Virtual Team Building and Management Corporate Training Materials

1. Virtual Team Building and Management Corporate Training Materials

2. Module One: Getting Started Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other John F. Kennedy • When we learn how to manage our local teams, as well as our virtual teams, we can form a group that works together to increase productivity and provides a new perspective on any project.

3. Workshop Objectives

4. Module Two: Setting Up Your Virtual Team (I) Management by objectives works if you first think through your objectives. Peter Drucker • One of the key challenges in managing a virtual team is creating one in the first place. The manager must find employees that can work well under minimal supervision and can function with different types of technology.

5. Choose Self-Motivated People with Initiative

6. Face to Face Meetings at First (Kick-off Meeting)

7. Diversity Will Add Value

8. Experienced with Technology

9. Case Study

10. Module Two: Review Questions • What is one characteristic of being self-motivated? • Being flexible • Being emotional • Able to type 35 WPM • Always on time • A self-motivated person usually does what? • Stays late at the office • Makes lots of friends • Takes multiple vacations • Makes regular goals

11. Module Two: Review Questions • What is one advantage of having an in person kick-off meeting? • Employees can stay in a nice hotel • Employees are able to ask questions in person • Managers can write off the expenses • Managers can hold longer meetings • Which of the following is one to hold an employee kick off meeting if it can’t be done in person? • Having an instant message session • Talking by email • Using video conference chat • Holding a conference phone call

12. Module Two: Review Questions • What is one benefit of having a diverse virtual team? • It offers different points of views • It allows for a higher turnover rate • It allows the company to receive a discount • It allows for employees to learn another language • Teams are diverse because ___________________. • Every member drives a different car • Every member works together for one goal • Every team member is different • Every member lives in another location

13. Module Two: Review Questions • What is one reason technology is so important on a virtual team? • It proves how skilled they are • It keeps them separated so they can work quietly • It’s the only way to complete an assignment • It’s the main method of communication • Which of the following is a form of using technology to communicate? • Mailing a letter • Sending an email • Jotting on a sticky note • Passing out a memo

14. Module Two: Review Questions • What hesitation did Janet have when creating her virtual team? • She couldn’t find anyone smart enough • She wondered if the employees would get along • She didn’t want to manage a big group of people • She wondered if the employee could handle the work load • What is one way Janet searched for new team employees? • Searched through company files • Put an ad on the internet • Made a phone call to human resources • Asked the other managers what they thought

15. Module Two: Review Questions • What is one characteristic of being self-motivated? • Being flexible • Being emotional • Able to type 35 WPM • Always on time • Self-motivated people know they need to be flexible to achieve their goals and stay on track. When something doesn’t work out as planned, a self-motivated person will be able to work through it. • A self-motivated person usually does what? • Stays late at the office • Makes lots of friends • Takes multiple vacations • Makes regular goals • A self-motivated person stays motivated by making regular goals and working to achieve them.

16. Module Two: Review Questions • What is one advantage of having an in person kick-off meeting? • Employees can stay in a nice hotel • Employees are able to ask questions in person • Managers can write off the expenses • Managers can hold longer meetings • A face to face kick off meeting not only allows employees to meet each other, but it allows them to ask questions and clarify anything they do not understand before they begin their assignment. • Which of the following is one to hold an employee kick off meeting if it can’t be done in person? • Having an instant message session • Talking by email • Using video conference chat • Holding a conference phone call • Kick off meetings are best done in person, but if they can’t be done in person then a video conference chat is another method that can be used since it allows everyone to see each other and converse back and forth.

17. Module Two: Review Questions • What is one benefit of having a diverse virtual team? • It offers different points of views • It allows for a higher turnover rate • It allows the company to receive a discount • It allows for employees to learn another language • A diverse team of people is beneficial because it allows each member to present a different opinion or different point of view on a project/assignment. • Teams are diverse because ___________________. • Every member drives a different car • Every member works together for one goal • Every team member is different • Every member lives in another location • Any team, virtual or in person, is diverse because each member is different and has different opinions and viewpoints.

18. Module Two: Review Questions • What is one reason technology is so important on a virtual team? • It proves how skilled they are • It keeps them separated so they can work quietly • It’s the only way to complete an assignment • It’s the main method of communication • For a virtual team, technology is the main form of communication between team members, such as email, instant message or even a simple phone call. • Which of the following is a form of using technology to communicate? • Mailing a letter • Sending an email • Jotting on a sticky note • Passing out a memo • Electronic communications, such as email, is one way a virtual team uses technology to stay connected and communicate regularly.

