to be ideal for smaller to mid-sized teams. It can be more challenging with a larger team but not impossible. Engagement was encouraged so that no one felt alone or lost in the remote coaching journey! I follow this practice as well.

Desde a pandemia da COVID19 tenho gerido equipes remotas (virtuais ou híbridas) em nossos projetos. Descobri algumas armadilhas e estou trabalhando em cada uma delas, mudando meus comportamentos, usando métodos e tecnologias. Quais disfunções eu vivi até aqui? 1. Microgerenciamento (dá vontade de controlar tudo e isso é um erro); 2. Negligenciamento da Cultura (quem fica distante perde a vivência dos valores e crenças da empresa); 3. Falta de suporte em processos, sistemas e tecnologias (a realidade de cada pessoa da equipe é diferente); 4. Substimar a necessidade conexão comigo (tive que intensificar o feedback e conversas tipo one-on-one, inclusive sobre bem estar e qualidade de vida). Estou tendo mais trabalho com equipes virtuais!