When I hear the word "team", I automatically think slugger in a Cardinals' uniform. My grandmother was a diehard baseball fan and I grew up listening to the Red Birds on the radio. (Yes, we had TV. Color TV. But she loved radio.) Business brought the concept of "team" from ball field to board room and high fives from the dugout to the conference table. Teams have always come together in a place...until now.

In the current business world, often out of necessity, Globally Dispersed Teams (GDTs) frequently supplant workers who used to come together in shared quarters. A recent study of 600 project managers found that 40% of their teams never meet in person. Gone is that informal "water cooler" moment which often provides breakthrough opportunities as well as social chitchat. In its place is a virtual reality, where the degree of trust and bonding among team members is a reflection of their own perceptions of what it means to be a part of this virtual team.

When we define WorkClimate, we talk about an employee's unique and subjective perception of their work environment. When we must rely on personal perceptions of what it "feels like" to be a member of a dispersed team, then creating a healthy WorkClimate becomes the leverage point for managing the performance of GDTs. And team leaders - the ones best able to exert the most influence on WorkClimate - will help ensure GDT effectiveness by focusing on three key factors of WorkClimate - clarity, a press for excellence and accountability.   

Clarity

Are members clear on the team's common purpose? Are they committed to that purpose? Do they understand their roles and responsibilities? Can they articulate support and/or coaching needs? Will they recognize when a goal has been reached? Do they understand how each team member's efforts, including their own, contribute to the team's strategy and success? Do they know how to send a message "upwards" when there's a problem or they need feedback?

These are questions we ask in building clarity for any team. But with GDTs, these questions need to be revisited on a regular basis, as long as the team is intact. And while technology often makes communication easier, it doesn't always make it better. GDT leaders have to work harder and more creatively than conventional team leaders to connect one on one and with the team as a whole. This can mean forgoing that quick email and picking up the phone for a real conversation. It might mean more frequent use of videoconferencing to make sure team members have a chance to "see" as well as hear one another. And it means making an effort to schedule face time, especially with team members who aren't regularly on the GDT leader's home turf. When it comes to GDTs, over-communicate with rich content.

Press for Excellence

Like any team leader, a GDT leader assures the performance standards for his or her group, ensures that team members understand what's expected of them - and then puts appropriate pressure on the team to continually improve, to develop and be the best. With a co-located team, it's easy for a leader to "check in" and reinforce these standards of excellence. In the case of GDT's, it can be "out of sight, out of mind" - there needs to be a more structured process to keep the team on track.

Accountability

Leaders want and need employees to feel a sense of membership and commitment to the team. Team members need to accept accountability for their share of the workload but this may not happen if they don't feel they have a meaningful and direct impact on the team's work. Again, the GDT leader must ensure that the varying lines of communication (email, conference call, video conferencing) remain open and that accountability to the overall team and to one another is discussed with significant clarity. GDT members will also need to be more proactive in surfacing issues or challenges when they first arise. They can't wait for their team leader to spot trouble.

It's the Future

Current conditions in today's market mean GDTs are not only here to stay but will become more prevalent. By leveraging the key areas of WorkClimate - clarity, press for excellence and accountability - leaders of GDTs can assure their unique teams will be as effective as any more traditional team that enjoys the luxury of bonding over morning coffee. Co-locate or dispersed, teams can adapt and thrive.

What's your experience with globally dispersed teams?