How can you leverage communication skills in virtual team building as a leader?

Communication is the essence of personae, reflection and beliefs of one’s being. Communication is not a free flow of words alone, but it bears the stamp of one’s thinking, values, virtues, beliefs and philosophy. It can be transformatory, inspiring, soulful, and divine too. Personal experience makes reveals that communication is an important tool, which enables us to make objective changes in the lives of others. Those who pick up the essence of discourse and communication effectively elevate themselves to higher levels of understanding. Communication is a potent leadership tool, an important arsenal in the repertoire of leaders. It can enliven the spirit of the team, company, society and people at large for significant returns!

There are two different angles that you can consider: - goals and expectations for how the team will behave and work together (the “how”) - goals for what the team is trying to accomplish (the “what”) Strong leaders will then connect the “how” to the organization’s values, and the “what” to the mission & vision. I find it important to separate the “how” and the “what” into distinct conversations. Too often we skip the former - I’ve done so myself and need to remind myself not to. Behavior needs to be modeled by example, so ensure that what you set as behavioral goals is something that you can achieve yourself or risk being inauthentic.

At one of my organizations, my team and I worked through a leader-team contracting session. The team ‘requested’ certain items (such as support, communication norms, stretch projects), and ‘offered’ to inform leaders of issues in a timely manner, to partner with their colleagues to solve issues, etc… As a leader, I did the same, made offers and requests. We found we were 90% aligned - and we were able to focus the dialogue on clarifying the 10%. This activity supported our team norms and resulted in a very effective working group.

In virtual team building, being a leader is crucial. Good communication is the key. As a leader, you should talk openly, often, and include everyone. Use video calls, chats, and regular team meetings to work well together. Listening, caring, and being open to ideas matter. Your communication helps the virtual team succeed.

In today's world which is hybrid in nature and we have both working from office and working from home, in this kind of setup the best form of communication that has worked is the informal mode. Whatsapp is the way to communicate and instant gratifications seems to be working best. I have used this format and thanks to the technology improvements that has come in this platform, it is now become the once source of connecting with teams locally or from far off locations and to make it effective we have volunteers who collate the discussions and follow up to make the decisions into action. This role of holding the post to completion keeps changing at frequent intervals and is done in a democratic manner.

First and foremost, it's crucial to understand our team. Conduct one-on-one sessions with each member to grasp their communication style. Some excel in written communication, while others shine in verbal expression. Once we understand their styles, establish two or three means of contact, like a virtual platform for updates, tasks, and reminders. Periodically gather a portion of the team in person, even over long distances. Quarterly or annual meetings can serve as valuable incentives.

Choosing the right communication tools and channels as a leader involves considering factors like the nature of the message, the audience, and the organization's culture. For critical or sensitive matters, direct channels like video conferences or one-on-one calls may be appropriate. Email is suitable for formal documentation, while instant messaging or project management tools enhance collaboration. Tailor your choice to the team's preferences and tech proficiency. Keep cultural diversity in mind and ensure that everyone has access to and is comfortable with the chosen tools. Regularly reassess and adapt to evolving needs and technologies for effective leadership.

Depending on the team type and the individuals personality types, the interaction and communication medium would be different. I personally lead a team which is based out of three different countries, and what has helped is having one common meeting for all the members in a week, where the focus is less on work and more on how we can collaborate otherwise. What i have seen is that even the introvert types in the team started oepning up and contributing by the 5th iteration of the meeting. I use the one on ones more for the very individual concerns of the team, where i can be a sounding board for them to guide and mentor, and the team building happens over the weekly informal setup.

