virtual project team success every...

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Myles D. Miller, MBA, MCSE, PMP, PPS CEO and Founder, LeadUP.Biz and LearningBreaks.com & SuccessHQ

VIRTUAL PROJECT TEAM SUCCESS EVERY TIME

Virtual Project

TeamSUCCESS

EveryTime

Managing Remote Teams

Remote vs. On-Site Teams(1 of 4)

Remote team management requires different skills and techniques in order to keep employees motivated, productive, and on track.


Two critical skills in managing remote teams are which are different from on-site management are:

– Diversity– Communication


Diversity:

– Managers must deal with people that are from dispersed geographical locations, come from different cultures, speak different languages, and were raised with different values.


Communication:

– Different forms of communication must be relied on. When managing remote teams you will not get the pleasure of informal small talk by the coffee station—communication will be planned and electronically based.

Communicating Virtually

Communicating Virtually (1 of 9)

With off-site management, you need more communication in order to counteract feelings of isolation and overcome any difficulties becoming accustomed to company standards.

Make certain you are readily available for many hours each day on various types of communication.

• Respond as soon as possible.


With new technology, there are many ways of communication including:

– Email, video chats, online chats, electronic message boards, conference calls/ teleconferencing, web conferencing, project management software, shared online calendars, intranets that store in-house documents.

• Utilize as much of these as possible.


Set consistent communication schedules to establish a routine in order to keep goals presently in everyone’s mind and ensure everyone feels connected.


Remember 93% of communication is nonverbal.

– When managers rely only on verbal communication or writing, research shows that only 7% goes through since body language, facial expressions, and tone are unavailable.


Communication becomes formal and planned at all times while informal communication becomes lost.

– This office banter cannot be skipped.– Make certain to include a light faire,

news, awards, and personal updates in this communication.


Video chatting can go a long way. – Research shows that the same

chemical reactions occur in people from videoconferences as face-to-face meetings.

– Nothing can compare to meeting in person.

– Make sure to meet each person every few months.

– Invite off-site workers to company parties and video chat them into congratulatory meetings to make them feel included.


How to create the best emails to ensure action:

– Subject line must grab attention• Do not use generic “urgent”• Be clear and direct.

– Make the message easy to read• Get to the point immediately,• Use bullet points, short sentences

and paragraphs (they add emphasis)

– When scheduling a meeting, provide up to 3 dates for them to choose.


How to create the best emails to ensure action:

– Tailor your message to recipient—not whole organization:

• Who are the readers?• What do they know about the topic?• What is their opinion on the topic? • What action do they need to take?

– Structure each message so it focuses on 1 clear purpose to avoid miscommunication


Use voicemail in addition to email to urge action if stakes are high.

Establish Respect & Build Trust in Remote Teams (1 of 4)

Provide reasons and explanations for your actions to establish trust.

– There are 3 types of trust: • Contractual• Communication• Competence


Contractual Trust:

– This is doing what you say you will.

– The best way to establish contractual trust is to show consistency.

– Establish clear goals, honor your agreements and manage expectations.


Communication Trust:

– This involves honesty and disclosure.

– Give honest feedback, admit mistakes, share truths even if difficult while maintaining confidentiality.


Competence Trust:

– This includes respecting the team.

– Acknowledge others abilities and talents and involve them.

– Help others learn new skills.

Creating a Remote Team Culture (1 of 4)

Feelings of inclusion are most the important keys for motivation, morale, and success.

Share future goals, both measurable and immeasurable.

– This will provide focus and give guidance for decisions and directions.


Create a mission statement– It must be short, strong and backed

by your company philosophy.

– Make it visible.• Not only do you need to share it

during your first meeting, you must also post it the company's website and refer back to it.


Promote intra-team communication to build strong relationships.

– Create partnerships and opportunities for small talk.

– Arrange face-to-face meetings. – Have location swaps to better

understand each other.

Recognize and reward when a team member exemplifies your company’s culture.


Build teamwork, trust, and trackability.

– Create a clear vision and roles related to that vision which hold a team together.

– Provide a clear orientation program with specific expectations.

– Give and receive feedback.• Adjust accordingly.

Create Virtual Accountability

Create Virtual Accountability (1 of 6)

Often with off-site workers, managers tend to try and over control their employees.

– However, this is counter productive in that it trains dependency.


Managers must do the opposite; train for independency.

– The best way to do this is to provide goals and hold them accountable for their completion.


Underperforming employees can slip under the radar and the consequences are expensive.

– Use face-to-face mentorship and ongoing training to build relationships and identify problems.


Measure output not hours.– Managers must make the transition

from managing time to managing projects.


Remote employees work better with a large emphasis on individual responsibility rather than group think.

