<p><b>Introduction</b><b> 1</b></p> <p>About This Book 1</p> <p>Foolish Assumptions 3</p> <p>Icons Used in This Book 4</p> <p>Where to Go from Here 4</p> <p><b>Part 1: Getting Started with Virtual Teams</b><b> 5</b></p> <p><b>Chapter 1: The Big Picture of Virtual Teams</b><b> 7</b></p> <p>Embracing the New Virtual Team Reality 8</p> <p>Why virtual teams are rapidly growing 8</p> <p>Globalization effect 9</p> <p>Generational worker shift 11</p> <p>Sorting Out Virtual Team Concepts 11</p> <p>Understanding the Benefits and Challenges 12</p> <p>Noting virtual benefits 13</p> <p>Considering virtual drawbacks 14</p> <p>Jumping into the Virtual Workforce 16</p> <p>Having the right environment 16</p> <p>Maintaining balance and focus 16</p> <p>Building community 16</p> <p>Connecting using collaborative technology 17</p> <p>Appreciating team culture 18</p> <p>Practicing emotional intelligence 18</p> <p>Assembling a Virtual Team 18</p> <p>Managing a Virtual Team 19</p> <p><b>Chapter 2: Envisioning Virtual Teams in Your Business 23</b></p> <p>Contemplating Using Virtual Teams 24</p> <p>Thinking about these key factors 25</p> <p>Embracing the challenges: The five flaws of virtual teams 27</p> <p>Deciding Whether Virtual Teams Make Good Business Sense 29</p> <p>Finding a place for virtual teams 30</p> <p>Counting the real ROI savings 31</p> <p>Winning the recruitment and retention war 32</p> <p>Impacting the environment 33</p> <p>Deciding on Your Plan 34</p> <p>Defining purpose and goals 34</p> <p>Figuring out the roles to fill 35</p> <p>Communicating about virtual team adoption 37</p> <p>Setting Up Your Virtual Team for Success 38</p> <p>Having the right resources in place 38</p> <p>Arranging your remote office 39</p> <p>Establishing communication expectations 39</p> <p>Paying Attention to What You Need 40</p> <p>Size matters: small versus large teams 40</p> <p>Choosing the right technology 41</p> <p>Creating Connection and Community 41</p> <p>Connecting your virtual team to the larger organization 42</p> <p>Connecting virtual team members to each other 42</p> <p>Fighting isolationism on your virtual team 43</p> <p><b>Chapter 3: Preparing for Your Career as a Virtual Team Member</b> 45</p> <p>Deciding If Working Virtually Is Right for You 46</p> <p>Eyeing why virtual work is so attractive 46</p> <p>Recognizing the personal impacts of working virtually 48</p> <p>Predicting whether you’ll excel as a virtual team member 50</p> <p>Assessing your skills for virtual freelance work 52</p> <p>Proposing Virtual Work to Your Boss and Teammates 52</p> <p>Preparing your proposal 52</p> <p>Focusing on the benefits 56</p> <p>Addressing key concerns 58</p> <p>Determining Whether You Have a Workspace That Works 60</p> <p>Working from home 61</p> <p>Considering hoteling 62</p> <p>Becoming a globe-trotter 65</p> <p>Creating Your Remote Worker Brand 66</p> <p>Reworking your resume 66</p> <p>Building your portfolio 67</p> <p>Establishing your online presence 68</p> <p>Keeping current on the latest communication and collaboration tools 69</p> <p>Shopping for virtual worker–friendly clientele 70</p> <p>Focusing on healthy work-life balance 71</p> <p><b>Part 2: Building a Strong Virtual Team</b><b> 73</b></p> <p><b>Chapter 4: Planning Ahead for Your Team’s Success </b><b>75</b></p> <p>Defining Your Team Purpose 76</p> <p>Aligning with company vision and values 76</p> <p>Communicating why your team exists 78</p> <p>Having clarity around team priorities 80</p> <p>Considering what you want your team to be known for 81</p> <p>Choosing a Team Framework 82</p> <p>Using