What are some creative ways to build rapport and socialize with your virtual teammates?

One of my favorite ways to incorporate personal stories is by asking a question on our message board to the whole group. Something simple and non-invasive like: - Do you have any fur babies at home? If so, what kind? I'd love to see pics. Here's a pic of our two miniature schnauzers Mia and Lola helping me in the office today. I'm an avid reader so I love to ask for feedback on books. I'll share a little bit about a recent book I've read and then ask for recommendations for any great books that the team is reading right now. This allows others to chime in and share about their life without being overly personal.

One example could be during team meetings or check-ins. You could start by sharing a personal experience or story related to a current project or task. This would not only help to build a personal connection with the team but also set the tone for open communication and vulnerability within the team.

You can do this by organizing virtual team-building activities such as coffee breaks, happy hours, or games. For example, the leader could schedule a virtual coffee break and invite team members to join in on a video call. During the call, the leader could facilitate a conversation about non-work-related topics, share personal stories or ask team members to share something about themselves and create an opportunity for team members to socialize and build relationships with one another.

I love to share client feedback and wins with our entire team. We post it to our group message board on Basecamp our project management platform and everyone gets a notification of the post. Then we all chime in and celebrate the great work that the person did on the project.

One way to build team identity is by building a team vision. An easy way to think about your team vision is simply, “On this team we _________.” This is how values translate to day-to-day behaviors. So even if you’re working in a toxic corporate culture, you can choose to be deliberate about the things you do on your team. At Let's Grow Leaders, we call this approach a “cultural oasis.” Think of your team or your circle of influence as that oasis in the desert of your overall culture. More on how to do that here... https://letsgrowleaders.com/great-team-culture/

Schedule regular virtual team-building activities or informal chats to check in with team members and discuss non-work-related topics. Another example is to ensure that communication channels are easily accessible and that messages are responded to promptly. By being proactive and responsive, the leader can create a supportive and engaging work environment for their virtual team, which will ultimately lead to increased productivity and job satisfaction.

Be inclusive, especially in global teams. Alternate a “relay person” who volunteers outside of working hours to join a meeting in another region to facilitate knowledge sharing and appearances.