3 Tips For Managing A Virtual Work Force | Fast Company

Here is some good, pragmatic advice from Carrie Sommers about how to address some of the unique challenges of virtual team management.

Managing a virtual workforce has its own set of challenges. It can be hard to keep track of what everyone’s working on. Similarly, without the ability to stop by someone’s office, it can be hard to keep a constant finger on the pulse of employee morale. Here are a few ways to manage these issues and get the most out of working with a virtual team:

3 Tips For Managing A Virtual Work Force | Fast Company.

What Makes a Great Remote Team?

Wayne Turmell breaks down one of the key ideas in Darlene Derosa’s Book ‘Virtual Team Success’ in this article from Management Issues.

In her very good book, “Virtual Team Success”, Darleen Derosa has a lot to say, but one of the most helpful is her “5 Differentiators for Top Virtual Teams”. It’s based on lots of research but has the added value of being true on a gut level as well.

Here are the five ways great remote teams are probably operating at a higher level than yours and mine:

5 Tips for Motivating Virtual Teams

This article gives some real world advice specifically about how to motivate employees and recognize accomplishments in virtual teams

“As more companies expand globally, telecommuting is becoming a common work arrangement for many employees,” said Dr. Paul Eccher, author and co-founder of The Vaya Group. “However, just because these workers are out of sight does not mean they should be kept out of the loop. Leaders must learn how to effectively manage virtual teams in order to improve the bottom line and sustain talent over time.”

“Through our research and work within Fortune 500 companies, we’ve discovered that only 21 percent of leaders excel at motivating their teams,” Eccher’s partner Dave Ross said, “With these simple tips, leaders can build camaraderie, create a more positive work environment and encourage stronger business performance, regardless of distance.”

The Vaya Group recommends the following tips for motivating virtual teams:

Virtual Team Building: 5 Tips for Motivating Virtual Teams – pymnts.com.

Study: Video-conferencing Ups Productivity of Virtual Teams – World News Report

We all understand the importance of face-to-face communication and non-verbal cues. This study would suggest that even ‘virtual’ face time promotes more effective distributed team work.

MANCHESTER, England, November 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ —

New research shows that video-conferencing is more effective than telephone and email for remote team-working.

The research was conducted by the globally-recognised Fraunhofer Institute, a specialist in workplace collaboration technology, for OmniJoin, a new video and webconferencing solution from technology giant Brother.

It tested the impact of video-conferencing on the behaviour and productivity of two teams who undertook simulated workplace tasks* while based at different locations.

The key findings were that, compared to collaborating by telephone and email, video-conferencing…

Read more:

Study: Video-conferencing Ups Productivity of Virtual Teams – World News Report.

How Social Media Icon Chris Brogan Would Run Your Virtual Team – Forbes

It is inspiring to hear the perspective of someone whose brain works like Chris Brogan’s on the topic of virtual team management. Brogan is a social media pro’s pro. His blog is in the Top 5 of Advertising Age’s Power 150, he’s a New York Times bestselling author and he speaks and consults with the world’s premier companies about the intersection of technology, media, and customers acquisition.

In this Forbe’s interview Brogan speaks of maintaining a ‘leadership presence’ and promotes the use of ‘just having video cameras on and open’ while working so that you get that “random banter” element that’s missing in virtual experiences.

I’ve yet to meet a professional who says they prefer virtual leadership. Instead, it’s a part of the job generally endured and managed as best as possible. Death by meeting has been replaced by a long slow soul-crush by global conference call.

But what if, instead of simply coping with virtual management, we were inspired because of it? How could we reach more people, in authentic ways, and build stronger connection?

KH: You talk about the human digital channel. How does that apply to relationships inside an organization?

CB: The human digital channel as I talk about it is a sales channel, but inside organizations, the same premises relate. I talk about needing sustainable, relationship-minded business practices. Internally, this is true as well. We have a paperwork glut. We have a trust deficit. These things could be fixed, if people cared to fix them, and then ALL of business would function better.

Read the rest of this great interview here:

How Social Media Icon Chris Brogan Would Run Your Virtual Team – Forbes.

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