19. Module Two: Review Questions • What hesitation did Janet have when creating her virtual team? • She couldn’t find anyone smart enough • She wondered if the employees would get along • She didn’t want to manage a big group of people • She wondered if the employee could handle the work load • Janet knew that working on a virtual team can be hard work, and she was unsure if some of her employee choices could handle the work. • What is one way Janet searched for new team employees? • Searched through company files • Put an ad on the internet • Made a phone call to human resources • Asked the other managers what they thought • Janet searched through company files to find employees that had successful work records and who had a history of doing a good job.

20. Module Three: Setting Up Your Virtual Team (II) Coming together is the beginning. Keeping together is progress. But working together is success. Henry Ford • When establishing your virtual team, it’s more than just employee skills and abilities – you have to consider how they interact with each other and socialize in a group.

21. Personality Can Count as Much as Skills

22. Rules of Engagement

23. Setting up Ground Rules

24. Icebreakers and Introductions

25. Case Study

26. Module Three: Review Questions • Personality traits speak _________________ than skills alone. • Louder • More forceful • Softer • Half as much • Which of the following is considered a negative personality type? • The people pleaser • The helper • The gossiper • The assistant manager

27. Module Three: Review Questions • Which of the following could be considered a rule of engagement? • Finding out where the employees eat for lunch • Defining who to contact for help • Determining what to do in an emergency • Knowing when to go to bed • What is one example of a rules of engagement flow plan? • A chain letter • An employee directory • An email recipient list • A phone tree

28. Module Three: Review Questions • Setting up ground rules helps prevent what? • Team work • Absences • Conflict • Fun • Which of the following could be an aspect for ground rules? • Lunch menus • Equipment purchasing • Payroll deductions • Email usage

29. Module Three: Review Questions • Introductions are important to a virtual team because why? • Employees may not see each other another time • Employees can make judgments on their coworkers • Employees can decide who they want to work with • Employees will pick their permanent partners during this time • Which of the following could be considered and icebreaker topic? • What do you do in this company? • What kind of pet do you have? • Did you get last week’s memo? • Do you know what the dress code is for meetings?

30. Module Three: Review Questions • What is one thing Alex asked everyone to share with the team? • Their favorite vacation place • Their favorite food • The number of pets they have • Their mother’s maiden name • What is one of the ground rules Alex shared with the team? • Rules regarding food at the desk • Rules regarding dress code • Policies pertaining to vacation time • Procedure for calling in sick

31. Module Three: Review Questions • Personality traits speak _________________ than skills alone. • Louder • More forceful • Softer • Half as much • Personality traits speak louder than skills alone because they can better define a person and how they will fit into a position. Making a decision on skills alone is only getting half of the information. • Which of the following is considered a negative personality type? • The people pleaser • The helper • The gossiper • The assistant manager • The gossiper is a personality type that is characterized by spreading gossip around the office. This often causes confusion and even panic in the office.

32. Module Three: Review Questions • Which of the following could be considered a rule of engagement? • Finding out where the employees eat for lunch • Defining who to contact for help • Determining what to do in an emergency • Knowing when to go to bed • Determining who should be contacted for help is an example of a rule of engagement because it contributes to who the team should contact, for what and when. • What is one example of a rules of engagement flow plan? • A chain letter • An employee directory • An email recipient list • A phone tree • A phone tree is a type of rules of engagement plan because it outlines who should be called in a critical situation and defines in what order each person should be called. This ensures that every person is reached in a timely manner without confusion.

33. Module Three: Review Questions • Setting up ground rules helps prevent what? • Team work • Absences • Conflict • Fun • When ground rules are established from the beginning, it reduces the risk of future conflict since it can cut down on fighting or misbehavior. • Which of the following could be an aspect for ground rules? • Lunch menus • Equipment purchasing • Payroll deductions • Email usage • Email usage is a common topic that requires ground rules to be established. It defines how email should be used and outlines consequences for misuse.

34. Module Three: Review Questions • Introductions are important to a virtual team because why? • Employees may not see each other another time • Employees can make judgments on their coworkers • Employees can decide who they want to work with • Employees will pick their permanent partners during this time • Introductions at a kick off meeting are important to a virtual team because the employees may not get a chance to meet again during the course of the assignment. They will need to know each other if they are going to continue to communicate. • Which of the following could be considered and icebreaker topic? • What do you do in this company? • What kind of pet do you have? • Did you get last week’s memo? • Do you know what the dress code is for meetings? • Icebreakers are meant to make the employees feel more comfortable with each other and get to know each other better. A personal question, such as a pet or hobby, can make people feel more comfortable about opening up.

