Kim Woods

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Multinational Retailer Structure

MGT 310

Week 4 Group Project

Names of members who participated in the group project

Introduction

  • Virtual team definition

  • Geographic diverse team necessity

  • Consensus Foundation

  • Steps for building a consensus

Virtual teams are a group of people working together who are separated geographically and communicate through information and telecommunication technologies (Meyer, 2010).

It is important that when setting up virtual teams, there is effective management in place who understands the dynamics of leading a virtual team. Often times people do not see co-workers in other geographic areas, so by having team members from different localities builds reliability and accountability within the company as a whole.

There are certain fundamentals to lay groundwork for a consensus which involve common ground, commitment and capability.

Learning the steps to build a consensus all start with a goal or objective which needs addressed. Working as a team through the steps until a plan of action is set in motion is the best way to accomplish a successful consensus discussion and ensure proper communication toward a common goal.

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Geographically Diverse Teams

  • Define purpose

  • Building trust
  • Reliability
  • accountability

  • Manage communications

  • Create a climate of collaboration

In order to build successful global virtual teams there are several factors that have to be considered: A global manager will need to provide clearly defined direction for achieving goals (Meyer, 2010).

 

Reliability is the key to building trust for diverse teams. Managers will need to develop a process where team members are required to deliver specific results and be held accountable for meeting deadlines (Meyer, 2010).

 

There is limited and is some instances, no face-to-face communications with the virtual team. Management and team members will need to have strong communication skills. Such methods as Skype, Web-Cam, Email, Instant Messaging, Conference calls and Video conferencing will be used to communicate regarding day-to-day operations and hold meetings (Managing, n.d.).

 

Management will need to choose the right team players. They need to look for people who are self-motivated, have good communication skills and are results driven (Managing, n.d.).

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The Foundation for Consensus

  • Common Ground

  • Commitment

  • Capability

In building a consensus discussion, fundamentals should be in place.

A common ground should be met by ensuring that the team shares the same vision and purpose. The team should understand and agree as to who their customers are and what are the customer’s needs. Common ground is also met by agreeing on their tasks and responsibilities as well as operating from the same set of values (Willard, 2000).

The climate should include commitment to the mission as well as to each other as they should all want to achieve team and personal goals, fulfill agreements set with each other and commit to the success of individuals and the team (Willard, 2000).

Another foundation is having the capability to manage this process by listening respectfully to all points of view, be open and honest and encourage each other to discuss different opinions. If any part of the foundation is missing, team building should be encouraged. (Willard, 2000)

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Consensus Step Building

  • Deadline and boundaries

  • Determine goal or objective to group

  • Data gathering

  • Provide alternatives

  • Plan of action

Appropriate steps should be used to build consensus.

First, clarify the deadlines and boundaries of the discussion. This allows for a schedule and setting parameters or constraints of the decision (Willard, 2000).

Next, determine what goal needs to be satisfied in order to achieve a successful discussion or decision (Willard, 2000).

Gather data to ensure the best outcome while making sure that all needs and information are present to assist in the discussion or decision (Willard, 2000).

Allowing for options provides alternatives and determines how the alternatives meet the desired needs (Willard, 2000).

Having a plan for action is imperative for building a consensus. It assists in implementing the discussion, determining who needs to know about the discussion, deciding if a secondary plan is necessary, determining if the discussion was a good one and if there needs to be further discussion (Willard, 2000).

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Conclusion

  • Virtual team norms
  • Financially motivated
  • Communication proficiency
  • Timely efficiency

  • Team building strategies

  • Steps to success

  • Goal accomplishment

Global virtual teams have become the norm today due to financial issues that have forced many companies to develop teams across various global locations.

The teams are set-up to communicate virtually in managing day-to-day operations which saves times and money for the organization (Meyer, 2010).

 

There are many challenges in managing a virtual team and an effective leader will need to develop strategies to successfully manage a team that is culturally diverse.

 

Effective team building and implementing strategies for decision making is crucial to the success of global teams. This success is accomplished by team members having common ground, being committed and managing and listening capabilities.

Steps leading to a plan of action will make a strong consensus in the group which will lead to a speedy goal accomplishment.

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References

Managing a geographically diverse team. (n.d.). Mind tools. Retrieved from: http://www.mindtools . com/ pages/ article/newTMM_40.htm

Meyer, E. (2010, August 19). The Four Keys To Success With Virtual Teams. Retrieved from http:// www.forbes. com/2010/ 08/19 /virtual-teams- meetings-leadership- managing-cooperation_2.html

Willard, M. (2000). Building Consensus. Axis Performance Advisors, Inc. Retrieved from http://www. axisperformance.com/T12cnsns. html