Rules for managing virtual teams

1. Create a safe environment

When you take a virtual team, you have little or no power or control over the team.

You have to trust your teammates do the job perfectly. A best practice approach is to create reliable relationships. Therefore, each step in the project is to deepen trust: You as the leader of your virtual team project virtual or virtual business all virtual team members. Trust your team members, especially in the beginning. If you show confidence, then your team members are likely to build trust as well.

2. Determine significant team specific symbols

Because virtual team is not in a workplace, you need to meaningful symbols to your team members feel connected to the base, even focusing distance: If possible, has a face-to-face meetings kickoff or at least a video conference. Ensure that all team members know their personal benefit from being part of this team. Be creative in search of recognition and reward to show appreciation for the performance of individuals and teams.

3. Facilitate opportunities for team members to get to know each other

Because virtual team members limited personal contact, you should be sure that the team members can learn more about each other: Provide space for team members to learn more about each one with a complete profile of all team members with respect to work-life issues, including their birthday and hobbies. Do you have a monthly newsletter project with a wide range of contributions? If possible, arrange for at least one annual meeting of the project team.

Have a personal brief, informal meeting with the team on a regular basis to discuss problems and receive feedback on each other. Encourage your team members to organize themselves into smaller groups of 2-3 people who work in some areas of the project. RAM is a great tool for this strategy formalize. Encourage your team members to bring ideas forward. Appreciate any ideas of your team members. Make sure your response is seen as fair by the idea.

4. Create a clear vision

In virtual teams, there are often disturbances and loss of motivation after the face-to-face meeting. Therefore, you must:

- Create a clear and coherent intellectual bond, so that all team members what the purpose of the team is

- Create a strong emotional relationship on a personal level, which works over long distances - have a clear vision that supports all members of the current management team

5. Treat everyone equally, regardless of the distance

It is important that all team members feel treated fairly, regardless of whether they are near or far. If one of the team members are getting special treatment is observed, it can damage the trust level fast:

- Avoid the temptation to have more contacts with team members physically closer to you

- Treat all the needs of all team members alike

- Give everyone a chance to view and contribute to team performance

- Respond immediately if you spot poor performance. You have to overcome unacceptable performance and behavior across long distances correctly.

- Act predictable and fair; Make sure that all members are fully responsible for their actions and performance

6. Use multi-channel communications.

Poor communications and the uneven distribution of information can destroy trust within a virtual team quickly. Problem is sometimes stored for several months until they are visible.

Nowadays, these slow growth and reduce the productivity of virtual teams and projects. If so, make sure that you communicate clearly by including:

- Visual cues - pictures, graphs, charts, tables

- Tangible evidence - things to touch, to feel, to experience

- Voice guidance - information, analysis, comparison, for example, processes

It is your responsibility to ensure that communication flows effectively within the project team. A great tool to help you here is communication.