On the surface, the issue of language in virtual teams can seem like a relatively simple one to deal with, for many managers it is a case of nominating a common project language and tell everyone to use it for all correspondence and discussions. However, as in so many things, reality... read more →
Oct
14
Oct
07
Despite much discussion on the subject, a single clear and concise definition of just what a virtual team is does not really exist. Some will use the term to describe any situation where one or more team member is working remotely to the balance of the workforce, others will use it... read more →
Sep
30
The use of video conference equipment and the ability to hold effective video conference meetings is a skill that is essential in many modern organisations. The video conference takes many different forms, from one to one calls using laptop technology, such as is available through Skype, through to multi center... read more →
Sep
23
The most common form of synchronous communication available and used by virtual teams everywhere is the conference call, often referred to as the teleconference though for the purposes of this article I will use conference call as some individuals and organisation use the term teleconference interchangeably for video and telephone... read more →
Sep
18
From time to time, I come across a senior leader, manager or owner in a organisation who will happily tell me what a great and effective communicator they are. That, when they speak, everyone listens, and how they continually receive praise from their staff, telling them how well they get their messages... read more →
Sep
16
Unlike other forms of strategic planning, project strategic planing is, in many ways, a more straight forward and structured activity, largely because a project, by its very nature and definition is a finite exercise with a clear start, clear finish and hopefully a clear set of defined outcomes. As such, project strategic... read more →
Sep
09
Although a number of organisations use the terms virtual team and workshare in an interchangeable way, the two really describe different facets of the same activity. Worksharing is the way in which tasks are shared between members of virtual teams while the virtual teams are those who perform the shared work.... read more →
Sep
04
Virtual Team Dynamics is the term used to describe how the personal characteristics and interpersonal behaviours of members of virtual team impact the ways in which they interact, how they communicate and how they share the tasks required to successfully undertake their assigned work. Whether the virtual team is a continual,... read more →
Sep
01
One question that arises very frequently is around the size differences between a workforce for a co-located team and a virtual one, most particularly in a project space. Realistically, in business virtual teams, those teams that operate continually rather than project teams, which come and go, the size of the... read more →
Aug
28
Following on from my recent post on the strategic planning and implementation process I would like now to consider the technique of scenario planning and where it fits in the strategic planning process. The process was largely pioneered by Shell in the 1960's as a way to consider the impact... read more →