The Association for Improvement of The Association for Improvement of MinoritiesMinorities

Internal Revenue ServiceInternal Revenue Service3939thth Annual Business Meeting and Training Annual Business Meeting and Training

SeminarSeminarMilwaukee, WisconsinMilwaukee, Wisconsin

VIRTUAL LEADERSHIP & VIRTUAL VIRTUAL LEADERSHIP & VIRTUAL TEAMSTEAMS

Linda Adams, Memphis ChapterLinda Adams, Memphis Chapter

James Parker, Dallas-Fort Worth ChapterJames Parker, Dallas-Fort Worth ChapterAugust 2008August 2008

ObjectivesObjectives

Define Virtual Organization/Leader/Teams Define Virtual Organization/Leader/Teams

Characteristics & Influencing Factors of Virtual Characteristics & Influencing Factors of Virtual Teams (VT)Teams (VT)

Challenges of VTChallenges of VT

Core Categories of Effective Leadership Skills in Core Categories of Effective Leadership Skills in Distance-Management (VT)Distance-Management (VT)

Explain leadership actions for DM Explain leadership actions for DM communicatingcommunicating

Benefits & Expectations of a VTBenefits & Expectations of a VT

Myths of Remote/DM & VTMyths of Remote/DM & VT

Experiences& application of DM & VTExperiences& application of DM & VT

Key DefinitionsKey Definitions

A virtual organization is a way in which an organization uses information and communication technologies to replace or augment some aspect of the organization to get the job done - often without bringing people together face-to-face.

A virtual leader or manager is someone charged to lead people who are not normally located together at the same place at the same time.

A A virtual teamvirtual team is a collection of individuals is a collection of individuals operating from many different places, all of whom operating from many different places, all of whom are working to accomplish a common goal.are working to accomplish a common goal.

Distance Managed Distance Managed & Co-located Teams& Co-located Teams

Five Core Categories of Effective Leadership Five Core Categories of Effective Leadership Skills in Distance-Management SituationsSkills in Distance-Management Situations

Communicating effectively & using Communicating effectively & using technology that fits the situation technology that fits the situation

Building community, based on mutual trust, Building community, based on mutual trust, respect, fairness & affiliation, among project respect, fairness & affiliation, among project team members team members

Establishing clear & inspiring shared goals, Establishing clear & inspiring shared goals, expectations, purpose & vision expectations, purpose & vision

Leading by example with a focus on visible, Leading by example with a focus on visible, measurable results measurable results

Coordinating/collaborating across Coordinating/collaborating across organizational boundariesorganizational boundaries

Characteristics Characteristics

of Virtual of Virtual TeamsTeams

Virtual teams take on the same Virtual teams take on the same basic structure as “real” teamsbasic structure as “real” teams

Few virtual teams are 100Few virtual teams are 100%% virtualvirtual

Virtual teams get the job doneVirtual teams get the job done

People can be trustedPeople can be trusted

Factors Factors Influencing Influencing

Virtual Teams Virtual Teams

SocialSocial

TechnologyTechnology

BusinessBusiness

GovernmentGovernment

Four Challenges of Virtual Four Challenges of Virtual TeamsTeams

Time & DistanceTime & Distance

The TeamThe Team

TerrainTerrain

TechnologyTechnology

Why Virtual Why Virtual Teams?Teams?

Locate bLocate best employees anywhere in est employees anywhere in the world the world

Changes in workers' expectations of Changes in workers' expectations of organizational participation organizational participation

Workers demand personal flexibility Workers demand personal flexibility and increasing technological and increasing technological sophistication sophistication

Workers in a flexible organization tend Workers in a flexible organization tend to be more productive and responsiveto be more productive and responsive

Why Virtual Why Virtual Teams? Teams?

Gives 24 hours versus 8 hours workdays to Gives 24 hours versus 8 hours workdays to manage increasing global and corporate manage increasing global and corporate activityactivity

Increasing horizontal organization structures Increasing horizontal organization structures characterized by structurally and characterized by structurally and geographically distributed human resourcesgeographically distributed human resources

New enNew ennvironments require inter-nvironments require inter-organizational cooperationorganizational cooperation

A continued shift from production to service A continued shift from production to service and knowledge work environmentsand knowledge work environments

Benefits Benefits of of Virtual Virtual

TeamsTeams

Reduces expenses for office or parking Reduces expenses for office or parking spacesspaces

Reduces traveling expenses for Reduces traveling expenses for employeesemployees

Managers can include more people Managers can include more people labor poollabor pool

Decreases pollution/congestion - less Decreases pollution/congestion - less commutingcommuting

Reduces concerns for persons with Reduces concerns for persons with physical disabilityphysical disability

Benefits of Benefits of Virtual Virtual

TeamsTeams

Retention of valued knowledge workers who Retention of valued knowledge workers who might otherwise lose motivation because of the might otherwise lose motivation because of the lack of attention from the rest of the organizationlack of attention from the rest of the organization

People can be recruited for their competencies, People can be recruited for their competencies, not just a physical location not just a physical location

Less time required to address conflict problems Less time required to address conflict problems created by poor communicationcreated by poor communication

Flexibility: People can work from anywhere at Flexibility: People can work from anywhere at

anytimeanytime

Distant/Virtual Distant/Virtual Teams: ExpectationsTeams: Expectations

Coordination rather than control – The best Coordination rather than control – The best control of the off-site employee is the control control of the off-site employee is the control imposed from within (self control) rather than imposed from within (self control) rather than from the outside (manager imposed).from the outside (manager imposed).

