Tips for Managing Global Teams in the Virtual World
Join me this week for my second webcast with hr.com on managing global teams this Wednesday, January 11th at 11am EST. Last October I shared highlights from my recent book, “A Manager’s Guide to Virtual Teams” during the Contract Workforce and Talent Exchange Virtual Conference. Please click hereto view that session.
In this week’s session, I will unveil the “5 Secrets to Engaging “Lost Riders” on Your Virtual Teams” and 
elaborate on ‘Lost Riders’ (someone who may be lost, missing or just avoiding you).
As a Virtual Team manager, have you ever asked yourself these questions regarding managing global teams?
• How can I tell if someone is really working?
• When a team member continually pushes back deadlines, how do I know if the reasons are valid?
• How long does it take me to detect that a team member is not fulfilling his/her responsibilities in a virtual environment?
• What can I do if someone stops responding to my emails and phone calls, and it just isn’t possible to stop by his/her desk?
• Is this team member lost, missing or just avoiding you?
Many clients tell me that the virtual environment makes it easier for team members to hide. Some members may take advantage of the lack of daily oversight and get ‘lost.’ The first clue is that deadlines are continually pushed back, and then deliverables aren’t produced for days, weeks, or months. The critical time to notice situations that could lead to potential issues is during the early phase of a new project or when a new member joins the team. Also, by keeping timelines for deliverables short in the early phases it is easier to catch problems. In fact, some clients find that short timelines work best throughout the entire life cycle of the project, not just at the beginning.
Whether you are a global project manager, an entrepreneur, a team-leading freelancer or a member of a virtual team I am sure that you have come across at least one unresponsive colleague. It’s not always easy to identify and handle such behaviors, which can lead to long delays or even conflicts.
During my webinar, I will share techniques for helping you identify and engage such ‘Lost Riders’. You will find your own rhythm to keep the communication flowing so the team can produce high quality deliverables for your organization.
Looking forward to your questions and examples of how you handle ‘Lost Riders’ when you are managing global teams. Enjoy!
