Building external teams can be a powerful way to leverage diverse expertise, perspectives, and resources for your projects. However, it also comes with some unique challenges that require careful planning, communication, and coordination. In this article, you will learn about some of the biggest challenges when building external teams and how to overcome them.
One of the first challenges when building external teams is to clarify the roles and expectations of each team member and stakeholder. This includes defining the scope, goals, deliverables, timelines, and quality standards of the project, as well as the roles and responsibilities of each party. Without clear roles and expectations, you risk creating confusion, duplication, conflict, or missed deadlines. To avoid this, you should communicate frequently and transparently with your external team members, use tools and platforms that facilitate collaboration and feedback, and establish regular check-ins and reviews.
In my experience, one of the biggest challenges when building external teams is ensuring clarity in roles and expectations. Regular communication and collaboration tools are essential to maintain transparency and facilitate effective teamwork.
Ein Schlüssel für den erfolgreichen Aufbau von externen Teams sind Effektives Teamwork und dabei klare Rollen und Erwartungen! f Bei einem internationalen Projekt mit externen IT-Experten aus verschiedenen Zeitzonen und Kulturen legten wir von Anfang an klare Erwartungen & Schedules fest. Durch die Nutzung eines Projektmanagement-Tools und regelm??ige Video-Call-Check-ins sorgten wir für die notwendige Effizienz. Dies führte zu einer reibungslosen Zusammenarbeit, effizienten Arbeitsabl?ufen und die gesetzten Milestones und Ergebnisse wurden erreicht. Dabei wurde klar, dass transparente Kommunikation und klare Rollen Schlüsselkomponenten sind für den Erfolg externer Teams!
In addition to clarifying roles and expectations, building trust with external teams is vital. Establishing a culture of open communication and mutual respect can enhance collaboration, even across geographical and organizational boundaries. Engaging in regular team-building activities, even virtually, can help forge stronger connections and a sense of belonging, further mitigating risks of misunderstandings or conflicts. #TeamBuilding #ExternalCollaboration
Crear equipos externos implica superar desafíos como la comunicación remota, la diversidad cultural, la construcción de confianza y compromiso, la gestión del tiempo, la elección de herramientas tecnológicas adecuadas y el liderazgo efectivo. Estos equipos deben fomentar la comunicación abierta, la confianza y la colaboración para garantizar el éxito en proyectos distribuidos geográficamente.
Another challenge when building external teams is to foster trust and rapport among team members who may have different backgrounds, cultures, values, or work styles. Trust and rapport are essential for effective teamwork, as they enable open communication, mutual respect, and problem-solving. However, building trust and rapport can be difficult when team members are geographically dispersed, have limited face-to-face interactions, or have competing interests. To overcome this, you should create opportunities for team members to get to know each other personally and professionally, encourage positive feedback and recognition, and address any issues or conflicts promptly and respectfully.
In my experience, building trust and rapport among external teams can indeed be quite challenging, particularly because you don't have the opportunity to connect with them on a personal level as you would with in-person colleagues.
A third challenge when building external teams is to ensure that everyone is on the same page regarding the vision and strategy of the project. This means that all team members should understand the purpose, value, and impact of the project, as well as the approach, methods, and tools that will be used to achieve it. Without alignment, you risk wasting time, money, and resources on activities that are not aligned with the project objectives or the expectations of the stakeholders. To avoid this, you should involve your external team members in the planning and decision-making process, communicate the vision and strategy clearly and consistently, and monitor and measure the progress and outcomes of the project.
Ensuring everyone in external teams understands and follows the project's purpose and methods is crucial. Involve them in planning, communicate clearly, and monitor progress for successful alignment.
A fourth challenge when building external teams is to anticipate and manage the risks and changes that may arise during the project. This includes identifying the potential threats and opportunities that may affect the project scope, quality, budget, or timeline, as well as the strategies and actions that will be taken to mitigate or exploit them. It also includes adapting to the changing needs, preferences, or feedback of the stakeholders or the market. Managing risks and changes can be challenging when you have limited control or visibility over the external team members or their environments. To overcome this, you should conduct regular risk assessments and reviews, communicate any changes or updates promptly and clearly, and foster a culture of flexibility and innovation among your external team members.
Managing risks and changes in external teams is tricky. Identify threats, plan actions, and adapt to stakeholder feedback. Regular assessments and clear communication help mitigate challenges effectively.
A fifth challenge when building external teams is to leverage the diversity and synergy of your team members. This means that you should recognize and value the different skills, experiences, perspectives, and ideas that your external team members bring to the table, as well as the potential synergies and complementarities that they can create. Leveraging diversity and synergy can enhance the creativity, quality, and performance of your project, as well as the satisfaction and engagement of your team members. However, it can also pose some difficulties, such as communication barriers, cultural clashes, or groupthink. To overcome this, you should promote a culture of inclusion and diversity, encourage cross-cultural and cross-functional learning and collaboration, and solicit and incorporate diverse input and feedback.
A sixth challenge when building external teams is to develop and retain the talent of your team members. This means that you should provide your external team members with the opportunities, resources, and support that they need to grow and excel in their roles, as well as to stay motivated and committed to the project and the organization. Developing and retaining talent can be beneficial for your project outcomes, as well as for your reputation and relationships with your external partners. However, it can also be challenging, especially when you have limited authority, influence, or incentives over your external team members. To overcome this, you should offer your external team members meaningful and challenging work, provide them with constructive feedback and recognition, and reward them for their contributions and achievements.
Um Talent zu binden ist Purpose & Vertrauen ein wichtiger Schlüssel - gib Deinen Talenten Aufgaben, mit denen sie sich identifizieren und die ihnen das Gefühl geben, dass sie einen klaren Beitrag zum Projektziel und Projekterfolg beitragen. Regelm??iges Feedback ist dabei essentiell. Welche Strategien verwendest Du, um Talente zu entwickeln und zu binden?