How can you support virtual teams to perform at their best?

I think it's important to recognise that people are not machines and all work slightly differently, so I do not have the same expectations of each member of my team. I learn their strengths and modify tasks to maximise their potential.

As we truly approach era of global village, virtual teams will be a new norm which no organization can avoid. Like the very definition of the team, all people should have a common goal. To infuse common goal, at first right people with right attitude are to be assembled followed by making them understand the following  Why is the goal necessary for the organization?  What is the necessity of working together as a team?  How each member is going to contribute to the goal achievement? Few committed individual formed as a team can give a better success than a large group of people without commitment to expectations. Each one should believe that every other person is equally important for achieving the goal expected from the team as a whole.

One of the most important step to take is develop trust with the team. And you do this by showing you care about what they do. Secondly you should also be sincere with the team, if you demand reality from them, then you should also honor reality. By this I mean creating a safe environment for the team to thrive, make and correct mistakes. Thirdly, you must clarify expectations, it should be clear who would do what and by when. This helps to keep people accountable.

As a leader my job is to empower my team to do their best work, regardless of location. By allowing them to work where and when they want, their ability to integrate work and life is increased. This makes for happier, more engaged teams. Using regular 1:1 meeting to check in and establish progress against agreed goals and job role success criteria, we can ensure that the business and team are taken care of and that we are trending positively across all metrics. I encourage at least one face-to-face team meeting per week so that we can share ideas and still feel connected to each other.

Trust and empowerment are very important. Understanding the big picture as well. But in my experience, clarifying when to raise the red flag is also paramount. Setting up waterlines can help people understand when you are expecting to get involved as a leader. Anticipating problems and reacting timely need a conscious and collective effort.

Even virtual teams must, at some moment, meet face-to-face. Ideally, this should be a regular event, even if one that only happens once a year or less often. These meetings should be built around knowing each other, socializing and learning about team dynamics. It should be about going beneath the professional surface and creating deeper bonds between colleagues. This may sound impossible for certain types of team setup or due to budget limitations. But it is the an investment that pays off in the long term as it builds a deeper foundation of trust and understanding among team members.

Leading with trust is the foundation of every successful team. By now, we have almost compelling evidence to prove that 100% virtual teams arent as effective as a team that meets once/twice in a year at least. Human beings are biologically designed for in-person interactions. The 1-2 In-person meetings in a year are super important for a virtual team to build rapport with each other.

I have been a fully virtual tech employee since 2015, before the days where jobs were commonly virtual and before there was an expectation or desire to use webcams. Our teams were top performing at the company. Not because of high technical skill, but because of exceptional collaboration and team work. We purposely built the virtual water cooler environment. We found mentors and friends and people to lean on when times were tough. I never saw a face, but I knew who I could call in off hours to save an account before the following start of business. Focus on building real relationships, whether virtual or in person, if you invest in the people then they will invest in you. You as part of their team or as their company.

Your peers and subordinates must find a space that they feel is open to share and communicate in their wavelength. With changes in work culture and structure to the extent of work -life lines blurring -- it is all the more imperative to foster an environment that thrives on openness and sense of belonging.

As a manager, my number one job is to enable the people I've been entrusted with to be successful. Part of that job is providing "aerial cover" from others (i.e. account managers, sales directors, my own manager) so the individual can focus on whatever task is at hand and not get flustered/caught up in a stressful situation and pulled in multiple directions. When people see you caring for them, they will put their best foot forward, be productive, and go the extra mile for you when it counts.

From my perspective, it's essential to emphasize the significance of fostering a feedback culture within virtual teams. This involves not only providing feedback but also creating an environment where team members feel at ease providing feedback to their colleagues and superiors. Such a culture promotes open communication and continuous improvement, vital for all kind of teams but critical for remote ones. Moreover, it's worth discussing how technology and tools can efficiently facilitate the exchange of feedback, ensuring it's well-documented for reference in virtual work settings.

One question Pulse Checks are perfect this. ——— This allows everyone to safely contribute , not just the few who are comfortable speaking up. This is my favorite question to ask: Are we on track with this project. (Scale of one - five response) Open space: what’s working Open space: what’s not Open space: for what’s needed

Feedback is very important; especially for a virtual team where face to face meetings are almost nill, a clearly defined feedback mechanism is very crucial. A jovial remark for one may hurt badly the other which necessitate a clearly defined ground rule among team. Neutral emotion is also important while giving feedback. One should get connected but not attached with the words. I had manager who can give both positive and negative feedbacks in a calm and composed way with a soft neutral voice still every single word will get deeply absorbed in the receiver's mind. Timeliness is equally important because feedback is not just be given but the receiver also needs sufficient time to improve or correct which is a very basic reason for feedbacks.