a framework that builds trust and mutual respect 82</p> <p>Letting your team decide 85</p> <p>Establishing Team Goals: What Does Success Look Like? 85</p> <p>Aligning virtual team goals with company goals 86</p> <p>Setting goals that are motivating, inspiring, and purposeful 87</p> <p>Understanding what resources are needed to achieve team goals 88</p> <p>Determining Team Member Roles 89</p> <p>Ensuring team members understand their roles and why they’re important 90</p> <p>Incorporating systems thinking to support how your team works together 91</p> <p><b>Chapter 5: Finding and Hiring the Right People</b><b> 93</b></p> <p>Attracting Your Virtual Team Talent 94</p> <p>Making your business attractive to teleworkers 95</p> <p>Composing virtual worker–friendly job ads 95</p> <p>Recruiting 0nline 96</p> <p>Hiring Based on Skill, Behavior, and Fit 97</p> <p>Hiring for skill 98</p> <p>Hiring for behavioral competencies and interests 98</p> <p>Hiring for cultural fit 100</p> <p>Seeking Out the Right Qualities in Virtual Team Members 101</p> <p>Determine whether they’re self-directed 102</p> <p>Be on the lookout for strong communication skills 102</p> <p>Specify the importance of engagement 103</p> <p>Holding the Candidate Interview 105</p> <p>Preparing for the interview 105</p> <p>Knowing what and what not to ask 105</p> <p>Discussing your expectations and theirs up front 107</p> <p>Evaluating responses 108</p> <p>Checking Out the Past 109</p> <p>Reviewing work samples 109</p> <p>Contacting references 109</p> <p>Making an Offer 110</p> <p><b>Chapter 6: Contracting with Contract Workers</b><b> 113</b></p> <p>Deciding Whether You Need a Contract 114</p> <p>Differentiating between an employee and independent contractor 114</p> <p>Figuring out a worker’s status if you still aren’t sure 116</p> <p>Choosing to Work with an IC: What You Need to Do 116</p> <p>Checking credentials 117</p> <p>Keeping records 117</p> <p>Knowing what to include in a contract 118</p> <p>Specifying compensation 119</p> <p>Understanding insurance requirements for ICs 120</p> <p>Clarifying contractor status 120</p> <p>Requiring a Nondisclosure Agreement (NDA) or Not 121</p> <p>Navigating the Legalities of Noncompete Agreements 122</p> <p><b>Chapter 7: Structuring and Assembling Your Team</b><b> 123</b></p> <p>Organizing Your Team the Smart Way 124</p> <p>How teams are structured 124</p> <p>The importance of frameworks 125</p> <p>Focusing on the Onboarding Process 125</p> <p>Creating an onboarding process that works for your team 126</p> <p>Using the buddy system 128</p> <p>Focusing on the first 90 days 130</p> <p>Establishing Team Values as Your Bumper Rails 132</p> <p>Defining your team values 132</p> <p>Living your team values 135</p> <p>Identifying Team Traits That Build Cohesiveness 137</p> <p>Having clear expectations for success 137</p> <p>Getting real with feedback and accountability 138</p> <p>Rotating leadership 140</p> <p><b>Part 3: Creating and Nurturing a Productive Team Culture</b><b> 143</b></p> <p><b>Chapter 8: Making Work Culture Considerations</b><b> 145</b></p> <p>Grasping Why Company Culture Is Key 146</p> <p>Recognizing toxic cultures and the mess they create 147</p> <p>Identifying a healthy culture and how to build one that thrives 149</p> <p>Taking Note of Your Existing Organizational Culture 150</p> <p>Commanding culture 151</p> <p>Energizing culture 152</p> <p>Supportive culture 152</p> <p>Analytical culture 152</p> <p>Deciding What You Want Your Culture to Be 153</p> <p>Building and Maintaining the Culture You Want 155</p> <p>Establishing