Tools for Helping Your Virtual Team Be More Effective!

Virtual teams are a growing resource for entrepreneurs and business owners; providing excellent work without incurring the cost of a physical office, or company employees. Those who work virtually love the freedom and flexibility.

One of the best perks of working remotely is you have time to focus.  You make your hours.

But the downside is you can be lonely.  There’s a lack of camaraderie.  Thus, communicating with virtual teams is essential.

Conflict management and fostering connection, especially with the idea of the whole digital world is important– especially given that the number one challenge for virtual teams is communication.

A Forbes article talked about how all the companies who are successful using virtual teams had two common characteristics.  One was the quality of relationships and the second was the quality of communication

Not the quality of skills, or the expertise of the leader, or the funding that they had.

It was those two qualities– relationships and communication!

Leaders must ask themselves:

• “How can I bring together my virtual team so they feel like they have relationships with each other and the company as a whole.”
• “Am I willing to invest the cost savings in fostering connection and camaraderie between my virtual team members?”

Investing in your team to develop strong relationships and effective communicate will maximize effectiveness, productivity and ultimately profitability.

I have some of the favorite virtual team tools my clients and colleagues use when it comes to maximizing their communication and relationships with their Virtual Teams.

I would love your feedback and input: If you have experience with any of them, or even have tools you love – that I didn’t include –  Please post them below in the comments.   Thanks!