When providing feedback within virtual teams, it's paramount to safeguard your employees' self-esteem. Offering constructive criticism privately, rather than in front of clients or team members, maintains their confidence and nurtures trust and collaboration. This approach ensures that team members feel valued, acknowledge their contributions, and address areas for improvement respectfully, creating a positive and growth-focused work environment.

You cannot wait until the annual performance review to provide feedback. By this time it is too late. Once a quarter I take time in my regularly scheduled 1:1's with my team members to discuss accomplishments and provide feedback. I use the SCAR method to provide the feedback. Situation - Describe the scenario surrounding the problem being solved. Constraints - What requirements or limitations did you have to consider when solving the problem. Action - What action did you take Result - The most important part. How did your actions help the bottom line of the business. After going through multiple scenarios using this method, I am able to provide timely feedback and support to my team.

One thing I’ve found helpful to further support virtual teams to foster a culture that values collaboration and innovation is by creating a safe and supportive environment where team members can openly and respectfully share their ideas and feedback. Engage in and facilitate brainstorming, problem-solving, and decision-making sessions using online collaboration tools like shared documents, chat rooms, and video conferencing. Additionally, acknowledge and reward your virtual teams for their collaborative and innovative contributions.

In virtual teams, fostering autonomy and mastery can be a driving force behind innovation. Allowing team members the freedom to make decisions and take ownership of their work, combined with opportunities to continually develop their skills, creates a dynamic environment where innovation thrives. When individuals feel trusted and competent in their roles, they are more likely to explore new ideas and approaches, leading to groundbreaking solutions and a culture of continuous improvement. Autonomy and mastery are not just ingredients for personal and professional growth; they are the catalysts for the innovation that propels virtual teams to success in an ever-evolving landscape.

Collaboration is the key since many times the team doesn't have the chance to meet in person. So putting emphasis on the habit of letting people know they can count on you or each other can be the difference between working together and working as a team.

Agreed people often ideate differently and that’s why some virtual brainstorming is like crickets on a summer evening. Play to an individual’s strengths by allowing those who brainstorm alone well, to do that. Then bring the group together to brainstorm together. Draw from those who did the “pre work” to seed the conversation. Again it engages folks in different ways to create a high functioning team environment. Additionally applaud those that leverage these techniques in smaller subgroups. Praise publicly. Always thank them for doing their best and foster an open, sharing environment where they can trust their views will be respected and welcomed.

Go agile! Do more design thinking methodologies. Don't be profound on your past experiences as a leader. Be a mentor in making the team think wisely.

In virtual teams, maintaining a robust system of dialogue and feedback is instrumental in monitoring performance. Unlike the traditional once-a-year review process, a dynamic feedback loop allows for real-time assessments, praise, and corrections. This proactive approach keeps the team on track and enhances morale and motivation. By providing timely feedback, you acknowledge accomplishments and address issues promptly, ensuring that the team remains aligned with their goals and continues to excel. In a virtual setting, where physical presence is limited, these ongoing conversations serve as the bridge that connects team members, fostering a culture of transparency, growth, and high performance.

It's vital to go beyond feedback provision and ensure that the feedback given is meaningful and actionable. Empower folks to not only receive feedback but also actively engage with it, assess its significance, and prioritize areas for improvement. This approach not only fosters individual growth but also strengthens team cohesion and success. By creating a feedback loop that encourages team members to take ownership of their development, you establish a culture of continuous improvement and collaboration in your virtual team, where everyone's input is valued and contributes to collective progress.

Can’t fix what you don’t measure. However measuring success is not just your job. Give your team the tools to measure their own performance individually and as a team. High performing teams all know how their doing. In 1 to 1’s have your team members present how they are doing to you. Make them own it. Poor performance is obvious in an environment where an employee comes to you with subpar metrics. They know it and you know it. That fosters an environment where their are no mid year or annual appraisal surprises. It makes those 20th century constructs obsolete. Then you and the employee can focus on celebrating success or getting that person the support they need to perform.