35. Module Three: Review Questions • What is one thing Alex asked everyone to share with the team? • Their favorite vacation place • Their favorite food • The number of pets they have • Their mother’s maiden name • During the icebreaker activity, Alex asked each employee to give their name, job title, and their favorite vacation spot. • What is one of the ground rules Alex shared with the team? • Rules regarding food at the desk • Rules regarding dress code • Policies pertaining to vacation time • Procedure for calling in sick • At the end of the meeting, Alex introduced the team ground rules, including the rules regarding employee dress code.

36. Module Four: Virtual Team Meetings Treat employees like partners, and they act partners. Fred Allen • Now that you have your virtual team assembled, the next step is to effectively hold virtual team meetings with all of them. Just because your employees aren’t at a table in front of you doesn’t mean you can’t communicate with them and guide them during a project.

37. Scheduling Will Always Be an Issue

38. Have a Clear Objective and Agenda

39. Solicit Additional Topics in Advance

40. Discourage Just Being a Status Report

41. Case Study

42. Module Four: Review Questions • What is one problem for scheduling a meeting with a virtual team? • Employee attitude • Prime locations • Different time zones • Employee needs • What is one way a manager can keep track of employee schedules? • Ask the employees every week • Keep a log or chart • Change their hours to fit the manager’s schedule • Color file folders

43. Module Four: Review Questions • How can managers ensure that employees are aware of the meeting agenda ahead of time? • Tell them at the beginning of the meeting • Notify one member to let everyone else know • Call each one and give them a summary • Email it to them before the meeting • It is important that employees know what about each meeting? • The purpose • The snacks provided • The possible location • The end time

44. Module Four: Review Questions • Why is it important to share meeting topics ahead of time? • So employees can make excuses not to attend • So employees can prepare themselves • So employees can decide where the meeting will be • So employees can decide if they want to go at all • When employees have a chance to add topics to a meeting, they feel they are what? • Being overworked • Annoying the manager • Changing the format of the team • Contributing to the team

45. Module Four: Review Questions • When the moderator of the meeting does all of the talking, employees can feel ____________. • Excited • Useless • Relaxed • Anxious • Meetings should be a time of group discussion, not ___________________________. • One-sided information sharing • Discussions about pay raises • Requests for a transfer • Personal discussions

46. Module Four: Review Questions • What is one complication Polly had with her first virtual team meeting? • Finding the appropriate outfit • Preparing employee evaluations • Scheduling a good time • Setting up the room • What was the last thing Polly wanted her employees to do before leaving the meeting? • Review a slideshow that recaps the meeting • Take time to discuss the meeting with other employees • Turn in their weekly report by email • Run a virus checker program on their computer

47. Module Four: Review Questions • What is one problem for scheduling a meeting with a virtual team? • Employee attitude • Prime locations • Different time zones • Employee needs • Many virtual teams can have employees in various time zones, which can make it difficult to schedule a meeting with everyone at once. • What is one way a manager can keep track of employee schedules? • Ask the employees every week • Keep a log or chart • Change their hours to fit the manager’s schedule • Color file folders • Sometimes the best thing a manager can use when trying to schedule an employee meeting is a chart or graph of employee work schedules in different areas. This will help them determine when a group of employees will be available.

48. Module Four: Review Questions • How can managers ensure that employees are aware of the meeting agenda ahead of time? • Tell them at the beginning of the meeting • Notify one member to let everyone else know • Call each one and give them a summary • Email it to them before the meeting • Giving a copy of the meeting agenda to employees before a meeting is a great way to make them aware of the topics being discussed and allows them to prepare anything they would like to contribute. • It is important that employees know what about each meeting? • The purpose • The snacks provided • The possible location • The end time • Employees should be aware of the purpose of a meeting and what their part will consist of before they attend.

49. Module Four: Review Questions • Why is it important to share meeting topics ahead of time? • So employees can make excuses not to attend • So employees can prepare themselves • So employees can decide where the meeting will be • So employees can decide if they want to go at all • Notifying employees of topics ahead of time is important so employees can prepare themselves to give any opinions or information about the subject. • When employees have a chance to add topics to a meeting, they feel they are what? • Being overworked • Annoying the manager • Changing the format of the team • Contributing to the team • When employees are able to add topics to a team meeting, they can feel as though they are contributing to the whole team and will be more likely to participate and listen.

50. Module Four: Review Questions • When the moderator of the meeting does all of the talking, employees can feel ____________. • Excited • Useless • Relaxed • Anxious • The purpose of a group meeting is to include everyone. If one person is doing all of the presenting and speaking, other employees may feel left out or feel as though their presence is not needed. • Meetings should be a time of group discussion, not ___________________________. • One-sided information sharing • Discussions about pay raises • Requests for a transfer • Personal discussions • Group meetings need to utilize the time together and actively discuss the topics. They are not best suited for one person presenting all of the information and not giving a chance for input or opinions.