1 Groups Groups-That T hat-Work Work Groups Groups-That T hat-Work Work Doris Reeves-Lipscomb Doris Reeves-Lipscomb Virtual Teams 101 Virtual Teams 101 An Introduction to Virtual An Introduction to Virtual Teams— Teams— What, Why, When, Who, and What, Why, When, Who, and How How Groups Groups - - That That - - Work Work Groups Groups - - That That - - Work Work
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• How we will do itHow we will do it– Presentation and discussionPresentation and discussion– Interaction with downlink sitesInteraction with downlink sites– Demonstration and examplesDemonstration and examples– Mid-session breakMid-session break
• Please take a moment to assess Please take a moment to assess your skills, knowledge and needs.your skills, knowledge and needs.
• You can complete this form at You can complete this form at anytime during session and use it anytime during session and use it to plan your learning future. to plan your learning future.
Downlink Site Downlink Site Census ReportsCensus Reports
• Number of participantsNumber of participants• Total # of years using computersTotal # of years using computers• Total # of years of experience on Total # of years of experience on
teamsteams• Total # of teams currently Total # of teams currently
• A group of people who come A group of people who come together to achieve or satisfy a together to achieve or satisfy a common purpose.common purpose.
• May be short- (hours or days) or May be short- (hours or days) or long-term (weeks, months or years!)long-term (weeks, months or years!)
• May be large (200+) or small (2)May be large (200+) or small (2)
• Problem-solvingProblem-solving• InnovationInnovation• Process managementProcess management• Crisis interventionCrisis intervention• Community of practiceCommunity of practice
Definition of Definition of virtual virtual teamteam
A virtual team is a group of A virtual team is a group of people that relies primarily or people that relies primarily or exclusively on electronic forms exclusively on electronic forms of communication to work of communication to work together in accomplishing its together in accomplishing its goals.goals.
Modes of Working with GroupsModes of Working with Groups Same TimeSame Time Different TimeDifferent Time
Same Same PlacePlace
DifferentDifferent
PlacePlace Source: Boundaryless Facilitation: Leveraging the Strengths of Face-to Face and Groupware Tools to Maximize Group Process, Metasystems Design Group and Catalyst Consulting Team.
Sample Communications Sample Communications TechnologiesTechnologies Same TimeSame Time Different TimeDifferent Time
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GroupsGroups--ThatThat--WorkWorkGroupsGroups--ThatThat--WorkWork Strengths and DrawbacksStrengths and Drawbacks
SameSame PlacePlace
DifferenDifferenttPlacePlace
MultifacetedDeal quickly with issuesAll present to address issuesRead body language Personality conflicts Agenda can get off-track May not take it seriously
Forced to focus and summarizeDocumented historyControl pace & work schedule Miss nonverbal Miss 1st reaction & socializingHarder to establish & maintain momentum Harder to make decisions
Control own pace and work scheduleCan virtually work from any locationFavors independent and computer- literate workers No voice inflection Lack of emotion Not good for making decisions Reliance on text-based communication Discoverable—too public
Real-time actionSave $/timeFavors computer-literate workers Personality conflicts Agenda can get off-track Technical obstacles Limits on # of participants Difficult to facilitate
Source: Adapted from an NTL workshop product, Virtual Teams, March, 2000.
Adapted from: Jessica Lipnack and Jeffrey Stamps, Virtual Teams: Reaching Across Space, Time, and Organizations with Technology. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.: New York, 1997.
Request for Personal Request for Personal Experience from SitesExperience from Sites
What are some of the What are some of the challenges and successes challenges and successes you have experienced in you have experienced in starting, managing, or starting, managing, or participating in virtual participating in virtual teams?teams?
Participants are encouraged to Participants are encouraged to continue to call in their continue to call in their questions. Responses to questions. Responses to pending questions will occur pending questions will occur immediately following the immediately following the break.break.
• Preferred means for teams to Preferred means for teams to build trust and relationships build trust and relationships with each other.with each other.
• Set up systems for teamworkSet up systems for teamwork• Make decisionsMake decisions
• It is the communication tool It is the communication tool you love to hate but cannot you love to hate but cannot live without these days.live without these days.
• Cost-effectiveCost-effective• Easy to useEasy to use• One to manyOne to many
• Real time or rolling presentReal time or rolling present• Right media for right messageRight media for right message• Historical recordHistorical record• Size of groupSize of group• Two-way/one wayTwo-way/one way
Audio allows ideas to Audio allows ideas to be shared, questions be shared, questions asked, answers asked, answers given in real time given in real time and avoids the and avoids the problem of “cross-problem of “cross-talk” that can occur talk” that can occur in the chat mode.in the chat mode.
Keeping the technology simple Keeping the technology simple is important in the beginning!is important in the beginning!
Statistics on Statistics on Communication Communication
TechnologyTechnology• Use of technology at home/in Use of technology at home/in
workplace—workplace— growth in number of answering growth in number of answering
machines, telephones, fax machines, machines, telephones, fax machines, personal computers, voice mail, and personal computers, voice mail, and email email
• Increased number of Increased number of telecommuters and part-time telecommuters and part-time workersworkers
• Horizontal organizational structuresHorizontal organizational structures• Team-based work systemsTeam-based work systems• Global competitionGlobal competition• Privatization/outsourcingPrivatization/outsourcing
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GroupsGroups--ThatThat--WorkWorkGroupsGroups--ThatThat--WorkWork Benefits of Virtual Benefits of Virtual Teams for Teams for
OrganizationsOrganizations• Greater flexibility Greater flexibility • Saves time and costsSaves time and costs• Increases communication and Increases communication and
learning across organizationlearning across organization• Encourages appreciation of Encourages appreciation of