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Effective communication in virtual teams [Industrial Management]
[August 28, 2013]

Effective communication in virtual teams [Industrial Management]


(Industrial Management Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) EXECUTIVE SUMMARY New technologies have enabled the rise of virtual teams. Teammates no longer have to occupy the same physical space to work effectively. This ushers forth a new class of problems that managers must deal with, such as teammates on different continents who never have seen each other and whose culture is completely alien. Since trust is the underlying factor in any successful manager's relationship with her team, managers must adapt to the new challenges with new techniques.



Scholars have been researching virtual teams since the early 1980s. With the passage of time and the evolution of technologies, the definition of what constitutes a virtual team has changed. The first definitions of virtual teams involved any contact via telecommunications technology. With the ubiquitous use of telecommunications today, the old definition is no longer relevant, as entire teams might never be in the same room together, instead corresponding and working together through e-mail, instant messages and video conferencing.

Location, culture, nonverbal communication and trust are the four factors that most directly influence whether a team can communicate effectively and fulfill its objectives. The physical location of team members is important in determining the methods and times of contact between teammates. Coordination is important in establishing an effective relationship, as is each team member s culture, particularly in multinational companies. Telecommunication costs have dropped, facilitating virtual teams with operators from multiple countries. The type of technology can influence how team members view each other s messages, often elimi- nating the nonverbal cues that carry so much information in face-to-face communication. These factors affect the final component, trust, which is vital for members to open up and convey their intentions without fear of judgment from other members.


Location: Not so simple anymore In the old days, location was simple: Teammates needed, in almost all cases, to be located near enough to meet with each other. Now, virtual teams can have members split all over the globe in different time zones, and members from the same physical location could work different shifts. This disparity can be split into two different dimensions, time and space. Time distance can be when members of the team are located in different time zones or if they're working on different shifts. Space distance is the physical distance between members. Technology can be used to eliminate some of the barriers created by the distance of time and space.

In "Geography Is Alive and Well in Virtual Teams," Jonathon ?. Cummings found that the closer a team is in terms of spatial and temporal distance, the more effective it is. While technology helps connect teams, his research showed that greater distances increase coordination delays, although time is a greater barrier than physical distance.

The greatest communication occurs when team members can contact each other directly without a delay caused by time zone differences. Web-conferencing is more effective than passive modes of communications such as email or voice mail. Time zones become a major issue when trying to create an effective team, as managers must account for time zone and work shift differences when scheduling meetings.

As Billie Williamsons 2009 BusinessWeek article put it, "Don't simply assume that everyone should adapt to your time zone." Managers should not establish favoritism by choosing one time. A rotating schedule would show that a manager respects the different schedules of his or her teammates.

Email or face-to-face Geography also factors into the method of communication. Many virtual teams will work through asynchronous communication, which lets members work at different times without having simultaneous contact. Asynchronous communication includes email and other Internet-based communications.

However, a case study by Gail Ludwig revealed flaws in asynchronous communication during a group project involving students. "Virtual Geographic Research Teams: A Case Study," from the Journal of Geography, discussed how solely communicating via email led to the free-rider problem. Ludwigs case study reported the experiences of a student who had what she called an "invisible partner," a common shared experience among the other students. The relative anonymity of email alienates team members and allows problems like this to fester. The method of communication chosen can create an additional temporal barrier. Managers should be cognizant of this and work to make team members feel a part of the organization.

Managers must choose the communication method that easily connects team members while accounting for the distance between them. Web conferences can reduce this distance by allowing team members to see and interact with each other. This is where scheduling conflicts involving multiple countries and multiple time zones crop up. On a blog for Psychology Today, Jennell Evans offered "8 Tips for Effective Virtual Teams." Evans suggested that managers should create initial team agreements that include the modes and schedule for meetings between members. By managing expectations from the outset, managers can create a framework that lets members communicate without creating resentment by forcing new methods onto them after the team has started.

Cultural diversity Technology and globalization have led to a multicultural business environment with subsidiaries, departments and allied corporations in multiple countries. Cultural diversity has both positive and negative aspects, Sandy Staples and Lina Zhao wrote in "The Effects of Cultural Diversity in Virtual Teams Versus Face-to-Face Teams," from Group Decision and Negotiation.