– Give each person their own responsibility and let them get it done.


The problem becomes managing all these individual projects.

– Usually the best way to handle this is to give each worker plenty of room and hope they will do it right.

3 Sources of Remote Conflict (1 of 6)

Three frequent sources of conflict from remote workers are:

– Unreliable Technology

– Social Loafers

– Criticism



– Unreliable Technology: Conflict can occur when interruptions and technology failures become excuses for not completing work.• Researchers found that teams with

low trust blame technology for incomplete or late tasks.



– Unreliable Technology: Conflict can occur when interruptions and technology failures become excuses for not completing work.• Those with high trust found ways

around it. • Building up trust will help avoid

this common conflict source.



– Social Loafers: Another source of conflict occurs when one person is not contributing during a project.• Studies show that usually a lack of

participation does not necessarily signify laziness.

• It may be some other barrier such as fear of criticism or feelings of insignificance.



– Social Loafers: Another source of conflict occurs when one person is not contributing during a project.• To resolve this conflict or even

prevent it, talk to the team member individually about these barriers.

• Do not single them out in a group or ignore the problem—it will make it worse.



– Criticism: Negative feedback can come across harsher through text. • Provide substantial reasoning for

disagreement or praise.• Instead of flat out disagreement,

offer alternatives and explanations which will lessen the fear of criticism.

Resolving Virtual Conflict (1 of 5)

Differences in conflict between on-site employees and off-site employees:

– The potential for conflict increases.– When much of the communication is

done over the internet, messages may be misinterpreted, goals/expectations may be unclear, and longer time may elapse before it is handled.


Differences in conflict between on-site employees and off-site employees:

– People also have fewer opportunities for informal interaction where workers could bring up little issues.

– There are also no nonverbal cues which make communication difficult.


How can managers address conflict with remote workers?

– Do not ignore it. • Intervene early before the conflict

grows.



– Switch from email to phone or video chats.• Eye contact, tone, and non-verbal

cues will help to monitor your communication and avoid negative assumptions.



– Set up a time to focus solely on this issue. • Plan ahead on key points you want

to address to make sure the conflict does not spiral.

Adapting to Succeed (1 of 3)

The future of a business is based on how well you are able to synthesize data on the changing business landscape and adapt to these changes within the whole organization.


Companies must build their organizations around the picture of this landscape.

Be ready and able to handle change.


Keep things simple, communicate goals to everyone and incorporate your values in daily routine, atmosphere of openness and creativity, encourage individual learning.

Communicating Up

Communicating Up (1 of 4)

What remote workers want their bosses to know.

– They Need Feedback• People get it through body

language/ facial expressions/ side comments.

• They will not get that as remote employees, so they need it from another source.



– They Need Feedback• Praise as deserved and not

forgotten.



– They Need Feedback• They often hear about problems

late-let them know right away.



– They Need Feedback• To acknowledge that they

understand that remote workers are motivated to work and make themselves available all the time.

Global Teams (1 of 8)

When dealing with global teams, you must be sensitive to:

– Language Differences• Make certain that everyone

understands what is being said.



– Business Protocols• Understand that decision-making

is culturally rooted:– The fact that in the United

States, managers are trained to get input from the team and chose a direction quickly and adjust later if needed.




is culturally rooted:– The fact that in Sweden,

decision-making happens during lengthy consensus-building meetings, leading to strong agreement and rapid implementation.




is culturally rooted:– The fact that in France,

emphasis is placed on debating and confrontation in decision-making.



– Time Zones• If common times are not always

possible, shift the burden so not everyone has to adjust to your time.



– Their Culture and The Differences• Do not be overly sensitive.• Be aware of the important

differences.• A good way to increase the

cultural understanding across the team is to have one person tell a story about the place they live at the beginning of each meeting.



– Meet Face to Face• Visit each countries team at least

once a year, or at least all meet up annually.



– People Living Close To Each Other• Even it they live close to each

other, do not let them co-locate as this will disturb the teams dynamic. – When everyone is separated,

each member of the team is on the same level.

QUESTIONS

Myles D. Miller, MBA, MCSE, PMP, PPS – “Two-Time Best Selling Author” – Radio Host, “Myles of SUCCESS”CEO and Founder –LeadUP.Biz and LearningBreaks.com & SuccessHQWEBSITES:www.mylesofsuccess.com www.leadup.bizwww.learningbreaks.com www.successhq.net

Facebook & LinkedIn: Twitter: mylesofsuccess leadupbizMyles MillerEmail:[email protected] [email protected]

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“THE GREAT SUCCESS CREATOR”

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http://www.leadup.biz/

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http://www.successhq.net/

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