Working with Remote Teams

Overview

Nowadays, the members of a team may not all work in one place and they will contribute to projects across time and space.  Our course helps delegates achieve the same high-level performance in their remote teams as they can with their collocated colleagues.  Topics covered include a review of the tasks and behaviour of remote teams, an introduction to a Model of Culture, developing habits that facilitate trust and using technology appropriately.

Objectives

• Identify the behaviours and characteristics of high-performing remote teams
• Learn how to manage cultural differences between team members
• Understand the importance of building trust for remote-team effectiveness
• Know when and how to use technological tools to enhance communication

Course Content

Part 1: The Challenges of Remote Working
This opening session reviews the primary reasons for the increasing use of remote teams. 
Introduction to team dynamics: Review of the tasks and behaviours of teams during their ‘forming’, ‘storming’, ‘norming’ and ‘performing’ stage.  Team assessment.

Part 2: Cross-cultural implications of remote teams
Delegates are introduced to a Model of Culture to help them understand their own cultural preferences and how these impact on the workings of virtual teams.   They undertake a series of exercises to place themselves and their foreign colleagues within various cultural dimensions.

Part 3: Developing and maintaining trust
In a face-to-face environment, trust often takes time to develop.  In a remote environment, team members must learn to develop habits that facilitate ‘instant’ trust.  Delegates brainstorm the main factors for building trust and by use of a checklist, they consider the habits they can adopt for working co-operatively in a remote team.

Part 4: Communication in remote teams
During this session, delegates analyse how well their remote team communicates and what steps can be taken to improve team exchanges.  We also review potential causes of conflict and offer tips for avoiding online misunderstandings.

Part 5: Technologies for remote working
Using technology effectively is one of the great challenges of managing and working in remote teams.   Virtual technologies, however, must fit the capabilities of people, their cultural preferences and their need for appropriate social interaction.   We review the choice of technological tools available and provide tips for use of these tools.

Strategies for Working Effectively Together: Practical and useful tips that will help cement relationships and get the best out of multi-cultural working