UMGC Leading Virtual Teams: Effective Strategies for Team Success

This report delves into the multifaceted challenges of leading virtual teams, emphasizing the importance of effective strategies to overcome geographical and cultural differences, foster cohesion, and build team identity remotely. It highlights key leadership tools and methods, including establishing clear work systems, utilizing effective communication platforms, conducting regular meetings, and cultivating a professional work environment. The report also explores critical considerations in virtual team structure, such as differentiation, integration, formalization, centralization, and the choice between mechanistic and organic designs. It underscores the significance of clear deliverables, standardized communication, interpersonal skills, and the use of project management tools for enhanced team performance. Furthermore, the report discusses the implementation of meritocratic systems, team member integration through orientation programs, and the formalization of team processes. Finally, it addresses the importance of centralization versus decentralization in decision-making based on team size and task complexity, and the overall need for leaders to adapt to the evolving needs of virtual teams to ensure success.

RUNNING HEAD: Leading Virtual Teams 1
Leading Virtual Teams
Kathy Feehan
LaKeshia Kess
Raynard Porter
Lorette Rivera-Lugo
Ashley Sanders
UMGC

LEADING VIRTUAL TEAMS 2
Leading Virtual Teams
Virtual teams face multiple challenges from geographical and cultural differences to a
lack of cohesion and team identity. Creating a corporate or team culture is hard to do with
organic teams and even harder with virtual teams since that culture and sense of identity must be
created remotely. However, there are multiple tools and methods leaders can use to ensure a
virtual team runs effectively. These include, but are not limited to, establishing clear work
systems, utilizing effective communication tools, meeting regularly, and creating a professional
work environment. In addition, differentiation, integration, formalization, centralization and
mechanistic versus organic designs should be considered when determining how to structure a
virtual team.
One strategy leaders my employ when managing a virtual team is establishing clear work
systems. Works systems can be a charter that explains the team’s mission, a business problem
the team has been assigned to solve, or the team’s objective. It should clearly define each team
member’s role, how decisions will be made, and the decision-making process should be outlined
and understood by everyone. Ensuring everyone on the team is in agreement with defined work
systems and long term goals, aids in having and managing a more productive virtual team.
Effective communication platforms are also essential. “A new idea dies unless it finds a
breeding place” (Kratzer, et. al., p. 8, 2003). Establishing the right communication format or
“breeding place” for a virtual team aids in team success, and minimizes challenges regularly
associated with virtual teams. Factors which determine the most effective means of
communication depend on the group’s size, familiarity with technology, time zone, cultural
differences, language barriers, and the actual subject matter just to name a few. Communication
technology used most often includes, message boards, instant messaging, emails, and web

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conferences. The group must identify how to communicate in the absence of traditional cues,
how to interpret tone, non-verbal cues such as the interpretation of not responding, how to relate
to team members of the same or various cultures, and how to relate to people not comfortable
communicating in writing. In light of these challenges, standardizing communication can help to
focus and build confidence in the virtual group. In addition, the use of technology can reduce
time spent providing the same instruction to all members of the group, gain support, help team
members connect with the mission, and promotes team unity. In relation to communication
platforms, interpersonal skills are another very important part of communicating in a virtual
group setting. Actively listening, understanding another’s point of view, and freely sharing one’s
ideas will help the growth of the team. Input should always be asked in a manner which
encourages open dialogue and is not offensive keeping diversity in mind. Leadership may
provide soft-skills training to guarantee team members possess the required communication
skills. “Through effective communication building on the knowledge of the various team
members, teams facilitate the exchange of information and create new knowledge and insights”
(Kratzer, et. al., p. 8, 2003).
In addition, scheduling regular meetings with team members is an essential tool leaders
can use to establish team cohesion. These meetings can set precedence for quality of work, build
team identity, and clarify organization mission and goals. Ideally, meetings should occur on the
same day and time each week and help the members better execute tasks assigned. Further,
regular team meetings help foster trust and build relationships, which are the foundation of an
effective team. Regularly scheduled meetings also give the team a chance to clarify tasks and
processes. Not meeting regularly, or acculturating the importance of the meetings, may cause
pitfalls in productivity. Finding the most effective and accessible communication technology will

