| While the concept of the virtual team is relatively | | | | Team Progress Meetings - While you will have a need |
| new for many companies, virtual sales teams have | | | | to work with all virtual team members together, |
| become a normal part of how they do business. Yet, | | | | especially at critical milestones, you can maximize |
| up to 60% of companies are finding that their virtual | | | | time and make a lot of progress in one-on-one virtual |
| sales teams are not prepared to mobilize, coordinate, | | | | meetings as you move forward with the plan. First of |
| and deliver at the same level as teams that are on | | | | all, it's easier to gain agreement one-on-one and you |
| the ground and physically connected. | | | | demonstrate respect for time by involving only those |
| An aligned team is a strong team and a competitive | | | | needed for particular parts of the plan. |
| advantage. The challenge for sales organizations, such | | | | - Use the team meetings to communication and |
| as global organizations, today is to ensure that their | | | | confirm decisions. End every meeting by summarizing |
| virtual teams execute with the same level of | | | | decisions and accountability for the next steps and |
| effectiveness as traditional teams. | | | | time frames. |
| A virtual team is more than a team in which there is | | | | - Give support as needed and follow up to make |
| geographic disbursement. Virtual teams share many | | | | sure work gets done outside of the meeting |
| characteristics with traditional teams. Like all teams, | | | | (meetings are for planning and agreement of action |
| virtual team members depend on each other and are | | | | steps and post meeting is time for doing). If possible, |
| mutually responsible for outcomes. The major | | | | take advantage of opportunities to meet |
| difference is that virtual teams must rely on | | | | face-to-face to build relationships and gain buy-in. |
| technology vs. face-to-face contact. Therefore, | | | | - Use one-on-one or one-on-two/three meetings to |
| communication is the pressing challenge. It is also the | | | | deal with specific issues, address negativity or |
| measure of success. | | | | problems, and involve only team members who are |
| To add to the challenge, team leadership usually isn't | | | | directly impacted or need to be involved. |
| traditional in that team members often don't report | | | | - Use one-on-one meetings with your team members |
| to the virtual team leader. Another common barrier is | | | | to build rapport, assess how things are going, analyze |
| that team members represent different cultures, and | | | | gaps, solve problems, agree on responsibilities and |
| misunderstandings are common. | | | | next steps for execution, and continue to assess |
| Research shows that virtual team members often | | | | where you are against milestones. Start each phone |
| feel like they don't know one another very well. | | | | call with a minute or two (or more as appropriate) on |
| When they communicate, they spend less time on | | | | rapport to build relationships. |
| rapport or non-work business topics than | | | | - Use genuine praise, thank yous, and share credit |
| face-to-face teams. As a result, there is a lack of | | | | publicly and often throughout the process. |
| trust, cooperation, and good will. Too often, the | | | | - Execute as Planned - The end game is the |
| foundation of a relationship is absent. Without | | | | successful execution of the Plan to achieve |
| informal networking in place, it is easy for tasks to | | | | objectives. Use follow-up, support, and reporting to |
| get stuck in formal channels, causing delays, hard | | | | help team members carry out the objectives set. |
| feelings, and lost opportunities. | | | | - Debrief with Team and the Client - Share Credit. |
| But the fact that so many virtual teams are | | | | - Whether the Plan is successfully executed or not, |
| dysfunctional makes it possible for organizations | | | | there are lessons learned. Make sure this learning |
| prepared to do so to take advantage of this window | | | | takes place. Take the time to gain feedback from |
| of opportunity by taking several steps. | | | | team members and clients to learn about the team's |
| First, develop virtual team leaders. This is the most | | | | strengths to build on them and gain insight into |
| important step. Success resides with the leader, | | | | weaknesses to take corrective action - keep winning, |
| whether or not there is a reporting structure in place. | | | | or win the next time. |
| Team leaders must understand how to align a team | | | | Virtual Team Essentials |
| that is geographically disbursed so that all team | | | | Your tools for success are: |
| members are committed to achieving the same | | | | - The Plan (this is the tool that holds your objectives |
| objectives within the same time frames. | | | | and milestones to guide execution) |
| Without a strong, effective team leader, there is no | | | | - The Quality of Your Virtual Team Meetings |
| glue to hold the virtual team together. Virtual team | | | | - The Quality of Your One-on-One Virtual Meetings |
| leaders must be able to do three things: | | | | - Your Technology Systems for Knowledge Sharing |
| - Lead themselves | | | | Communication (CRM, Salesforce Automation, |
| - Lead the team | | | | Technology Resources ...) |
| - Lead the process | | | | - Your Leadership (skills to direct, align, unify, and |
| As with everything in life, the ability to lead oneself | | | | support your team) |
