discussion communication

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Sara

Communication is an important tool not just in the workplace but in everyday life. Virtual teams lack the face-to-face communication, so this presents a challenge unique to them. This can be a challenge for virtual teams because of displacement, time zones, cultural barriers and technology (Monalisa et al, 2008). Virtual teams rely heavily on technology to communicate with one another. This can lead to issues because they may not be trained on the technology, they may have different technology, or they may have to compete to use the appropriate technology. Having an abundance of technology at their fingertips can be helpful but it can also be a burden at the same time because they may lack the training to use all the technology. So, organizations need to be fully invested in their teams and resource them the best they can. Having the communications tools necessary for success will enable the virtual teams to have maximum communication but in its simplest form. Accessibility and training are two identified downfalls when it comes to the platforms they will be using (Monalisa et al, 2008). Proper training on all platforms should be provided by the organization or made a requirement to get the job. Not every briefing or meeting will take place on the same platform, the change of platforms should be identified early on and made known to all team members. 

Therefore, leadership is the most important role in any organization and can become a single point of failure. Failing to do the analysis and select the right leader will only lead to disaster. Team members need to know who their leader is from the start, so they understand who provides them with direction and guidance as well as who is holding them accountable. Traditional leadership has the advantage of face-to-face contact daily while the virtual team leader must rely on communication platforms to interact with their members. Conducting a face-to-face meeting within the first sixty days of starting the team will help build relationships and trust within the team. This will also allow for any information to be put out directly to the members such as their goals and the direction of the company. Leaders of high-performing teams faced many challenges of their own - such as lack of resources and a lack of time to focus on leading - they handled them more effectively (Siebdragt and Hoegl, 2009). When leaders become overwhelmed the performance of the team suffers. If this happens to a leader, they need to find a way to reduce their workload especially on the administrative side. There are two simple ways to accomplish this and they are creating small group leaders or just empowering their personnel. People tend to strive and feel a sense of belonging when they are empowered to make some of the decisions. The longer a team is together the more likely it becomes that they may plateau when it comes to performance. 

Consequently, as team members begin to build trust and effective communication, they will likely be more open to having difficult conversations, which can help resolve conflict, improve communication, set boundaries, hold others accountable and keep the group aligned. Ultimately virtual teams have become more and more of a necessity as organizations expand their footprints around the nation or even the globe. The decision to use a virtual team is an important one that must be carefully researched to determine if this is the best option for your organization. Understanding how to build a virtual team all the way to properly leading it must be understood during the planning phase to set the team up for success. Virtual teams will face many challenges with some being unique to that of a face-to-face team. Challenges that with the right investment and attention can be overcome leading to a team that out performs the traditional face-to-face team. 

Reference: Monalisa, M., Daim, T., Mirani, F., Dash, P., Khamis, R., & Bhusari, V. (2008). Managing global design teams. Research Technology Management, 51(4), 48-59. https://doi-org.ezproxy.umgc.edu/10.1080/08956308.2008.11657514

Siebdragt, F., Hoegl, M. and Ernst, H. (2009). How to manage virtual teams. [online]  Sloanreview.mit.edu. Available at: https://sloanreview.mit.edu/files/2009/06/8412f42034.pdf

Nico

What defines accountability in a manager? That answer can be viewed and interpreted in many different ways depending on the team or the employee. In my personal opinion, accountability as a manager requires humility and the ability to support a team with a clear responsibility to lead by example.

Key traits of a manager who strives to display their accountability, but also tries to instill it will build trust and establish set personal boundaries within their role. As a former manager of a large team, my boundaries were set very early on in my role as well as the expectations that I set for myself. Moreover, I would never expect a member of my team to perform in a way that I would not see as attainable for myself. As illustrated by Bansal, (2022) communication and personal reflection when establishing accountability in teams is the framework for awareness, openness, and engagement. 

1. Caring for people and holding them accountable aren’t mutually exclusive. You can care personally while expecting your team to own their decisions and their outcomes. 

2. Accountability = fn (Awareness, Acceptance, Openness, Engagement).

3. Awareness: Have a common definition of success and align on what someone is being held accountable for. 

4. Acceptance: Discuss positive behaviors that build accountability and ask them to refrain from engaging in behaviors that risk it. 

5. Openness: Layer your care with a dose of tough feedback. Don’t shy away from telling people what they need to hear. Accountability is built with corrections. 

6. Engagement: Act as a solid support structure to enable your team to build the skills required to feel confident in their decisions and own their outcomes.

Bansal, V. (2021, August 12). The fine balance between caring for people and holding them accountable at work. TechTello. Retrieved April 1, 2022, from  https://www.techtello.com/building-accountability-at-work/