One of the most useful things I learnt about groups and teams while studying for B628 was the concept of the virtual team. I had been managing a small virtual team myself, and was experiencing many problems.
The section on virtual teams in chapter 8 of the B628 course book was invaluable for me in learning how to avoid similar problems in the future, and in fact my second TMA for B628 was about resolving a virtual team problem.
Some of the key needs of a virtual team:
- Building an maintenance of trust between members.
- Accountability of individual team members.
- Clear and distinct team identity.
- Multicultural considerations.
There are lots of tips in the chapter on how to address these key needs. Well worth revising on a regular basis.
I’m hoping that one of my next courses, B325 Managing across organisational and cultural boundaries, will go into this in much more detail – making me something of an expert in managing virtual teams!
