How to be EffectiveVirtual Communication:

Jareth Mara

2

Working in groups can be a wonderful thing. Everyone involved has the opportunity to grow and learn together. Each member has something special he or she can bring to the group. Often, the best ideas don’t come from one person; they evolve from an idea as many people contribute until it is fine tuned to be the best possible outcome.

The human interaction that takes place in groups has been a long studied topic. There’s a lot to take into consideration when we discuss group dynamics. There are several factors and stages that will determine if the group will be successful, if they will get along, or if they will end up like a scene from the movie “Twelve Angry Men”. Slightly different factors come into play if you’re not actually in the same room as the rest of your group. What happens if you’re not in the same time zone? Or the same country? This reading will help prepare you to become a successful and vital part of any group, specifically on virtual groups.

There are several advantages as well as disadvantages to working in groups online. Advantage: no one cares if you work in your underwear! They may frown upon you going to work in your boxers. Disadvantage: when trying to use sarcasm, you almost have to explain the joke. Miscommunication can be common in a group that is unfamiliar with working online.

Preface

3

Chapter 1

Effective and Efficient Teams

Organizational communication is one of the best things that can come from virtual teams. Most divisions in an organization are limited to communicating only within themselves, while virtual teams enable the possibility of unified collaboration. Members of each division come together with different specialties and experiences. This allows for the best possible diversity of skills to come together to work toward the same goal.

With virtual teams, obstacles such as distance and time zones are all but destroyed. Groups can work on projects together even if they are on opposite sides of the globe. At any time members can add to the project, or check the team’s progress.

With virtual teams, a much higher productivity is possible. There is no Monday through Friday 9 am to 5 pm limit. Team members can add to their projects whenever possible. The added flexibility is a bonus for most members.

Chapter 1

Effective and Efficient Teams

Advantages of Virtual Teams

4

Before you can judge what an effective team is, you need to develop a scale on which to grade the team. Would you grade the team on how few conflicts you have in the group? Or how few meetings you need to have in order to get the project done? One of the first things every team needs to do to ensure its effectiveness is to clearly define their goal. What is the purpose of the group? Why are you together? Chances are that you have been organized to learn group dynamics and complete a final project. If that is the case, then you need to refine your goal. Is the new goal to get a perfect grade on the final project? This would be a example of a clearly defined goal.

In order to become a efficient group, your group needs to have trust. Trust is essential to building a cohesive team with a good atmosphere for collaboration. If the group members can trust one another, and share without fear of ridicule, this will create a climate perfect for creativity.

When working toward the team’s goal, it is important to foster any feelings of unified commitment. This will help cohesiveness as well as heighten productivity.

Chapter 1

Effective and Efficient Teams

Building an Effective Team

5

Part of being an effective team, is having effective team members. There are several qualifications that make up an effective team member. The most important quality if a team member is dedication. Everything else can be learner and practiced. If a team member is dedicated, they will naturally posses the skills of an effective team member.

Experience is also key. If a member lacks the skills necessary to do their part, the group as a whole will suffer. Experience also helps the team member to feel more confident and will share themselves more than one who is afraid to show their limited knowledge.

If the team has been organized to solve a problem, then problem solving skills would be helpful. Most people posses enough problem solving skills that if they clearly define and understand the problem, and have some knowledge about the nature of the issue they should be able to come up with some solutions or at least give input on others ideas.

Each member should care about one another and the group. Part of caring about the other members is being supportive. This is probably the biggest contributing factor in maintaining a positive atmosphere. By being supportive, you allow others to be open with the group, share their ideas; as well as support group cohesion.

Chapter 1

Effective and Efficient Teams

Effective Team Members

6

• Define the group goal

• Set a standard for the group

• Pick a leader

• Foster a supportive and trusting atmosphere

• Group dedication

• Set rules and expectations

• Support each other

• Support group cohesion

Chapter 1

Effective and Efficient Teams

Tips for Effective Participation

7

Chapter 2

Being a Leader in a Virtual Team

Responsibilities of an Effective Leader

Chapter 2

Being a Leader in a Virtual Team

Leadership is a crucial aspect of any team. Therefore, choosing a leader is no small task. Different people will lead groups according to their personalities. Some groups may choose to start and let a leader emerge.

The main concern of a leader is to keep the group on task and to help with any needs they have. The leader should be the role model and the first person each member wants to go to if they have a problem. The leader also needs to be a mediator in certain circumstances. If there is a conflict, the leader should step in and defuse the situation. A leader in contrast, should not be a dictator to the group. He or she should not elevate them self higher than anyone else in the group. Though they should be able to assist in the delegation of tasks, and other internal decisions.

8

Chapter 2

Being a Leader in a Virtual Team

How to Handle an Ineffective Leader

If your group has an assigned leader and they are not preforming as a leader should, you or another team member needs to step up. A leader is a vital part of a team. Without a leader, productivity will go down as there is no clear direction. After reviewing types of conflict, we are better prepared to confront the leader.

There are two main ways to handle this situation. If the leader is not taking initiative, he or she may not want the position. If this is the case, try speaking with them in private. Suggest they resign from the position and allow the group to vote for a leader, or allow members to volunteer.

If the leader seems to like their position, but is not working well for the team, you should speak up. Try offering other alternatives if you believe there are better options. Ask the group to vote if the leader disagrees with a member’s idea. You can also help guide the group discussions if they are not effective.

No matter the option, a team will always be held back by a leader who is either not dedicated to helping the group, or not dedicated to there position. Something must be done.

9

Chapter 2

Being a Leader in a Virtual Team

How to Lead a Virtual Team

As you will learn, there are three main styles of leadership:

• Authoritarian

• Democratic

• Laissez-faire

Each style has its place. Each also can be more harmful than helpful in the wrong situation. The Authoritarian style is usually only helpful in high stress situations. In most cases, when being overbearing and controlling in a group, the members will become unhappy and productivity will fall like a ship from heaven.

Democratic is usually the best style as it can be used as the main style in combination with the other two. With the democratic style, the group has more control. All decisions are up for debate and some choices left up to the individual member. This creates a more laid-back atmosphere that a majority of members would be more comfortable working in.

Laissez-faire leadership is more or less a oxymoron as the group has basically all control. Task delegation is left up to the group, or in some cases the individual member. This style works best in groups that are filled with type A personalities, with a very large or no time limit. In most cases, all groups will need a leader for some type of guidance.

10

Chapter 2

Being a Leader in a Virtual Team

Tips and Tricks for the Team Leader

• Remember that you are a member of a team. Not the God of a world.

• Pull your own weight. By working with the team you will be more respected and accepted as a team member.

• Keep in mind that although the group needs to stay focused, by allowing the group to share stories and giving them time to bond, you create a better, closer team.

• Be supportive. This will help the team to trust you, and each other. This is crucial to allow good collaboration.

• Keep everyone included. Don’t allow anyone to sit out or be left out because they aren’t assertive enough.

11

ENDThe