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make scheduled meetings more productive, help establish a battle rhythm, track commitments,
and clarify confusion or issues in a timely manner. It should be noted, regular meetings don’t
need to be lengthy to be effective. Setting meetings in fifteen minute increments can still achieve
a desired goal while accommodating individual group members outside obligations. The purpose
of meeting with team members regularly is to evaluate the team’s success based on leadership’s
directives. It also, “… helps to identify issues before they become full-blown problems” (Combs
& Peacocke, 2007, p.28). Finally, meetings are an important part of bringing teams together
through human interaction. Whether they’re held weekly or daily, meetings allow everyone to
clear the air and check in on progress.
Leaders should also establish clear and detailed deliverables the team can reflect on and
use as a resource. This includes expectations the group will adhere to as they complete projects,
timelines that need to be met, and most importantly what needs to be produced or provided to
meet the goals of leadership and the organization. Deliverables should not be subjective in order
to maintain consistency and allow the group to be on the same page. Communicating these items
clearly will mitigate confusion and conflict as projects progress. To assist with accountability,
details of the project should be listed for all members to review. Not only will this aid in
accountability, it will allow team members to assist each other as they discover their strengths
and weaknesses as a team leading to team member satisfaction.
While leaders are establishing tools and structures of the team, standards for professional
behavior should also be considered. Workplace culture at each branch and geographical location
will differ; however, universal guidelines for what is deemed appropriate professional behavior
for the virtual team will need to be defined and communicated to all members by leadership.
Professionalism may be codified in workplace ethics policy setting guidelines for behavior of

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each team member. Having this structure in place should create job satisfaction as individuals
hold themselves and team members to the same standard (Sharma, 2013). Additionally,
professionalism should include meeting deadlines, appropriate conversations and communication
across the team and being actively engaged in the project.
Video call will be selected over chatting and emails as with the help of video calling the
main benefit is received is that the communication process can be performed in a better manner.
Sustained competitive advantage is also received in case of using video calling. Thus is what
separates video calling from other communication modes. The fact that with the help of video
calling better expression can be made rather than performing chatting or emailing. Emailing acts
as a more formal mode of communication; however, performing video calls ensures that the
communication process is more effective (Jangam et al., 2015). However, finding the right
people to work with helps in understanding the fact that better management of the work process
can be made. This is one of the major factors that better understanding of the working process
can be made. Hence affectivity in the operational process ought to increase. Again it can be
stated that usage of project management can be made in a proper manner. This usage of the
project management tool will ensure that the operational process will be getting better.
Scheduling process also gets better with the help of the project management tool (Sambath,
Abdurahman & Suryani 2016). Resource allocation has been another significant benefit that has
to be considered. Proper planning is a significant benefit that is received.
Choose (video) calls over chatting and emails
1) Find the right people to work with
2) Use project management tools

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The overall organizational structure of the virtual team must also be determined. In
regards to organizational structure, virtual teams may benefit from the establishment of a
meritocratic system. Meritocracy or a meritocratic system is a system that rewards the best
people and ideas. A meritocratic system is usually embraced by organizations that want to foster
and build engagement among their employees as well as encourage leadership, and could be
ideal for a virtual team. In a meritocratic system everyone is encouraged to express their opinions
openly and often. This allows for an influx of ideas that can be weighed against each other so
that the best decision can be made. Another key element of meritocracy is that there is no
decision by consensus, not everyone gets a vote. While everyone gets a voice some are listened
to more than others. Herein lies the problem with meritocracy. Who gets to decide which ideas
are best? What qualifies them to make those decisions? In most organizations those that have
earned the right and build a reputation are the ones that get heard. There is usually a history of
contributing good ideas and going above their normal jobs have better odds of getting heard and
ideas deemed the best. A meritocratic system in an organization does not happen overnight, just
like a person will take time to build a reputation and trust among peers and forge their own path
to leadership within their organization.
Differentiation is a team or group of individuals that splits off from the main parent
culture of the organization and creates their own culture. Companies can be differentiated based
on departments, such as the sales department will have a different approach to their task
compared to the accounting department. Also, can be differentiated based on product lines, such
as a brewery differentiated based on the types of beer they are brewing with each beer line
having its own sales group and accounting group all under the parent company. In situations like

