Page 254 - Managing the Mobile Workforce

developing your Virtual team � 233

complished (those decisions have to be set before the team is created),
and how success will be rewarded. Now choices can be made about
the type of tasks that will have to be accomplished; a plan of work;
the size of the team required to meet those goals; and the knowledge,
skills, and abilities that will be needed from team members.
Leaders of colocated teams should consider these issues too, but
the emphasis on norming for virtual teams should be considered right
at the very top and first part of the list. As leaders think through these
issues, they will also be considering how to implement their choices.
For example, if the leader wishes to use a particular meeting proto-
col, he or she should prepare that before the team is even formed.
With particular communication expectations, the leader should have
the protocols, equipment, and software ready and available before the
team is even formed. Unlike a colocated team, where leader might be
able to fake it for a while, a virtual team can get stuck, lost, or hope-
lessly behind very quickly if it doesn’t start right.

Forming
The norming process continues as members are selected for the team
and are introduced to other members. The virtual team leader se-
lects team members (either hiring, contracting, or assigning them)
based on what they can contribute to accomplishing the team goals.
As in all organizational work, this selection process is critical. Having
considered norms and expectations, the team leader can then con-
sider members who are likely to fit. Do they collaborate well? Are
they dependable? Do they share work values that will support team
standards? Do they work effectively with people who speak different
languages (if that’s a criteria)?
When interviewing potential team members, the team leader can
share expectations right up front, thus starting the norming process
before people are even selected. When negotiating for time commit-
ments, the team leader can share the schedule and deliverables, the
tools that team members are expected to use, and how performance
will be evaluated.