During virtual sessions, in the last few years, due to COVID, a lot of communication tools have become popular. They all offer different functionalities and try to provide a complete solution with multiple options. However, I think choosing the right tool based on what and how you want to communicate is not enough. We must also consider how our teams will enjoy the communication and what they will learn from it. (What you want them to take away)

Communication is like water. It finds the easiest path to flow. However, we should create channels to shape the flow as we see fit. Although the best communication is face-to-face, followed by video and audio chat, we need to create a history of everything we do. This is because we will need to go back and check records at some point. Our way of working and toolset must support writing history without creating too much burden. There are very good alternatives on the market. We should pick the tool that is aligned with our process and way of working. When engineering the communication flows, setting a target like "lowering the number of emails" would improve the quality of time spent in work.

With remote team members, it's hard to have "water cooler" and "let's get a cup of coffee" face-face meetings. These types of meetings provide a rich, engagement. People are present, engaged, and sharing activities. It removes the formality of setting up online, and in this way people connect more richly. So as a team leader, what develops/fosters trust? Three elements come to mind: Transparency, Empathy, and Consistency. Mutual transparency opens things so each sees the other's circumstance. Empathy is necessary to understand the other person's circumstance. It mediates directive in favor of collaborative decision making. Lastly, consistency is important because it allows each other to be able to anticipate likely response.

Trust is something you dont get if you dont give. So be genuine in your intentions and then collaborate. Also trust is like a piece of paper, once crushed it's really hard to get it back to original shape. Hence be genuine, be clear in what you speak and most importantly actively listen to all sort of cues you get in virtual calls.

Building trust is not easy . Trust is the key to building rapport and building a relationship. To get trust you also need to show trust in others , be clear , genuine and always set expectations. Communicating with the team or colleagues at the right time is very important . If you identify a risk it is very important to convey it to the rest of the team so they know about it and they can prepare for it together rather than not discussing it and then it is forgotten which leads to larger problems. You can use chat and email to communicate ideas with the team .

To foster trust and rapport in a virtual environment, leaders can also establish clear channels for accountability. This could be established through regular check-ins and updates where team members can discuss their contributions and progress. This transparency not only reinforces individual responsibility but also cultivates a culture of mutual respect and recognition. Also, having regular 1-on-1 sessions is an ideal way to give the team members a safe space to discuss anything important to them.

Lead by example. To build trust you have to model the behavior you expect, that goes for communication you expect too. Collaborate, keep your team informed, explain why decisions are being made, gather feedback, and always actively listen to your team's input. If you are consistent, clear, and respectful, your team is more likely to reciprocate and trust will be built.

As a leader, you must encourage participation from everyone present during the session. You can use various tools to help individuals participate and collaborate, share their views and opinions, and create something extraordinary together. It is important to keep an eye on and manage the session so that even the silent and shy people can contribute. As a leader, your success depends on engaging the ones who are sitting in the corner.

As a leader you always want to give everybody a chance to give their views which brings us to encourage participation and collaboration. For a Project to function well collaboration as a team is very necessary. Organize multiple meetings with the team, brainstorm ideas , get everyone's views and this will help in problem solving & decision making process .

Consider the "IKEA effect". We tend to like things more if we’ve expended effort to create them. A psychologically safe, virtual environment where it's okay to be wrong or silly gives everyone freedom to be creative and think outside the box. This means more authentic engagement, and a team that's more likely to take ownership of and pride in projects and initiatives.

While at first glance working remotely might seem to make managing a team more difficult, there are upsides as well. In a diverse team you undoubtedly have people who are more on the quite side while being smart and reliable (just think of Susan Cain's Quiet!). Chatting, especially one-on-one chatting, is a great opportunity to enable them to contribute in a way that is more comfortable for them. This in turn helps you leverage the part of the team who would probably not be comfortable speaking up in a meeting room that might be dominated by extroverted people.

Establish the culture that feedback is normal and the intent is to improve. Processes and people are a work in progress. Coach those that give feedback to use constructive language that focuses on behaviors and outcomes It should never be personable. Don't let things fester. Ensure you handle conflict as quick as possible. Be empathetic and watch your tone and body language when having the conversation.

