Most of us have worked on a virtual team at some point in our careers. And we know that the success factors for virtual teams are the same as for regular teams: clear purpose and goals, complementary skills, mutual accountability, open communication, and valuing diversity. Because of the nature of virtual teams, which often cross functions, cultures, geographies, and a variety of enabling technologies, communication takes on a much bigger role in team success.
Barriers to communication
Communication is effective when the sender and receiver of information interpret that information in the same way. This is harder to achieve without the visual signals and immediate feedback you get when communicating in person. Add in different first languages, varied business cultures, and diverse frames of reference and, well, it can be a train wreck. Anticipate and resolve barriers to communication.
Tools that don’t work. If your web or teleconference technology fails during a team meeting it not only impacts communication, it impedes work progress. Thoroughly research and test communication technology before investing in it. Then test it again before each use. If you don’t, it will fail. Guaranteed.
Perceiving is believing. We each have our own “Ladder of Inference” (Chris Argyris, organizational psychologist) which shapes the way we interpret data. This ladder is based on our upbringing, our culture, our values, our life experiences, our education, etc. It often causes us to reach conclusions based on our beliefs rather than reality. Don’t assume! Ask questions to clarify. Recognize that everyone has their own “ladder” and strive to understand intent.
A shortage of characters. Let’s face it. There are ideas, information, concepts, clarifying statements, apologies, directions, kudos that cannot be expressed in 140 characters. Be concise, certainly. But use an adequate number of well-chosen words to say what you mean to say. Think about how what you say is going to impact the other person. Your attempt to be brief may be interpreted as being rude.
Tips for effective communication
Pick up the phone! In a virtual team situation it becomes very easy to rely on email or instant messaging to communicate. Especially when you’re dealing with different time zones or work schedules. Email is one-way communication! If the recipient misinterprets your words, they don’t have the benefit of your body language or tone to shape the meaning. And by the time they reply with a clarifying question the damage may already have been done. Pick up the phone! If there’s a chance of information being misinterpreted, if it needs to be discussed, if it’s bad news, if there’s an issue that needs to be resolved, pick up the phone. Engage in a two-way conversation.
Build and nurture relationships. On any team, conflicts are bound to arise. However, if you make the effort to build and nurture relationships on the team (did I say pick up the phone?) you’ll have a much easier time dealing with those conflicts.
Acknowledge diversity. Recognize and appreciate that individuals on the team bring diverse skill sets, experiences and ideas to the team. Acknowledge their varied communication styles and adapt yours to promote understanding.
Confirm understanding. End meetings and key conversations by confirming that everyone is on the same page and understands actions and next steps. Unlike wine, misinformation does not improve with age.
Till next time,
Karen
