Because today's economy is tipsy and global, many companies are having their employees work virtually.
Managing a global team brings another set of leadership challenges. You have to be sensitive to nonverbals, language differences, business protocols and time zones. That means scheduling regular calls at mutually convenient times for team members...which may not always be possible.
It is important to listen carefully to every team member on phone calls by focusing on how the person is speaking. It's also important to listen to everything, particularly any silences. Silence can mean consent, or it can mean the person you're not hearing from disagrees with the team's strategy or is disengaged. As leader, you need to hear from everyone to make sure the team is moving forward together. It is a good practice to send an email after each meeting documenting and confirming discussions, conclusions and next steps.
If you sense that a team member is lacking engagement--not responding, not participating, or missing deadlines--call him or her as soon as possible after the team meeting to find out what's going on.
"Mobile workers are far more organized, personally, than their office-bound counterparts," says Stuart Duff of the British consultancy Pearn Kandola who helped Cisco Systems and its clients better understand the psychological issues at play on virtual teams. He says, "They have to be on top of their game the whole time."
It turns out extroverts/social capitalists--the office gabbers, the life of the break-room party--thrive in the land of virtual work. Left on their own, these types of employees are the ones who work closely with clients, chum around with colleagues, and talk it up with bosses. They stay connected no matter where they are.
Bottom Line: Team leaders have to be visible in their activities, especially in this environment, but visibility doesn't have to be face-to-face. Those who can demonstrate how to do more with less money are the leaders of today and tomorrow.
Source: BUSINESSWEEK, July 27, 2009