Conflict in the virtual space takes on special dimensions - people working remotely are often in spaces where, in the moments after a conflict has occurred, they don't have the same ready-made support networks. There often is no coworker to walk down the hall to and commiserate with who can listen but also share perspective that can be de-escalating, and it's hard to know if someone is readily available for a chat when you can't see them. As a leader in these virtual teams, being mindful of these differences and leveraging the tools you do have can make a big difference in outcomes. Making sure you are available - not fully booked all day, every day - and convey that to your team members can create the space they need to come to you.

Conflicts and misunderstandings are very common in the virtual teams due to lack of communication and interaction. Using effective communication and negotiation strategies this can be handled either being a moderator or being a counsellor. It is important to note that the moderator should not take the side of any single party and take decisions based on everyone’s opinion and for welfare.

As a Manager it is hard to manage team conflict and provide regular feedback to the team. You will need to perform 1:1 meetings and also full team meetings get everyone's perspective. Make the team members understand that teamwork is more important than competition amongst each other in the team. Show them how we can achieve goals as a team which we can't as an individual. Everyone person in a team plays a different role and they can play that role well so we need to understand and also make the team understand this . Communication is very important here.

Communication via chat has the advantage that it gives time to think over things, to ask, to learn, to understand better. While chat has a relatively rapid pace and thus helps you resolve problems quickly, it gives you more time to think and add things that you might not consider initially. If there are more parties involved in a conflict, you can also talk to them in parallel one-on-one sessions, better understanding their views, and testing potential solutions. An additional benefit is that everything is essentially documented (of course, never forget to consider this in your internal privacy policies, wherever applicable).

Leading Virtually: Your Words, Your Team 1. Clear Talk: Make team goals crystal clear. 2. Embrace Differences: Celebrate team diversity. 3. Listen Up: Understand beyond spoken words. 4. Friendly Gestures: Express with a smile. 5. Tech Guide: Help, don't complicate. 6. Feedback Magic: Grow through open chats. 7. Always There: Support, day and night. 8. Warmth & Realness: Be you, be kind. 9. Quiet Strength: Silence speaks too. 10. Lead to Win: Words win the virtual game!

During the Covid-times, when all teams were strictly virtual for long periods of time, I learned that building and maintaining connections also directly between the team members is important. One simple and practical thing I learned to be very positive and powerful was "team walks". Simply, in a all-hands type of meeting we would split team members to pairs or small groups of three and encourage them to go out for a walk (if possible). We would give them a topic to talk about and the option to talk about anything. These walks got very positive feedback, with team members saying that they got improved connections and greater understanding for others.

We often emphasise too much what narratives want to shape and do not emphasise enough listening. The goal is to allow for deeper human connection through meaningful multi-way interactions between team members. Building a team is best when everyone feels it is safe to share and has the space to share. Creating psychological safety is foundational. Hosting team exercises to know and trust each other through open and inclusive dialog is a good start. On an ongoing basis, give everyone air time to talk (introverts will appreciate questions in advance to think and prepare). Facilitate and encourage active listening and “play back” key conversation highlights. Use virtual rooms to created intimacy in smaller groups for deeper conversations.

Effective communication, both verbal and written, is key to keeping remote teams aligned with the common goals. As Maya Angelou wisely noted, "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." Regular team meetings, one-on-one check-ins, and transparent sharing of information help team members feel connected. Encourage open dialogue and create a safe space for sharing ideas and concerns. By being an exemplary communicator and emphasizing the importance of mutual respect and understanding, we can strengthen our virtual team and boost their sense of belonging and productivity.

Along with the points mentioned above, here's some other things to try: 1. Virtual coffee meets - helps in informal meet-ups 2. Non-work related channels (in MSTeams or Slack) where people with common interests can come together to post & exchange ideas & information 3. Where possible, regular events like all-hands calls / community calls to generate ongoing conversation & interactions 4. Lastly, even though virtual, you are still working with humans. Being humane & open to understanding & creating a safe & trusted place, encourages all to be a part of the team.