• Virtual team members must rely upon collaboration technology to communicate and collaborate.
• Management practices and approaches that work face to face do not always translate effectively in virtual contexts.
• Managers cannot rely upon spontaneous social interactions that happen organically when people are co-located to build meaningful and trusting relationships. Space and time need to be created in a virtual environment for this to happen.
• Observing an employee’s performance or development can be more difficult, and relying on others’ feedback becomes more critical for managing performance and development.

Our Advice

Critical Insight

• Managing virtual teams does not require developing new manager competencies. Instead, managers need to “dial up” competencies they already have and adjust their approaches.
• Setting clear expectations with virtual teams creates the foundation needed to manage them effectively.
• Virtual employees crave more meaningful interactions about performance and development with their managers.

Impact and Result

• Create a solid foundation for managing virtual teams by setting clear expectations and taking a more planful approach to managing performance and employee development.
• Dial up key management competencies that you already have. Managers do not need to develop new competencies; they just need to adjust and refocus their approaches.