MAGAZINE
FALL 2020
this explains why 96 percent of team managers prefer to meet face-to-face rather than have an entirely virtual team . Through a single face-to-face encounter trust and accountability can be better established .
The next challenge for leaders of virtual teams is communication . Communication within NATO is already challenging due to language barriers . Operations are planned and executed using a language that is not native to the majority of NATO members . Distance distorts communication even more . Whereas traditional collocated teams have immediate context clues during communication such as tones and body language , virtual teams lose much of this important part of communication . Of note , the actual words account for only seven percent of the impression formed on a listener . This is why a quick email or text message is often misinterpreted – they lack the nonverbal cues that are a key component to effective communication . Additionally , virtual teams often also lack opportunities to communicate informally . Cafeteria conversations , watercooler chats , and post-meeting informal meetings are lost .
One more challenge for virtual team leaders is to maintain a high level of commitment among members during uncertain times . In the COVID-19 context , there are four main factors that can degrade commitment of virtual teams . First , individual factors such as education , age , and culture affect commitment . Second , organizational factors such as which staff section is in the lead and which are in a supporting role affects an individual ’ s commitment . Third is the job factor , as it is very different to be a full-time planner versus an advisor whose input is limited to specialty aspects of the plan . Fourth , home and family situations need to be considered . Variables such as children in the household or another telework partner may negatively affect the level of commitment . Trust , communication , and commitment present challenges to the virtual team , but leaders can mitigate these challenges with several solutions . to the team ’ s synergy unless used deliberately . Each of the tools available should be allocated for a specific purpose . It is not enough to simply assign tools to purposes though ; leaders must also allocate time to train members on how to use the tools . With no time to train , the CRP team acknowledged that tools such as Skype for Business were not employed to the maximum extent at first . However , the team quickly improved and was able to successfully use the video conferencing software to collaborate from individual officers within the headquarters while maintaining COVID-19 distancing requirements . With the right communication tools available , training , and clear guidance on the purpose of each tool , a team will be on the right track to perform cohesively . These tools open the door for open and transparent communication which will leave as little to interpretation as possible , a strong factor in maintaining a high level of commitment among team members . Next , the virtual team leader must also create a sense of normalcy for the virtual work environment to mitigate trust issues .
The virtual work environment allows flexibility , but there is value in maintaining some norms of a physical work environment . A schedule can be established with “ fully available ” work times . This is blocked times that all members of the team are available to collaborate . The decreased lag time for responses will increase trust for the team just as it would in a physical office space during normal office hours . Normalcy can also be established with time allocated for informal business . For instance , the first ten minutes of a meeting can be designated as an open discussion before the formal meeting begins . This can make up for the lost informal discussions that are typical before and after a meeting at a physical location . Informal time over VTC is also a chance to share success stories and give an update on a team member that had an important life event . It is also important though to reshape the program of work , as not all the activities or functions require the same level of attention . These measures increase accountability
How to Mitigate Virtual Team Challenges If leaders understand what a virtual team is and recognize the challenges that are inherent in their virtual team , they will be well-positioned to introduce solutions that mitigate those challenges . To mitigate challenges , the team leader must think of himself as a gardener . In his book Team of Teams , General Stanley McChrystal describes this concept . The gardener grows nothing ; he creates the environment so plants can thrive . A virtual team leader must avoid dictating each move , a feat that would become more difficult as members become more virtual . Instead , the effort must be on “ gardening ” the virtual team , shaping the virtual work environment so team members can thrive . The team leader can do this by establishing communication tools , creating a sense of normalcy , setting rules , and heeding several other lessons learned from NRDC-ESP ’ s virtual planning teams .
First , the virtual team leader should establish the communication tools necessary to function as a team . VTCs , messaging services , teleconferences , and email are simply tools and do not add value and transparency , which is directly related to trust amongst team members .
The virtual team leader can continue a gardening approach for his team by setting clear rules for virtual interactions . Requiring uniforms for VTC participants operating from home puts team members in the right psychological mindset . Although multitasking during formal meetings over VTC may be tempting to team members , full engagement must be a requirement as it would be in a meeting at a physical location . Asynchronous communication , such as messaging tools , facilitate teamwork but boundaries must be clear on when these tools can be used . Finally , meetings over virtual platforms can be cumbersome if rules are not established .
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