principles to guide mindset and behavior 155</p> <p>Putting the right HR policies in place 156</p> <p>Pinpointing culture champions 157</p> <p>Noting the Benefits and Challenges of a Cross-Cultural Team 158</p> <p>Benefits of a cross-cultural team 159</p> <p>Challenges of a cross-cultural team 160</p> <p><b>Chapter 9: Managing Differences in Gender, Generation, and Culture</b><b> 161</b></p> <p>Managing Gender Differences 162</p> <p>Recognizing gender benefits 162</p> <p>Eradicating gender bias 163</p> <p>Connecting with the Generations on Your Team 165</p> <p>Working with all generations 165</p> <p>Tapping the power of baby boomers 166</p> <p>Redirecting Generation X 166</p> <p>Tuning in to the high-tech Millennial 167</p> <p>Meeting the new kids on the block: Generation Z 168</p> <p>Building Your Cultural Intelligence 168</p> <p>Getting to know your team members 169</p> <p>Sharing culture norms 170</p> <p>Practicing cultural sensitivity 171</p> <p>Offering cross-cultural training 173</p> <p><b>Chapter 10: Transitioning from Old-School Manager to Virtual Team Leader</b><b> 175</b></p> <p>Recognizing Which Leadership Style Works Best 176</p> <p>Examining what makes virtual team leaders succeed 176</p> <p>Determining if you’re a micromanager, coach, or hands-off manager 179</p> <p>Comparing control-based and trust-based leadership 181</p> <p>Playing in Your Sandbox 183</p> <p>Pushing the boundaries of culture and C-level expectations 183</p> <p>Knowing when to manage up 184</p> <p>Recognizing Common Virtual Team Issues 185</p> <p>Poor communication 186</p> <p>Lack of clarity, direction, and priorities 186</p> <p>Loss of team spirit and morale 187</p> <p>Lack of trust 187</p> <p>Lack of social interaction 187</p> <p>Tech issues 188</p> <p>Cultural clashes 188</p> <p><b>Part 4: Getting Your Team Rolling</b><b> 189</b></p> <p><b>Chapter 11: Establishing Best Practices of Engagement</b><b> 191</b></p> <p>Addressing Personal Disengagement 192</p> <p>Having a Meaningful Team Purpose 193</p> <p>Clarifying the why and how team members contribute 194</p> <p>Identifying values on your virtual team 195</p> <p>Recognizing virtual values 196</p> <p>Using Clear Goals and Expectations to Build Engagement 197</p> <p>Building Your Road Map Together with Team Agreements 198</p> <p>Understanding the top areas to cover in your team agreements 198</p> <p>Building your agreement virtually 199</p> <p>Conducting Virtual Meetings That Have an Impact 201</p> <p>Ensuring full participation and engagement 202</p> <p>Managing tech issues 203</p> <p>Practicing Virtual Meeting Etiquette 205</p> <p><b>Chapter 12: Building Trust and Rapport</b><b> 207</b></p> <p>Getting Started: What You Can Do to Build (or Repair) Trust 208</p> <p>Tallying the Leadership Trust Scorecard 210</p> <p>Setting the stage for trust to exist 211</p> <p>Practicing behaviors that build cohesiveness 212</p> <p>Leveraging Team Member Strengths 215</p> <p>Discover your own strengths first 216</p> <p>Recognize the strengths of team members 216</p> <p>Create opportunity for people to work on a project together 216</p> <p>Making Respect a Nonnegotiable 217</p> <p>Act as if you’re all virtual 217</p> <p>Gain understanding from each other 217</p> <p>Discourage cliques 217</p> <p>Address mistakes together 218</p> <p>Practicing Cultural Appreciation on Global Teams 218</p> <p>Giving Team Members Face Time 219</p> <p>Recognizing the importance of “in real life” (IRL) meetings 220</p> <p>Getting up to speed on IRL best practices 221</p> <p>Creating a Connection Culture That Transforms