Editorial
Building and nurturing collaborative teams in today’s workplace is a challenge. It’s rare to find a team that works in the same place, on the same schedule, reporting to the same leader. More often, teams operate virtually, with geography, organization structure and culture all creating different kinds of distance. These are additional hurdles to building great teams — and yet our need for collaborative, high-impact teams is more important than ever. We need great teams to tackle complex global issues and to provide the social connection and relationships that make work a rewarding experience.
So what can we do? A huge step forward for leaders and their teams is to get everyone involved in “bridging the gap:” taking small but intentional actions to build bridges across the distance, sparking connection and fostering trust despite whatever separates us.
Here are five simple steps you and your team can take today to bridge the gap on your team.
Shift Your Team’s Mindset
Get people thinking about how to improve their situation. It's easy to sit around complaining about tech breakdowns or dysfunctional team dynamics. True leaders not only acknowledge these challenges but also lead their team towards better solutions. Start by clearly outlining what effective team communication could look like for your team and make it a priority. With this foundation, your team will begin to see a clear path towards improvement.
Related Article: Don't Let Distributed Work Kill Your Team Community
Embrace the Technology You Have
Most teams don’t need more technology; they need to embrace the technology they already have in a way that makes their lives better and their work easier. Tools such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom and other platforms offer a wide array of features that can make users’ lives better and their work easier.
Help your people level up the way they use that tech. Tech is part of the problem, when employees are unfamiliar or uncomfortable with a tool, but it can also be part of the solution. Your team may need to slow down, consider new ways of working and learn something new, but there will be benefits. Clear, timely, and consistent communication is key to bridging physical distances. By cultivating a comprehensive communication strategy, teams can streamline information sharing and improve coordination, making the most of the technology at their disposal.
Consider these strategies:
- Reserve 10 minutes of every hour-long team meeting for small-group breakouts. Ask a thought provoking question and let people share their thoughts in groups of three.
- Virtual brainstorm: Leverage a collaboration tool such as Menti to break up the monotony of meetings and capture everyone’s thoughts. People will be more engaged, and you can instantly capture and save both good ideas and concerns.
Set the Standard
The shift to hybrid work requires leaders to evolve beyond traditional command-and-control styles, and instead empower employees. Communication is more critical than ever in a distributed or hybrid team. You need to be clear and purposeful. Incorporate modern tools to facilitate interactions. It's up to you to disrupt the norm and manage your personal commitments, energy and time to set the example for your team.
Intentionally Foster Connection and Collaboration
Creating a sense of connection within virtual teams demands intentional, well-designed conversations. These discussions aim to share experiences, identify common ground and develop shared aspirations. By encouraging emotional intelligence and leveraging modern collaboration tools, teams can significantly enhance their performance. The issue often boils down to breaking old habits and cultivating new, more effective practices.
Cultivate Trust, Psychological Safety and Co-Accountability
Building a high-impact virtual team hinges on establishing an environment of trust. In a virtual workspace, trust evolves beyond mere reliability — it becomes the bedrock for psychological safety, empowering team members to speak up, share their ideas and voice their concerns without fear of retribution.
Related Article: Social Psychology Could be the Key to Collaboration
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Encourage a culture where team members not only feel secure but are invested in each other's success. This mutual investment fosters co-accountability, transforming individual contributions into collective results.
As a leader you play a pivotal role in building a safe environment by modeling openness, actively seeking feedback and showing genuine appreciation for your employees. Create a space where everyone feels valued and heard. When team members feel safe and respected, they are more likely to engage fully, offering their best efforts and innovative ideas.
Remember: High-impact virtual teams are not defined by exhaustion but by their ability to finish strong, eager for new challenges. When that happens, relationships often transcend the task at hand and lead to lasting social bonds and professional networks. This is the power of trust, psychological safety and co-accountability in the virtual workspace.
The future of work is virtual. Leaders who create a culture of trust, safety and accountability will be at the forefront, preparing their teams for the future by developing productivity, innovation and resilience.
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