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this the team or teams involved will benefit from creating their own culture and create a sense of
team identity.
Additionally, team member integration is incredibly important for a virtual team. Because
team members may not have the opportunity to interact regularly in person, it is important that
virtual team members understand the mission and goals of the organization, that they are
acculturated early on, and that they clearly understand the importance of their role in the success
of the organization. In order to integrate virtual team members into the organization, a formal
orientation program should be implemented (Mortensen, 2015, p. 4). Orientation programs may
include briefings on organization structure and history, networking with management or could be
computer based, if necessary. This will ensure new team members understand the culture and
behavioral norms of the organization, and in turn are more readily integrated into the
organization. In addition, new employees should be matched with a sponsor or mentor.
Leadership may also integrate employees through rituals, reward systems, rules and policies and
mission and vision statements.
Further, tools and structures outlined above will lead to formalization of the virtual team.
Within the workplace, individuals or teams may perceive the thought of formalization as
something that hinders success or timely work. While formalization may initially add time when
completing a project, it has the potential to lead to organizational effectiveness as well as
administrative efficiency if used appropriately (Chen & Rainey, 2014). Formalization should be
used to best assist members of virtual teams with identifying their roles to avoid overlap on
projects and conflict within the group. This will also establish procedures set by leadership that
should be followed when issues come about. Leaders must take this task seriously so that all
information is clear and fits the needs or obligations of the organization.

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Centralization refers to the distribution of decision making authority. Multiple factors
determine whether decisions should be made by management versus empowering employees to
make decisions through collaboration. Based on the skill and talent base, virtual teams may
require implementation of both centralized and decentralized management styles throughout the
life-span of the organization. “…technologies that vary in terms of clarity, predictability, and
efficacy. Tasks high on these dimensions are more likely to be centralized” (Alverez & Robin,
2001, p. 2011). Centralization helps maintain control, but as virtual teams become larger,
decision making authority must often be decentralized. In a centralized organization, strategic
decisions are generally made by leadership while lower levels team members simply implement
the operational mission and goals set by leadership. Therefore in this case, decision making
power remains in the hands of leadership. On the other hand, decentralization is a systematic
delegation of authority to all levels of the virtual team. In a decentralization virtual team, top
management retains authority for major decisions and framing policies, but authority for lower
level decisions may be delegated to middle and lower levels. The degree of centralization versus
decentralization of a virtual team will depend upon the amount of authority delegated to the
lowest level.
e) Mechanistic versus organic design
There is a certain difference between the mechanistic and organic process. The
differences are that in the case of the mechanistic process, individual specialization can be made.
In this process, employees work separately and hence wise proper specialization in the working
process can be brought in (Li et al., 2017). Whereas, in the case of organic strategy, complex
integration of the mechanism is selected. Task forces, as well as teams that are primary and
integrating into nature, are considered. Again in the case of Mechanistic, hierarchy of authority is

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well maintained. Whereas in the case of Organic, complex integration mechanism is
implemented, which also acts as an integrating mechanism. Centralization is used in mechanistic
section, whereas decentralization is the main aspect that is considered. Standardization is the
technique that is used in the processing of the mechanistic processing, whereas mutual
adjustment technique is considered for the organic section.
As teams progress they must keep in mind that challenges will come about and take
proactive steps to combat each challenge they face. One significant challenge facing virtual
teams is the absence of team identity. A lack of a team identity can lead to a “us vs.or them”
mentality and social distance for team members, and as a result negatively impact effectiveness.
In turn, this influences what team members know about each other and how they view each
other, it also impacts transactive memory, and slows workflow. To counteract this negative
effect, leaders should establish a clear model of team effectiveness by which organization
progress is measured. In addition, reinforcing the team’s shared mission and commonalities is
essential (Mortensen, 2015, p. 4). In order to build team identity, leaders may use some of the
tools identified previously such as establishing clear work systems, utilizing effective
communication tools, meeting regularly, and creating a professional work environment.
Another challenge of virtual teams is that everyone has different preferences when it
comes to communication. Some people prefer to be reached via email while others do best with
instant messaging. Effectively managing the communication style of each member of the virtual
team, and creating a structure that supports collaboration is essential. As previously mentioned, it
is important to have clearly defined standards, and an online workflow that supports the process.
There are many online tools that allow teammates around the world to collaborate with ease.
There’s no one tool that will work for everyone, but many virtual teams have found having a

