MAGAZINE
FALL 2020
“ Leading Virtual
Teams in the GRF
”
By U . S . Air Force Major John SCHADE ( NRDC-ESP ) & Spanish Army Major Elena PÉREZ ( NRDC-ESP )
Under normal circumstances , planning for any type of NATO certification exercise is a complex task . When NATO Rapid Deployable Corps Spain ’ s ( NRDC-ESP ) planning team assembled in March 2020 to begin the demanding work of Crisis Response Planning ( CRP ) for VALIANT LYNX 2020 ( VL20 ), their primary goal of the CRP phase was to create a corps level operations order for subordinate divisions and brigades . But soon after they assembled , they quickly realized this would not be an ordinary effort . The COVID-19 crisis imposed a new restriction for the 50-member team : No more than eight people were allowed to occupy the same room , and they had to spaced out at a proper physical distance of 1.5 meters . So , with almost no notice , the VL20 planning team suddenly became a virtual team .
When NATO Graduated Response Force ( GRF ) elements , such as the VL20 CRP , collaborate in the same building , or tent , the synergy of the team is clear . However , this ability to work face-to-face is a luxury that is quickly fading away . The complexity of multi-domain operations requires a larger staff that typically exceeds traditional tent and conference room spaces . But sometimes environmental conditions , whether caused by belligerent forces or a virus , present a requirement for physical separation . With synergy at risk , staff workers must be prepared to work as virtual teams .
Virtual teams are a challenging new reality across the GRF , but leaders can prepare to effectively lead these teams using a variety of options . A survey of managers of virtual project teams found that 65 percent had no training to prepare them to manage their team . Clearly , the need for a better understanding of how to lead virtual teams is evident . Leaders can best prepare to lead their virtual teams by understanding what a virtual team is , recognizing the challenges associated with virtual teams , and proactively implementing techniques that can mitigate these challenges .
What is a “ Virtual Team ?” A virtual team is “ a team that operates outside the boundaries of the traditional , one physical-location team .” The industrial age created a rigid system in which all elements in the assembly
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