Courageous Teaming Resources

Keys to Virtual Virtuosity

	Know the Charge: Every single member of the team should be able to state, in explicit terms, why the team exists and what it's tring to accomplish. A compelling purpose will unify and strengthen the team.
	Answer the WIIFM!: Guess what? Employees don't get all that excited about creating efficiencies, increasing the size of the market, getting more of the customer's share of the wallet, etc. They do, however, care about enlarging their capabilities, gaining expertise, and getting the favorable attention of higher-ups. So be clear not only about the business benefits of the project, but the benefit to each and every team member as well.
	Megacommunicate: When you can't see people, and when you're communication across time zones, the potential for miscommunication — and therefore conflict — is high. Remember: if you really want to make sure that a message was understook, sendin one email probably isn't enough.
	Assume Nothing, Document Everything: Don't assume that every team meember is up to snuff about team procedures and processes. Have a means of documenting and storing the team's work so that it can be instantly retrieved by any member of the team at any time. Internal websites can be a great mechanism for doing this.
	Meet F2F: It's hard to build trust electronically. eCommunication is too easily distorted and miscontrued. So make sure that you're connecting with team members beyond technolgy. Periodically, meet with your team members F2F to keep the trust levels high.
	No Blaming: Project environments are stressful, and during stressful moments it's all-too-easy to say something you'll regret later. Never miss an opportunity to bite your tongue!