"Value in diversity comes from increased creativity, innovation and flexibility," according to their report, while "negative aspects of team diversity include communication difficulties, misunderstandings, decreased cohesion and increased conflict." Team members are able to work together better if they are culturally sensitive. Cultural sensitivity training is an effective method for allowing two-way communication within the team. Once members are aware of their enculturation and how it affects their decision making, they are able to understand other cultures and communicate with their teammates more effectively, according to Tom Verghese in "Virtual Teams and Cultural Diversity." Members can put teammates at ease by respecting the conventions of that culture. An example would be to add -san or -sama when addressing Japanese teammates, much like Americans may address someone as sir or ma'am.

According to a survey on virtual team management from The Economist magazine, miscommunications due to language and cultural differences are the issue that arises most in teams that are positioned globally. Language is our most overt way of communicating. But in a global environment, not everyone speaks the same language or has the same degree of linguistic proficiency.

Sergio Bogazzi raised an interesting example wherein his project was delayed because some team members were forced to use English instead of their mother tongue. In the beginning, these individuals were proactive and engaged. When forced to switch to English, however, they were pulled outside of their comfort zone and became withdrawn and reticent, Bogazzi reported in "Challenges Facing Virtual Teams." The project suffered as the members affected chose to move to an asynchronous method of communication because they were uncomfortable expressing themselves orally in English.

Although English is the international language of business and many countries have adopted it as an unofficial second language, some people are reluctant to speak in or are not proficient in English. Managers should recognize this fact. Differing levels of proficiency in English, or whatever language is chosen, could cause communication delays. Managers should adjust the schedule and possibly hire translators to compensate.

Nonverbal communication Many studies have claimed that 80 percent of all communication is nonverbal. In co-locational teams, nonverbal cues are an important part of communication.

"The lack of visual contact with virtual team members requires the manager to adapt his or her communication style and methods to fill the gap left by the absence of nonverbal communication such as body language and eye contact," Ann All wrote in IT Business Edge. There can be no misunderstandings about the projects goals, purposes and how to implement them.

Body language tells a person a lot of information not expressed explicidy in the verbal component of the message. A virtual team cannot depend on this, so emails and other nonverbal communications must be explicit. Virtual team members must communicate explicitly, clearly, concisely and quickly to avoid frustration.

Web conferences and teleconferences can help add nonverbal cues of posture and tone to team communication. Managers must decide whether these more expensive methods of communication are worth reducing the assumptions and barriers involved. Alternately, a manager can give clear guidelines about the type and depth of information required in written communications. Explicit instructions can help team members reduce mistakes and communicate more effectively.

Trust Trust is the bedrock upon which all teams develop synergy and become effective. In a traditional, co-located team, members can see and get a feel for each others quirks and personalities. Virtual teams must overcome this extra hurdle, since they cannot develop trust daily through "shared social norms, repeated interactions and shared experiences," as Sirkka L. Jarvenpaa and Dorothy E. Leidner reported in their case study "Communication and Trust in Global Virtual Teams." Their analysis separated teams into four groups depending on their initial and final levels of trust. Not surprisingly, the most effective teams shared high levels of initial and final trust. Effective teams displayed behaviors that included reliable and timely communication between members, international experience, a focus on the task rather than on a procedure, and had an involved leader. Trust was built when the team overcame the barriers to communicate in a manner that was oriented to the task, was clear, and was concise.

Timely communication involves a system that can overcome the time zone differences between team members. Exposure to international experiences allows members to acclimate themselves to different cultures and reduces the risk of cultural insensitivity that can become a barrier to understanding. Reliable and concise communication only exists when members have found a balance between what to express explicitly in the verbal communications and nonverbal communications. When all the issues are addressed, a team becomes an effective force that is greater than the sum of its parts.

What a manager should do Teams do not form in a vacuum. Virtual teams often are distinguished from other teams by geographical and linguistic diversity, adding an extra layer of hardship to the development of a successful team.

But team leaders can overcome this hardship with systems that are fair and equitable, meeting schedules that account for different time zones, and training members in cultural sensitivity. Although not a replacement for international experience, training lets members interact without committing a faux pas. Solid guidelines for methods and the structure of communication will eliminate confusion.

All this will develop trust within the team and in management. Managers who control these issues and ameliorate problems can build virtual teams that will flourish.

Technology can influence how team members view each other's messages.

Managers can create a framework that lets members communicate without creating resentment.

Differing levels of proficiency in ... whatever language is chosen could cause communication delays.

Rathtana V. Chhay has a bachelor of arts in psychology and political science and recently completed his MBA at the California State University, Fullerton.

Brian H. Kleiner is a professor of management at California State University, Fullerton. He received both an MBA and a Ph.D. in management from UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles).

(c) 2013 Institute of Industrial Engineers-Publisher

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