Leaders of virtual teams require specialized assistance.

I am defining virtual teams as teams where leaders are in one location and department members are across the country or globe. If you look for training for virtual teams you will find 2 kinds of programs: those that are just team building programs redone for remote teams; and those that are especially useful for remote teams.

There are a few content areas that are critical for training leaders in leading remote teams - content areas that go beyond the typical team leader training.  If you are looking at rolling out remote teams or helping such teams to improve performance, some key areas to consider are:

A. Programs that address the special uses and application of technology.  Technology (email, web conferencing, i-project and blackberry's) poses a real challenge to remote team leaders.  On the one hand, it provides 'instant' reach around the globe, while on the other hand each technology has its benefits, limits and misuses.

One innovative program I have seen walks leaders through the use of various technologies and how they fit with different leadership situations.  This is done in a webinar format highlighting whatever technology the client company uses.  This shows first hand which technologies are best suited for which leadership situations.  By using the technology in a leadership context in a class, and discussing the uses & challenges, leaders learn how to maximize technology.

B. The impact of cultural differences on communication, delegation, and follow-up.  One remote team I know of had a leader in Boston and team in India, had team members who would not do anything without explicit instructions from the team leader.  They emailed or called every day with detailed questions. The US based leader was frustrated because he wanted them to take more initiative. This slowed down productivity immensely. The problem was due to different cultural assumptions around delegation and what is an appropriate level of autonomy.  Addressing these issues within remote team training upfront will greatly improve performance.

C. Programs that address the key components of a good kick-off meeting.  Most people now know that getting everyone on the remote team physically together at a kickoff to discuss goals, roles and communication protocols makes a HUGE difference in the success of remote teams.  However, if this is not done, it is still important to go back and address these areas to reduce problems.

D. Helping leaders develop a method for getting distant team members to take ownership and accountability for their responsibilities. Since it is often 'out of sight, out of mind' for both leaders and team members, a remote team leader needs to pay special attention to the way they agreements are made. Training programs can address this through web-based experiential activities.