VIRTUAL LEADERSHIP: Practical strategies for getting the best out of virtual work and virtual teams – Penny Pullan

As a professional trainer, I am always talking to people about continuous learning and development, and I genuinely do practise what I preach!

I love learning, and am constantly seeking out new sources. This book was recommended by Joe Espa?a during a webinar hosted by Mark Gaisford, so thanks to both these guys for being instrumental in getting this book onto my reading list!

Rather appropriately, I read this book online (on the Kindle app on my iPhone)!

The book starts by pointing out that the word ‘virtual’ itself has changed in meaning over recent years. It used to mean ‘almost or nearly as described, but not completely’ – but that isn’t the case any more. ‘Virtual’ teams are simply people who are able to work together effectively to get things done even when physically apart (in time and/or geography).

Here are my key takeaways from the book…

How Virtual Working is the Same

The book points out the universal factors that lead to successful teams, which I would summarise (for those of you who don't have time to read the book, or who want some trailers/spoilers from the book to decide whether you want to read it too!) as:

·        A shared vision

·        Clarity

·        The right skills mix

·        Commitment

·        Collaboration

·        Communication

·        Focus

Also, the way team members are motivated doesn’t change. I love that Penny quotes one of my favourite authors, Daniel Pink in his book “Drive”, to remind us that people are driven by:

·        Autonomy – having control over their work, not being micro-managed, feeling trusted

·        Mastery – being supported in their development, and given feedback and praise

·        Purpose – working towards a shared, meaningful vision

A really interesting chapter in the book was the one dealing with cultural differences. This applies just as much in person as it does in virtual working, and there are many ways that we can differ as a human race – not in protected characteristics, but in behavioural norms. To get the best out of people, we need to think about factors like:

·        Time-keeping – is their world one of rigid adherence to deadlines or a more laid back approach?

·        Humour – do jokes make work fun and motivate the team, or are they seen as unprofessional/inappropriate?

·        Chit chat – is this how they are used to building team cohesion, or is it viewed irrelevant and time-wasting?

·        Saving face – might people be saying yes to an unachievable deadline because saying no implies weakness or failure? Would it be better to ask them "when do you think you can definitely have it done by?"

·        Communication – Is verbal communication enough, or does everything need to be in writing?

·        Hierarchy – Do people defer to those of higher status and 'do as they're told' because they are afraid to challenge?

How Virtual Working is Different

There are various points covered very well in the book, but the most significant for me included:

·        Multiple time zones may force asynchronous working (i.e. can’t communicate in real time), which brings its own challenges

·        It’s easier to be invisible (by choice or otherwise)

·        Fewer ‘water cooler moments’ or chats that bring 'accidental flashes of inspiration' - so you have to build them in

·        Trust and relationships can be harder to build

·        Conflict can be harder to spot (and nip in the bud)

·        You can’t MBWA (manage by walking about - one of my favourite management techniques for looking after your team's well being) so you have to ask better questions and listen harder to the answers

Technology is Only an Enabler

It’s the people and the work they produce that matters, not the tech itself.

Just because you can communicate by video meetings, doesn’t mean that’s always the best way. Transcriptions of key information (or even emails) are quicker to read than watching/listening to recordings. Transcripts/emails can also be more accessible for those who are not fluent in the meeting language as they can take time to understand/look up unfamiliar terms.

Online meetings can be tedious. The person chairing the meeting may not pick up on ‘bored’ vibes as easily, so it’s important to plan meetings to be more interactive and engaging – pictures, stories, white boards, breakout groups, video segments, polls, seeking input to specific questions.

Another key takeaway from this book is…

As an L&D professional who has been seizing the opportunity to reinvent and upskill myself as a virtual trainer, I was glad to read all the things that I’ve been factoring in to my online courses are referred to in this book, and I look forward to learning even more in the future from practical experience and from the learners I will be interacting with online.

If you’re a recruiter wanting to explore your online learning options (whether during a period of furlough, or as a normal part of your ongoing CPD), you could check out these options – I’d love to get to know you in a session sometime soon:

https://recruitmentmatters.com/interactive-online-training-for-recruiters/

https://web.cvent.com/event/a89fb389-4cf0-45b8-9aa4-c4ea9a753a55/summary

https://web.cvent.com/event/9b766519-12fb-4458-8d34-f338591a557e/summary

Disclaimer: I write book reviews of books I have read and found useful in some way. 

I do not get paid for endorsing any author/service/product, because I believe that would impact on my ability to be completely objective.

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