Page 256 - Managing the Mobile Workforce

developing your Virtual team � 235

learns new ways of accomplishing tasks. When things go well, the
team develops comfortable habits of working together. It’s the team
leader’s job to keep performance habits at high levels.
The more experienced the individual team members are in work-
ing virtually, the more able they are to contribute to this transforming
process because they have had occasion to work in many situations.
Therefore, there are more contributions (ideas and examples) they
will be able to make to improve team effectiveness. In such a situa-
tion, an experienced team leader will find ways to encourage more ex-
perienced members to mentor, or at least be role models for, members
who are less experienced. And every good team experience provides
opportunities to learn for all members.
Perhaps the most important crucible for transformation comes
from having challenging goals that the team can only achieve by
working together. It is by crossing difficult waters together that a
group of people becomes something much more.
Keys to transformation are relationship building, communicating,
organizational learning, problem solving, and beginning to develop a
team identity. The team leader needs to make sure that everyone feels
included and that no one is isolated. After a while, members of the
team will take over that role for the team leader, and he or she will
only have to support and occasionally facilitate member inclusion and
participation. Relationship building involves building community, in-
terpersonal relationships, and trust; it creates bonds between people
that will well serve the team during times of crisis, and will last in
many cases long after the team itself has disbanded.
The importance of communicating is an important theme in this
book, and it is essential for team development. Experienced manag-
ers of mobile workers, such as Zev Barsky and Brian Hoffmann, are
constantly communicating with their virtual team members, and in
a variety of ways. Communicating helps team leaders who may be
thousands of miles away to anticipate problems that may be emerg-
ing. Communicating helps team leaders provide feedback and keep
members on track. Communicating reinforces important norms such
as collaboration, respect, and initiative taking.