managing a virtual team presentation · 2 going virtual 3 recognize… •everyone is dealing with...

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MANAGING A VIRTUAL TEAM

Presented by

Cigna Employee Assistance Program

Use and distribution limited solely to authorized personnel. © 2020 Cigna Some content provided under license.

SEMINAR GOALS

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• Review the factors that make this arrangement unique

• Explore how the virtual environment impacts your role

• Identify moves to boost trust and teamwork in a virtual setting

• Discuss strategies for managing virtual challenges

• Learn how your EAP can help you manage a virtual team

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GOING VIRTUAL

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Recognize…

• Everyone is dealing with

multiple, ongoing changes

and challenges

• It can take time to adjust

and find your personal,

professional rhythm

• Establishing best practices

at the outset can help

smooth the way

Use and distribution limited solely to authorized personnel. © 2020 Cigna Some content provided under license

FIND YOUR FOOTING

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Seek out what you need

to support the transition

• Be aware of resources

• Understand expectations

• Establish your office

• Be proactive

• Stay flexible


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WORKING TOGETHER APART

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“To master the virtual equation and make all the elements work together, you have to become the connector.”

Goodreads. n.d.)

Yael ZofiA Manager’s Guide to Virtual Teams

Use and distribution limited solely to authorized personnel. © 2020 Cigna Some content provided under license. 6

Communicator

• Clear, consistent, adaptable,

and skilled facilitator

Coach

• Macro management style,

goal vs. process orientation

Connector

• Able to build trust, engagement,

and a culture of cooperation

PROFILE OF AN EFFECTIVE VIRTUAL MANAGER

Leadership is the key to creating a viable virtual team.

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FOUNDATION FOR SUCCESS

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Trust…

Reliability Structure

…without it, virtual team members can be wary,

unsure about contributing, less committed to

collaboration, and more apt to suffer conflicts.

• Defined Processes

• Accountability

• Follow-through

(Ebrahim, Ahmed, & Taha, 2009)


TRUST BUILDING MOVES

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Define processes

• Make expectations clear and specific

• Spell out “rules of engagement”

Have accountability

• Build it into your processes

• Address issues quickly, collaboratively

Follow through

• Emphasize responsiveness

• Acknowledge individual and team success

A team charter can be a good way to formalize structure needed for trust.

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CREATING CONNECTIONS WITHIN THE TEAM

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• Signal support for personal interactions

• Carve out time for personal sharing

• Use group projects to promote bonding

• Let team lead some team-building

Interdependence and personal connection help take trust to the next level.


EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION IS THE GLUE

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Key ingredients

• Regular and timely

• Formal and informal

• Spell it out – who, what, when, how

• Listen for missing cues

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MEETINGS MATTER

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• Meet for a reason

• Prepare well

• Set the tone

• Promote participation, engagement

• Spark conversation, maintain control

• Be clear on takeaways


TECH REMINDERS

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• Prioritize technology training as needed

• Make information and materials easy to access

• Try to approximate face-to-face as much as possible

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BE AWARE OF EMERGING ISSUES


Performance management

• Be alert for early warning signs

• Clarify rules, role, responsibilities

• Ask for employee’s input on the issue

• Get help to deal with escalating concerns


Being a voice of support

• Provide regular updates

• Allow for open communication with you

• Offer empathy, reassurance, and support

• Model calm

RESPONDING TO CURRENT CHALLENGES

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• Management Consultation

• Management Referrals

• Critical Incident Stress

Management services

• EAP Wellness Seminars and

Management Trainings

• National Webcast Seminars

• Online access to benefit information,

disaster resources, self-assessments,

health library, and more

EAP SUPPORT SERVICES FOR MANAGERS

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You can call the EAP at any time

for a management consultation

about concerns regarding a specific

employee or your team or to discuss

management challenges.

FINDING YOUR RHYTHM

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Remember…

• Take care of yourself too

• Give yourself and your

employees time to adjust

• Reach out for help when

you need it


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BENEFITS OF THE EAPBenefits vary by employer. Please check with your HR for your specific EAP benefits.

• Face-to-face sessions

• Confidential

• Prepaid

• Unlimited telephonic consultation

• Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

• Household benefit

• Work/life support such as

elder care, child care and pet care

• Convenience services

• Financial services

• Legal services


REFERENCES


Beach, M., Coates, S., Hinton, C., & Montoya, D. (2013). By design: Building trust in virtual teams. Retrieved from

https://ejournals.unm.edu/index.php/nmskc/article/view/3028/2509

Ebrahim, N.A., Ahmed, S., & Taha, Z. (2009). Virtual teams: A literature review. Retrieved from

http://cogprints.org/7814/1/2653-2669.pdf

Filsinger, C. (2014). The virtual line manager as coach: Coaching direct reports remotely and across cultures.

International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching and Mentoring, 12 (2). 188-202. Retrieved from

http://ijebcm.brookes.ac.uk/documents/vol12issue2-paper-13.pdf

Goodreads. (n.d.). Work quotes. Retrieved January, 4 from https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/15289721-a-

manager-s-guide-to-virtual-teams

Harvard Business Review (HRB). (2020). A guide to managing your (newly) remote workers. Retrieved from

https://hbr.org/2020/03/a-guide-to-managing-your-newly-remote-workers

Hirsh, A.S. (2019). Building and leading high-performing remote teams. Retrieved from

https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/technology/pages/building-leading-high-performing-remote-

teams.aspx

Meyer, E. (2010). The four keys To success with virtual teams. Retrieved from

http://www.forbes.com/2010/08/19/virtual-teams-meetings-leadership-managing-cooperation.html

Ozbay, F., Johnson, D.C., Dimoulas, E., Morgan, III, C.A., Charney, D., and Southwick, S. (2007). Social support and

resilience to stress. Psychiatry, 4 (5): 35-40. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2921311

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All Cigna products and services are provided exclusively by or through operating subsidiaries of Cigna Corporation, including Cigna

Health and Life Insurance Company, Connecticut General Life Insurance Company, Cigna Behavioral Health, Inc., and HMO or

service company subsidiaries of Cigna Health Corporation. The Cigna name, logo, and other Cigna marks are owned by Cigna

Intellectual Property, Inc. All models are used for illustrative purposes only.

881263 03/20 © 2020 Cigna. Some content provided under license.

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