Accessibility rather than either inaccessibility Accessibility rather than either inaccessibility or omnipresence – A virtual team members or omnipresence – A virtual team members want their leaders to accessible. They want want their leaders to accessible. They want to know that they can reach them when they to know that they can reach them when they need to.need to.

Distant/Virtual Distant/Virtual Teams: Teams:

Expectations (cont.)Expectations (cont.)

Accessibility rather than either inaccessibility or Accessibility rather than either inaccessibility or omnipresence – A virtual team members want omnipresence – A virtual team members want their leaders to accessible. They want to know their leaders to accessible. They want to know that they can reach them when they need to.that they can reach them when they need to.

Information without overload – The challenge is Information without overload – The challenge is to give team members what they need to to give team members what they need to sustain their health without unintentionally sustain their health without unintentionally creating internal hemorrhaging from too much creating internal hemorrhaging from too much datadata..

Distant/Virtual Distant/Virtual Teams: Teams: Expectations Expectations

(cont.)(cont.)

Feedback instead of advice – Employees Feedback instead of advice – Employees generally appreciate receiving skillfully generally appreciate receiving skillfully delivered information about how they are delivered information about how they are doing. doing.

Q:Q: How can management tell if they are How can management tell if they are meddling or mentoring? meddling or mentoring?

A:A: Ask the team member. Management Ask the team member. Management should wait for a teaching/mentor moment should wait for a teaching/mentor moment when an employee solicits advicewhen an employee solicits advice..

Distant/Virtual Distant/Virtual Teams: Teams: Expectations Expectations

(cont.)(cont.)

Fairness over favoritism – Fairness is Fairness over favoritism – Fairness is especially important in distance situations especially important in distance situations because perceived inequities are magnified because perceived inequities are magnified over time and space. Favoritism of any type over time and space. Favoritism of any type can affect productivity of distance workers.can affect productivity of distance workers.

Decisiveness but not intrusive supervision – Decisiveness but not intrusive supervision – Team members don’t want intrusive Team members don’t want intrusive supervision, but they don’t want supervision, but they don’t want management to be among the missing management to be among the missing either. When a leadership decision needs to either. When a leadership decision needs to be made, make it.be made, make it.

Distant/Virtual Distant/Virtual Teams: Teams: Expectations Expectations

(cont.)(cont.)

Honest rather than manipulation – Honesty is the Honest rather than manipulation – Honesty is the best policy, because it encourages trust and best policy, because it encourages trust and builds a culture of openness. Employees don’t builds a culture of openness. Employees don’t want to be manipulated into false participation want to be manipulated into false participation where the leader tries to get them to agree with where the leader tries to get them to agree with their way of thinking.their way of thinking.

Concern for their development over apathy – The Concern for their development over apathy – The expectation is that management will develop and expectation is that management will develop and train team members. Although classroom training train team members. Although classroom training is the preferred method, the most effective is the preferred method, the most effective learning is often derived from developmental learning is often derived from developmental project assignments or mentoring programs.project assignments or mentoring programs.

Distant/Virtual Distant/Virtual Teams: Teams: Expectations Expectations

(cont.)(cont.)

Community building over mere Community building over mere coordinated isolation – Team building coordinated isolation – Team building activities and other community-activities and other community-building interventions are essentialbuilding interventions are essential..

Respect rather than paternalism or Respect rather than paternalism or condescension – Respect is a basic condescension – Respect is a basic human need. When it is absent in a human need. When it is absent in a group, people revolt.group, people revolt.

Myths Myths About About

Virtual TeamsVirtual Teams

Myth: Myth: are deployed to save money on are deployed to save money on traveltravel

Myth: Myth: requirerequire face-to-face meetings face-to-face meetings early in a life cycle to build trustearly in a life cycle to build trust

Myth: Myth: requirerequire face-to-face face-to-face brainstorming meetingsbrainstorming meetings

MythMyth: only need weekly conference : only need weekly conference calls to stay connectedcalls to stay connected

Myths About Myths About Virtual Virtual

TeamsTeams

Myth: Myth: require hands-off require hands-off leadershipleadership

Myth: Myth: leaders do not deal directly leaders do not deal directly with diversitywith diversity

Myth:Myth: are best served by are best served by allocating one task to every allocating one task to every membermember

Planning and Planning and Using Using

TechnologyTechnology

Asynchronous (One-Way) Asynchronous (One-Way) TechnologiesTechnologies

EmailEmail

Voice mailVoice mail

Shared DrivesShared Drives

DatabasesDatabases

Synchronous (Two-Way) Synchronous (Two-Way) TechnologiesTechnologies

Audio ConferenceAudio Conference

Video ConferenceVideo Conference

Web-based ConferenceWeb-based Conference

SummarySummary

Defined Virtual Organization/Leader/TeamsDefined Virtual Organization/Leader/Teams

Characteristics & Influencing Factors of VTCharacteristics & Influencing Factors of VT

Core Categories of Effective Leadership Skills in DMCore Categories of Effective Leadership Skills in DM

Explain leadership actions for DM Explain leadership actions for DM communicatingcommunicating

Benefits of a Virtual TeamBenefits of a Virtual Team

Virtual Team ExpectationsVirtual Team Expectations

Myths and Benefits of Remote/DM & VTMyths and Benefits of Remote/DM & VT

Experiences & personal application of DM & Experiences & personal application of DM & VTVT

VIRTUAL LEADERSHIP & VIRTUAL VIRTUAL LEADERSHIP & VIRTUAL TEAMSTEAMS