Trust 223</p> <p><b>Chapter 13: Adopting Best Practices in Communication</b><b> 225</b></p> <p>Identifying Four Components to Transform Your Communications 226</p> <p>Looking Closer at Text-Only Communication 228</p> <p>Examining the pros 228</p> <p>Considering the cons 229</p> <p>Using text-only communication effectively 230</p> <p>Providing Consistent and Frequent Feedback 231</p> <p>Establishing clear expectations 231</p> <p>Recognizing the importance of two-way feedback and performance discussions 232</p> <p>Giving feedback: The how-to 233</p> <p>Shifting focus from individual accountability to team accountability 234</p> <p>Establishing Best Practices with Communication Agreements 235</p> <p>Choosing appropriate communication methods 235</p> <p>Agreeing on expected response times 235</p> <p>Setting the rules for handling conflicts 238</p> <p>Choosing a problem-solving model 238</p> <p>Agreeing on a process for communicating outside the team 239</p> <p>Putting together your plan 240</p> <p>Establishing standards for meeting participation 241</p> <p>Utilizing the DISC Assessment Tool 242</p> <p><b>Chapter 14: Measuring Virtual Team and Team Member Success</b><b> 245</b></p> <p>Tracking Virtual Team Success 246</p> <p>Knowing what to track 247</p> <p>Recognizing the importance of tools when tracking 247</p> <p>Using data to coach your team members 248</p> <p>Measuring Data That Matters 249</p> <p>Looking at the results from an executive point of view 249</p> <p>Interpreting performance from a virtual team leader perspective 249</p> <p>Evaluating performance as a virtual team member 250</p> <p>Recognizing the Engagement Levels of Your Team Members 251</p> <p><b>Chapter 15: Training Your Virtual Team</b><b> 253</b></p> <p>Training during the First 90 Days 254</p> <p>Assigning a mentor to instill culture 255</p> <p>Utilizing communication tools for training 255</p> <p>Sharing information about your company 256</p> <p>Being organized and following up 256</p> <p>Keeping Your Team Members on Top of Their Game with Ongoing Training 257</p> <p>Using online training 258</p> <p>Paying attention to trends and practicing innovation: VR and AR 259</p> <p>Using teach-backs to build cohesion and advance understanding and mastery 260</p> <p>Evaluating training effectiveness 260</p> <p>Supporting team members who are struggling 262</p> <p>Tackling technology issues 263</p> <p>Training Your Veteran Team Members 263</p> <p><b>Chapter 16: Checking All Things Technology: What You Need to Know</b><b> 265</b></p> <p>Assessing the Right Fit for Your Team 266</p> <p>Focus on the problem, not the technology 266</p> <p>Avoid jumping on the latest trendy tool 267</p> <p>Make a checklist of features 268</p> <p>Go with tools that your team loves 269</p> <p>Include your IT department or tech guru in your decision 269</p> <p>Choosing Only the Essential Tools Your Team Needs 271</p> <p>Collaboration suites 272</p> <p>Project management tracking 272</p> <p>Workflow management and time tracking 273</p> <p>Shared calendars 273</p> <p>Meeting tools 274</p> <p>Flash polling 274</p> <p>Brainstorming 274</p> <p>Social media 275</p> <p>File sharing 275</p> <p>Cloud collaboration 275</p> <p>Mobile options 276</p> <p>Videoconferencing 276</p> <p>Chat and instant messaging 276</p> <p>Training Team Members for Success 276</p> <p>Using mentoring to help virtual team members get up to speed 277</p> <p>Introducing tools strategically 277</p> <p><b>Chapter 17: Rolling with the Changes</b><b> 281</b></p> <p>Adjusting to Shifts in Team Membership 281</p> <p>Boosting emotional