High Performance Management Module 02 Maximizing Personal and Collective Performance November 15, 2010 Presented by Team J 2 KL 2  Jocelyn McCoy  Joseph Marino  Kathleen McLean  Laura Taylor  Linda McCullough The Benefits and Pitfalls of Virtual Teams An examination and analysis of virtual teams, their strengths and weaknesses, and viability in today’s business climate Presented by Team J 2 KL 2  Jocelyn McCoy  Joseph Marino  Kathleen McLean  Laura Taylor  Linda McCullough The Benefits and Pitfalls of Virtual Teams An examination and analysis of virtual teams, their strengths and weaknesses, and viability in today’s business climate 1

 Virtual teams are geographically dispersed work teams, whose members are interdependent and share responsibilities for outcomes. The team members must collectively manage their relationships across organizational and geographical boundaries. They must also be able to expertly communicate through technological means with little or no face-to-face interactions.  Virtual team members must have a shared understanding of tasks, and be willing to develop mutual skills for bridging the gap between varied disciplines and backgrounds. Integrating various parts of organizational knowledge and establishing trust in the group’s ability to deliver value and develop substantive results, the virtual team must establish the level of risk each member is willing to take to obtain the needed results.  Virtual team members must be self-motivated and the team must regulate its members, spanning possible diverse cultural differences.  By creating a virtual meeting space and exploring each member’s competencies and weaknesses, a virtual group can maximize the outcome of its work.  The key ingredients for success are the members themselves, who must be adept and comfortable with communication technology, self-directed, have good interpersonal skills, be competent in the knowledge area each is expected to work in, and be trustworthy.  Virtual teams are geographically dispersed work teams, whose members are interdependent and share responsibilities for outcomes. The team members must collectively manage their relationships across organizational and geographical boundaries. They must also be able to expertly communicate through technological means with little or no face-to-face interactions.  Virtual team members must have a shared understanding of tasks, and be willing to develop mutual skills for bridging the gap between varied disciplines and backgrounds. Integrating various parts of organizational knowledge and establishing trust in the group’s ability to deliver value and develop substantive results, the virtual team must establish the level of risk each member is willing to take to obtain the needed results.  Virtual team members must be self-motivated and the team must regulate its members, spanning possible diverse cultural differences.  By creating a virtual meeting space and exploring each member’s competencies and weaknesses, a virtual group can maximize the outcome of its work.  The key ingredients for success are the members themselves, who must be adept and comfortable with communication technology, self-directed, have good interpersonal skills, be competent in the knowledge area each is expected to work in, and be trustworthy. 2

4 Deadlines Communication Plan Cont’d

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Continued Continued 7 The Power of Virtuality

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9 Virtual Teams ~ Drawbacks and Challenges Continued Continued Add category of drawback or challenge  one  Two  Three  Four  Five  Six  Seven  Explanation of above – continue on next page

10 Virtual Virtual Teams ~ Drawbacks and Challenges Continued Continued Drawbacks challenges continued

11 Virtual Virtual Teams ~ Drawbacks and Challenges Continued Continued Drawbacks challenges continued

Side by Side Evaluation of Virtual Teams Value  Good thing  Really good thing  Best thingDrawback  Bad thing  Other bad thing  Worse thing 12

Solutions to Virtual Team Drawbacks 13 Continued

14 Solutions to Virtual Team Drawbacks 14 Continued

References Furst, S.A., Reeves, M., Rosen, B. and Blackburn, R.S. (2004). Managing the Life Cycle of Virtual Teams, Academy of Management Executive, Vol. 18, No. 2: Furst, S.A., Reeves, M., Rosen, B. and Blackburn, R.S. (2004). Managing the Life Cycle of Virtual Teams, Academy of Management Executive, Vol. 18, No. 2: Ibarra, H. and Hunter, M. How Leaders Create and Use Networks, Harvard Business Review, January 2007, Vol. 85,Issue 1, Ibarra, H. and Hunter, M. How Leaders Create and Use Networks, Harvard Business Review, January 2007, Vol. 85,Issue 1, Johnson, P. et. al. (2001) The Wonderland of Virtual Teams. Journal of Workplace Learning. Vol. 13, Issue 1, Johnson, P. et. al. (2001) The Wonderland of Virtual Teams. Journal of Workplace Learning. Vol. 13, Issue 1,