Although some can see it as something negative, measuring and holding people accountable for their actions is a great way to show that what they do matters and their work does generate value. especially in big teams where the work of a person may not necessarily impact in a way that they can understand as important.

Gerade in virtuellen Teams finde ich zur Steuerung die OKR-Methode sehr sinnvoll, um kontinuierlich die Performance „auf dem Schirm zu haben“ und gleichzeitig das notwendige Maß an Flexibilität in unserer unsicheren Zeit beizubehalten.

The need for motivating and encouraging the team is even more required in a remote sensing. This could be in collective conversations and also individual interaction by the leader. Small wins need to be celebrated.

One way that I try to maintain motivation and engagement with my team is to celebrate accomplishments, life events, and achievements as a team. At the beginning of every team meeting I start with Celebrations. It is easy to find things to celebrate if you pay attention to what is going on with your team. Often times we forget to celebrate the little wins in life. Taking time to acknowledge these wins helps to keep the team motivated and engaged.

Ein ganz wunderbare Tool für Wertschätzung im Abreitsalltag sind „Komplimentegläser“, die jedes Teammitglied virtuell erhält und die von den Kolleg:innen regelmäßig mit ernst gemeinten Komplimenten zu Stärken, Zusammenarbeit etc. gefüllt werden. Und wenn man mag, macht man von Zeit zu Zeit eine feierliche Unglassing-Party und zelebriert die kleinen Komplimente.

Preguntar a una persona si le gusta lo que está haciendo o preguntar cómo se ha sentido en el último periodo genera confianza, cercanía. Y si además se crean las acciones para mejorar los problemas encontrados, generará también motivación. La motivación se conseguirá también haciendo que la gente se desarrolle y haga lo que desea en el equipo, orientado siempre a la consecución de los objetivos.

There are new ways to sustain and build alignment and understanding with teams. Create a lively "digital home" that references the major organizational 'light posts' like annual goals, and quarterly updates. This space can showcase achievements, introduce new team members (without cascading emails), highlights of major in-person gatherings, and invites comment and suggestions from team members. Link the 'digital home' to your internal communications workflows, so that this space stays fresh with content and information. A 'digital home' can foster cohesion and connection, especially if it supports two-way contributions and comment from team members.

Schedule touch base meetings with your team. Be available to them outside of those meetings as well. Discuss career paths and encourage them to think 5 years ahead so you can help find them opportunities to meet that goal. One of the most demotivating things for me was being in a position where the company and my management never provided those opportunities despite me making it known. Be mindful of time zone differences when working with global teams. One of the nicest things I heard from my direct reports was that I always made myself available, even via IM if they needed support, guidance or just needed to vent. It was so nice to hear that my attempt to build an environment of trust and support was successfully executed.

What often gets missed working virtually is the "water cooler" conversations. These sometimes are about business but often about getting to know your colleagues better. This then helps your interactions. Using the tools to stay connected while drinking a coffee or just working silently but together online where you can just pop out a question is great. With tools like Google meet, chat, slack.. it's easy to have quick conversations and chats. You don't always need to schedule a call or type it all out. Pretend that they are in the office next door..

I believe for Virtual teams you need atleast 1-2 passionate people who can drive and represent it proactively. Agile, Scrum, SAFE ceremonies helps in organizing them efficiently. Point 2: There is no replacement of 'water cooler' conversations so important to organize physical team trips..once/Twice a year.

Two things I haven't seen mentioned yet: First, remote teams can sometimes suffer from too much communication/too many meetings. Especially for developers, uninterrupted "focus time" can be created by having at least one day a week with no meetings (virtual standups in lieu). Second, I sometimes schedule meetings to start five minutes late (10:05, for example) for two reasons -- it gives people whose clocks maybe set slightly differently time to join (or grab a coffee between meetings), and for those five minutes you can have a quick informal chat with the early arrivers, knowing that you have a bit of time carved out specifically for that. Nobody misses a 5-minute shorter meeting.

Always have a relationship with your team. A healthy mental state, open door and simple relationship. I have unscheduled break outs. They help more than the scheduled ones. It makes your team feel remembered, like you always have them in mind. Showing appreciation gives motivation more than trying to motivate without appreciation when the job is done. Your team should want to take 3 steps forward to make up for any 1 step back. Take it with your team.