resilience 282</p> <p>Using consistent communication to get on track quickly 283</p> <p>Regrouping around team goals, values, and priorities 284</p> <p>Building Relationships as a New Leader 284</p> <p>Onboarding strategies for a new leader 285</p> <p>Sharing cultural norms and styles 285</p> <p>Getting on Board with a New Team Goal 286</p> <p>Discussing the why 286</p> <p>Acknowledging successes and letting go 287</p> <p>Grounding Your Team after a Reorganization 287</p> <p>Recognizing the stages of change 288</p> <p>Practicing empathy and understanding 288</p> <p><b>Part 5: Best Practices in Managing Your Virtual Team</b><b> 293</b></p> <p><b>Chapter 18: Leading by Example</b><b> 295</b></p> <p>Building a Connection Culture 295</p> <p>Being a leader your team wants to follow 296</p> <p>Getting to know your team members 296</p> <p>Reaching out and building rapport 298</p> <p>Focusing On a Healthy Lifestyle 300</p> <p>Staying healthy when working virtually 300</p> <p>Starting your team wellness 301</p> <p>Maintaining boundaries 302</p> <p>Discovering Your Legacy 303</p> <p>Figuring out your legacy 303</p> <p>Leading authentically: The how-to 304</p> <p><b>Chapter 19: Understanding What Drives Motivation </b><b>305</b></p> <p>Differentiating between Engaged and Passionate Team Members 306</p> <p>Creating a Passionate Team 307</p> <p>The need to be respected 307</p> <p>The need to learn and grow 308</p> <p>The need to be an insider 309</p> <p>The need to do meaningful work 310</p> <p>The need to be on a winning team 310</p> <p>Using Positive Psychology to Create a Motivational Team Environment 312</p> <p>Understanding what really motivates people 312</p> <p>Using recognition as a powerful motivational technique 314</p> <p><b>Chapter 20: Managing Workflow and Execution</b><b> 319</b></p> <p>Starting Off on the Right Foot 319</p> <p>Clarifying How Work Flows through the Team 320</p> <p>Deciding on meeting formats to stay up-to-date 321</p> <p>Establishing communication guidelines 322</p> <p>Choosing the right collaborative tracking tools for your team 322</p> <p>Delegating Effectively to Your Virtual Team 322</p> <p>Eyeing the benefits to letting go 323</p> <p>Understanding why delegation fails: Leaders don’t let go 323</p> <p>Trusting in the process 324</p> <p>Holding team members accountable for deliverables 325</p> <p>Knowing How to Communicate Externally</p> <p>Regarding Team Progress 325</p> <p><b>Part 6: The Part of Tens</b><b> 327</b></p> <p><b>Chapter 21: Ten Predictors of Virtual Team Success</b><b> 329</b></p> <p>Having the Right Technology 329</p> <p>Hiring the Right Team Leader 330</p> <p>Hiring the Right Team Members 330</p> <p>Establishing Clear Team Vision and Values 331</p> <p>Aligning Team Goals with Company Goals 331</p> <p>Having a Solid Team Agreement in Place 332</p> <p>Using a Communication Strategy 332</p> <p>Agreeing on a Process for Team Workflow 333</p> <p>Using an Onboarding Strategy for New Team Members 333</p> <p>Actively Managing Executive Perceptions 333</p> <p><b>Chapter 22: Ten Signs Your Organization Is Ready for Virtual Teams</b><b> 335</b></p> <p>Having Champions on the Executive Team 336</p> <p>Having Empowered Leaders 336</p> <p>Leveraging a Supportive Culture 336</p> <p>Willing to Invest in Technology 337</p> <p>Addressing Issues Early 337</p> <p>Being Prepared for the Logistical Set Up 337</p> <p>Keeping the Team Focused 338</p> <p>Using an Onboarding Process 338</p> <p>Training Virtual Team Leaders 338</p> <p>Having a Clear Idea of Roles and Responsibilities 339</p> <p>Index 341</p>