Working Virtually

by Hoefling, Trina

• ISBN13: 9781579220693
• ISBN10: 157922069X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-04-01
• Publisher: Stylus Pub Llc

Summary

Virtual working is a fact of life as companies manage teams of individuals dispersed on sites across the country or around the globe; take increasing advantage of improving technology and software to telecommute and teleconference; and begin to think about the human element in disaster recovery. The key to successful dispersed working is not technological expertise, but a clear understanding of what it takes to get the enterprise ready for virtual work, and of the skills for bonding individuals into cohesive, high-performance teams across distances and differences. This book provides that guidance - through work charts, vivid "composite" examples, definitions and actual cases - and shows how the technological tools support and expand the options for collaboration. It answers such critical questions as "What makes working virtually work?", "How do we start?", "How do you develop new leaders in a virtual environment?", "What skills do virtual managers and team members need?", "How do you determine how ready they are?", "Which technologies are most appropriate for your purposes?", "What's the impact on existing systems and structures?" This book is an indispensable practical guide and reference for virtual team leaders, HR managers, CEO's and trainers. It will also be suitable for professional certification and business courses in organizational development.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	xi
Introduction: The Virtual Workforce of the (Now) Future	xiii
Why This Book Now, Who It's for and What It Accomplishes
Are We Crossing the Chasm?
The Need---and the Readiness---Is Here
Transformational Concepts: Vital Mind Shifts That Make Virtual Work Succeed
SECTION ONE: DEVELOPING A SUSTAINABLE VIRTUAL WORK ENVIRONMENT
Setting the Intention and Defining Some Terms	3	(10)
Clarifying the Intention and Defining Some Terms
Virtual is Viable: Reframing the Organization, Environment, and Culture	13	(20)
Organizational Paradigms in Recent History
The Nudge Needed Isn't Always a Big One, But . . .
Can you Say, ``The Emperor Has No Clothes''?
Technology's Role in Setting Culture
Reframing Old Terms with New Meaning
Expanding Emotional Bandwidth: Building Trust in the Virtual Team	33	(14)
What Do We Think We Know about Group Dynamics and Trust?
Contextual Clues
What Organizations Can Learn about Trust from the Computer Generation
Navigate the Three-Fold Path toward Trust
The Alchemy of Trust
Systemic Considerations: Will it Work Here?	47	(32)
Organization Realignments and Considerations---New Vistas
Ready, Set, Jump?
Technology
Adding Virtuality---Workflow Tools
Minimal Tool Training
Work Environment and Culture
Business Processes
Delivery Systems
People
Overall Organizational Rollout
SECTION TWO: IMPLEMENTING VIRTUAL TEAMS
Getting Virtual Teams off on the Right Path	79	(24)
What Are the Critical Success Factors for Candidate Selection?
Other Factors to Consider
The Tao of Virtual Team Functioning: The Three-Fold Path
Virtual Team Formation
Team Development and Planning Process
Virtual Team Maintenance
Practical Guidelines for Virtual Communication	103	(26)
General Principles for Selecting Forum/Media
Team-Specific Communication Infrastructure and Communication Standards
Virtual Meeting Management
SECTION THREE: MANAGING VIRTUALITY
Virtual Management: What Are the Critical Success Factors for Remote Management?	129	(18)
Poof! You're a Virtual Manager
Virtual Team Member Development Stages
Team Development Stages
The Virtual Management Competencies
Walking the Talk of the Three-Fold Path
Learning From Some Trailblazers	147	(18)
Program Implementation Components---Lessons Learned
The Impact of Virtuality on Feedback Loops
At the Team Level, How Will I Know When It's Not Working?
Other Virtual Tips to Avoid Traps
SECTION FOUR: ORGANIZATIONALLY DISPERSED
The Evolving Partnership of Virtual Teaming With Knowledge Management	165	(12)
Virtual Teams as Building Blocks for Organizational Learning
Winning Hearts and Minds in the Spirit of Generosity and Responsibility: A Metaphor
Building Shared Meaning
Learning is Individual and Collective
The Magic Word Is . . . ``Network''
Knowledge Management for Dummies
What's Next?	177	(6)
APPENDIX: ADDITIONAL RESOURCES	183	(18)
Sample Tool A: Organization Development Virtual Readiness Interview and Focus Group Interview Questions
Sample Tool B: Virtual Team Member Readiness Self-Assessment
Sample Tool C: Virtual Team Manager Readiness Self-Assessment Checklist
Sample Tool D: Sample Team Development Process Checklist
Index	201