| comes first. To keep the team involved, aligned, and | | | | - Debriefing and Assessing Results and Quality of |
| on track, a virtual team leader must be clear about | | | | Execution |
| objectives, accountabilities, and demonstrate the skills | | | | Virtual Team Communication Tips |
| to execute. | | | | Communication is the big challenge for virtual teams. |
| Like all team leaders, the role of the virtual leader is | | | | Your ability to set clear expectations, influence |
| to stratigize, delegate, share data, coach, and reward. | | | | through personal relationships, and use your presence |
| However, there is an added role which is essential | | | | and leadership style will determine how members |
| when the team is virtual, and that is to set team | | | | communicate and work with you and one another. |
| norms of behavior and clarify expectations about | | | | - Use your Start-up Meeting to clearly position |
| how team members will communicate, share data, | | | | objectives and benefits early on. Use examples and |
| and when and how to respond to one another. Sales | | | | success stories to get the message of the mission |
| 2.0 technology has been a blessing for virtual teams | | | | of the team across and create energy and build |
| and has made connecting, sharing, and executing | | | | commitment. Ask them how they would phrase the |
| much easier - but the commitment to connect, share, | | | | mission of what the charge is and use this to build |
| and execute must come first - and that takes | | | | consensus. In positioning the benefits, don't forget to |
| leadership. | | | | include what's in it for each team member, not only |
| Team leaders need to define a clear and repeatable | | | | the client or yourself. |
| process that virtual team members buy -into and | | | | - Technology is key and CRM and e-mail are key |
| then adhere to. This process is the foundation for | | | | tools, as well as instant messaging, chat rooms, and |
| the team to successfully achieve its objectives. | | | | social networking websites such as LinkedIn, but |
| We have identified a Six-step Virtual Team Process | | | | remember to use the telephone because it is a |
| that team leaders can follow: | | | | warmer medium of communication and less prone to |
| - Identify Needed Resources - Determine who is | | | | miscommunication. When you call, take a moment for |
| needed on the team and what resources you will | | | | rapport. Then follow up using e-mail to confirm and |
| need and assess/anticipate availability. Be strategic | | | | summarize. Relationship and commitment can be |
| and leverage any strong team member relationships | | | | factors that help virtual teams meet their goals. |
| you have by making one-on-one calls to gain their | | | | - Use written agendas for meetings and ask for |
| support and help them align others before you | | | | team members' input before finalizing the agenda. |
| approach the team members as a group. | | | | - Make your meetings - whether group or |
| - Lead Virtual Start-up Planning/Alignment Meeting - | | | | one-on-one - interactive. Ask questions and listen. |
| Once you have identified the resources you will need, | | | | Show that contributions are valued and encourage |
| schedule a team meeting (phone, webinar ...) to help | | | | team members to offer ideas and take ownership. |
| team members understand and buy into the team's | | | | - Take notes of all decisions and read them back at |
| charter, objectives, benefits, and accountability to | | | | the end of each meeting. Check for agreement to |
| team members and to clients. Develop and distribute | | | | task, accountability, and time frame. |
| a concise, written plan to define objectives, the | | | | - Leverage technology. For example, set up team |
| output of deliverables, and time frames. Make it clear | | | | accounts on Facebook, LinkedIn, and in chat rooms |
| that your plan is a starting point. When appropriate, | | | | to enrich communication and encourage ideas and |
| work with the team to modify the plan to gain | | | | information flow for both business and personal. |
| agreement. | | | | - Inspire - Be the role model. Be clear, concise, |
| - Assessment of Team Members - After your | | | | on-time, and provide a "can do" attitude. |
| Start-up Planning Meeting, you will be in a position to | | | | An aligned virtual team is a winning team. It provides |
| determine the strength of the team. Assess team | | | | a competitive edge that your competitors won't |
| members by charting roles, names/titles/positions, | | | | easily duplicate. |
| task to perform, importance of task, clients with | | | | Virtual teams are a source of creativity and new |
| whom they interface, and level of commitment to | | | | ideas - a way to bring together the best of the best, |
| the mission of the team. Rate each member as | | | | often more so than the team that is on the ground. |
| aligned, non-aligned, or not sure. Think about what | | | | But virtual talent needs to be mentored. "Virtual" is |
| coaching you will provide to strengthen or maintain | | | | here to stay. Virtual team alignment won't just |
| alignment and close gaps and compensate for | | | | happen. Technology does not make a virtual team. It |
| weaknesses. Think about team alternatives when | | | | is the leader who makes the virtual team cohesive |
| necessary. | | | | and successful. You are that leader. |
| - Continue to Lead Virtual Team, One-on-One, and | | | | |