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central hub for information to be helpful. When working in a physical office, it is hard to ignore
obvious gaps in necessary technology. Your teammates will thrive when giving an efficient
access to have access to such technology that allows easier access to communicate and express
ideas. Slow response times is poor communication. To maintain the most efficient workflow
possible, it is necessary to keep a set schedule for meetings to communicate business ideas and
other communication. All teams must operate under certain deadlines and schedules. If progress
is being slowed by time zone differences, a structure must be set up to support everyone. Each
member should join the team understanding that their flexible work location does come with
some structure. Doing so will prevent delays and other setbacks from happening in the future.
When virtual teams work on vastly different schedules, everyone must compromise. This means
some people may need to log in to work extra early on a Monday “morning” to be able to meet
with the rest of the team in their geographical afternoon.
1) Inability to resolve conflicts
Virtual teams also tend to suffer a lack of participation as time goes on. People easily
become bored due to the lack of face to face interactions. Creating a “high-touch” system, a
system that integrates and aids in communication to replicate dynamic face to face interactions,
can aid in mitigating this problem. The use of instant messaging systems and video
teleconferencing calls can also aid in replicating the face to face interactions that virtual teams
lack. These tools facilitate simultaneous communication which could be used to replace the
talking in the halls, having a face to face meeting or walking to someone's desk to ask a question.
Truly leveraging these tools is the key to overcoming a lack of engagement in virtual teams.
Another investment for virtual teams is to have an actual face to face meeting once a year. This

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cost a lot of money and time but on this meeting relationships can be built, buy-in can be created
from team members and a sense of community is shared.
Moreover, ineffective leadership is a challenge often experienced by virtual teams.
Ineffective leaders may not be fully aware of what the team is focused on, consistent or potential
issues or even accomplishments of the group. Leaders must be actively involved without
micromanaging to allow for open communication. They must also be able to receive constructive
criticism from group members. While the hope is that team members feel comfortable to express
issues or concerns, the group leader must be able to take a step back to examine the team as a
whole and its progress. After review of feedback and necessary changes have been implemented,
the leader should be prepared to provide clarification of the project requirements or goals should
issues continue. If it is an issue with the team members themselves, the leader should proactively
approach the conflict or issue to gather the best solutions possible for all parties.
In conclusion, virtual teamwork is not always an easy task. However; as discussed,
establishing clear work systems, utilizing effective communication tools, meeting regularly, and
creating a professional work environment can help leadership address these challenges. Further,
in order to keep the group on track, progress should be evaluated regularly to ensure that they are
on the right path and nearing completion of the project. Teams should have scheduled check-ins
to update other members on their progress with the assignment, provide feedback and to relay
any information that has come from management or the leadership team. It is the responsibility
of leadership to ensure the appropriate tools and resources are available to meet mission
requirements. By providing training, mechanisms for regular communication, and clear goals,
processes, and procedures leaders can foster teamwork among virtual teams. And finally, making
the workload reasonable and the goals clear will help keep a team on task. Being realistic and

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logical in setting goals with room for imperfection will help build confidence in the teams’
members and allow for an open flow of creativity and motivation to accomplish those goals.
Leadership is responsible for clearly and regularly communicating goals and managing
workflow.
2. Miscommunication is another issue that is faced in the processing of the virtual team
operational process. In this case the communication is not performed in direct manner as face to
face communication establishment is not possible. Hence mode of communications that can be
chosen for this project are namely e mailing and other virtual methods. However usage of video
calling will be acting beneficial. 2. Miscommunication is another issue that is faced in the
processing of the virtual team operational process. In this case, the communication is not
performed in direct manner as face to face communication establishment is not possible. Hence
the mode of communications that can be chosen for this project is namely emailing and other
virtual methods. However, the usage of video calling will be acting beneficially.
3. Transparency will be one of the significant aspects that are to be considered. Due to improper
communication process, transparency in between the team members are not present.
4. Few of the members might be feeling devalued in the process. This might create an improper
communication process.
5. Trust issues might arise in this case. This might be affecting the functionality of the process.
This ensures that proper assessing of the tasks might not be performed (Painter et al., 2016).
3. Transparency will be one of the major aspect that is to be considered. The main aspect that is
to be considered that due to improper communication process the transparency in between the
team members are not present.

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4. Few of the members might be feeling devalued in the process. This might create an improper
communication process.
5. Trust issues might arise in this case. This might be affecting the functionality of the process.
This ensures that proper assessing of the tasks might not be performed.

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