This is the second blog of MSLD 631, and the topic centers around team D’s team charter (the team I am assigned to) and the important elements and behaviors that were a part of our team’s success. Let me just get this out front right now, my teammates are the best to date in the MSLD program. Each of them has support the team in every way asked and as a result we were able to turn our first assignment in several days before the deadline. This has not always been the case and was the primary reason why I felt a strong desire to get the team on good footing early.
Establishing the Tone Early On
The first few teams I
was associated with in the MLSD was not very enjoyable. A major factor in the
team experience being something I would not want to relive is that one or two
of the team members just did not want to go out of their way to support the
team. Team projects would typically get off to a slow start and in the end we
would scramble to get the project turned in on time. In one instance we were a
day late in submitting the team project. There seemed to always be at least one
that was dragging their feet and putting the team in jeopardy and it was always
one or two people leading the team. Brown (2011) paints a vivid picture of how
teammates are supposed to behave “A team is a group of individuals with
complementary skills who depend upon one another to accomplish a common purpose
or set of performance goals for which they hold themselves mutually accountable”
(p. 261). I thought to myself…we are in a Master’s degree program specializing
in leadership…and only a few people are stepping up?
By
the fourth class (third class with team assignments) my draft charter included a
team captain signup for each team project. Each team project had a blank space
next to the project name. The proposal was that each team member sign-up for at
least one project and whatever was left would be my project. I would make sure
I submitted my draft first in the team file area and announce that my draft was
posted so all my teammates would view the draft. All my teammates could then
see that my expectation for the team assignments was that everyone should take
a leadership role in at least one assignment. When team members wait to see who
will take the lead, meeting the team goal suddenly is made much more difficult
than it should.
The Challenges of
Virtual Teams
One of the challenges the
MSLD Online experience brings to the mix that I hadn’t really given too much
thought to is that our teams are virtual teams. “Virtual teams present some new
challenges in developing teams as the members of a virtual team may never
personally meet.” (Brown, 2011, p. 263). This could explain why people “wait”
to see who is going to lead? There is no body language to process, no tone or
voice inflections. Looking back on these events, I believe our groups may have
suffered from a type of virtual paralyses. While there is a large quantity of
research material on virtual teams, the impact of not having visual or audio
clues in a virtual environment as it applies to virtual teams was not
discovered in the small amount of time I had to research. My intention is to
continue to seek out as much information as I can on virtual teams in the hope
I can discover some research in this area.
One very important aspect of virtual teams is that establishing trust must be accomplished in unconventional ways since typically there is a lack of history of interpersonal interactions between team members (Brandt, et al. 2011, para 4).
The Meeting the
Trust Challenge of Virtual Teams and Breaking the Paralysis
I wish I could say that I
knew laying out the team projects for my teammates to sign-up for would
establish trust with my teammates, but this would not be true. Now that I
reflect on Brandt, et al. (2011), I can see that taking this action provided
the trust that was the missing piece and a primary cause for virtual team
paralysis that had plagued my previous teams. What exactly am I referring to?
In the proposal of each
team member signing up for an assignment (first come, first serve), whatever
assignment was left (typically the least desirable) would be mine. I believe that
this simple act of selflessness (being okay with the least desirable
assignment) provided the trust my teammates needed.
we were off and running!
we were off and running!
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| Team Threads |
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Canvas Team Meetings
Virtual Meetings -
A Key for Success
Our first virtual
meeting was in the Canvas Conference Room, and this was not an easy task to get
the group to commit to a particular day and time. In previous groups, team
members essentially refused to communicate in any other way but with email. “I
prefer email because I can respond at my convenience” was a typical answer. With
the draft charter and trust established, I didn’t give up so easily. Finding a
resolution that would best serve the team had to be the goal and virtual
meetings through Canvas has been the premier collaboration tool. My first move
was to ask what the availability of everyone was. I started. “I’m available M-F
6pm to 10pm. Sat-Sun anytime” Everyone responded and while there was not a wide window to get everyone together
there was a window. Thursday between
8-10pm.
We have had two meetings
already and they have been a huge success. Even with one student unable to
communicate through her microphone, she is able to listen to us and type her
responses. Canvas Conference offers a superior collaboration environment and
our team assignments should be a reflection of this.
Group Process Interventions
Our second conflict was with a team member who is overseas and is six hours ahead of our Eastern Standard Time (EST). One student warned me that he was a drain on the team in a previous class. The time difference is certainly a challenge. “The leadership challenges are increased when members represent different organizations and are located in different time zones and cultures.” (Yukl, 2013, p. 262). The challenge is real. The beauty of the Charter is that it alone provided resolution to this challenge. By allowing members to pick their assignments, this person selected an assignment that was easy to coordinate other than using the Canvas Conference tool. Allowing members to self-organize the projects has been a real blessing.
As
far as teammates who dominate the conversation or interrupt, there really isn’t
an attempt to
dominate by interrupting or by taking over the
conversation. Everyone exhibits good listening skills and is thoughtful when
replying to others. We really haven’t had any conflict to speak of as of yet. So
far I think the biggest threat to our group would be group-think. That being
said, there are at least two team members, including myself, that are quite
aware of the problems group-think can cause and the signs of group-think. One of the Canvas
Conferencing tools I have forgotten to use is the record tool. Recording each
session would help me reflect on the process interventions taking place as they
happen.
Summary
Getting an early jump on
the Team Charter and establishing trust by exhibiting selflessness, kept the
time to make decisions and the amount of problems from arising to a minimum. It
also gave us positive momentum that should carry our team all the way to the
end zone with a big score! We have meet the initial challenges of virtual
teams. Each project in MSLD 631 has a unique team leader. Will each leader step
up? Stay tuned!
References:
Brown,
R. D, (2011). An experiential approach to
organization development (Eighth edition.). Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Prentice Hall.
Brandt,
V., England, W. & Ward, S. (2011, Nov/Dec). Virtual Teams. Research Technology Management,
54(6), 62-63. Retrieved from
Yukl,
G. (2013). Leadership in organizations.
Boston MA: Pearson.
