There are special leadership challenges for virtual teams that in-person teams don’t face.  However, they can be overcome to make virtual teams high performing.

Challenges facing virtual teams

• Trust in each other’s capabilities may need to be taken “on faith” initially.
• Accountability to adhering to clear rules of behavior
• Differences (real or perceived) in status of team members
• Differences (real or perceived) of culture, gender, and other potential power distinctions among team members
• Equitable sharing of tasks
• Sharing of tasks based on individual team members’ own capabilities and skills

Role of leadership in overcoming challenges

• Selection of appropriate team members by the outside SuperLeader
• SuperLeader presents written team agreement to each member. Agreement includes initial rules of behavior and procedure for conflict resolution. Agreement may be amended or revised by the team during the life of the team project.
• SuperLeader continually encourages team disciplines and self-leadership throughout the life of the team
• SuperLeader refrains from micro-managing the team.
• SuperLeader advocates for the team within the organization as a whole.
• SuperLeader reminds team of each member’s commitment to the team purpose, task, and disciplines, and reminds members of each other’s capabilities and skills if team cohesion begins to weaken
• Each team member exercises self-leadership.
• Each team member submits himself or herself to team disciplines

Result: A High Performance Virtual Team!