Working in a Virtual Team: Interview with Maybritt Carstensen

At SVAKOM we have team members spread out across the globe. From America to Europe, China to Colombia, there are a plethora of different cultures, backgrounds, and skill sets. However, being spread out poses the challenge of working together through separate time-zones and finding one's identity as part of team without physical connection.

A big challenge that can impose itself on projects is the dreaded miscommunication. When talking through online meetings, instant messaging, and various types of voice calls, there's plenty of information that can be missed, or the intention may not come across as it was supposed to. Today we want to highlight some of these issues through an interview with our Key Accounts Manager for Europe - Maybritt Carstensen.

"I'll just say that without online workspaces, we'd be screwed. These types of platforms are used to clarify questions and organize projects." - Maybritt Carstensen

As part of SVAKOM's European team, a lot of Maybritt's communication with those in the head-office is purely via online means. We asked Maybritt a series of questions related to her experiences working remotely in a virtual team:

SVAKOM: What makes you feel “part of the team”?

Maybritt: For me a big part of feeling “part of the team” is due to the fact that I was involved in decisions from the very beginning. As well, the communication between teams is very transparent no matter how far away we are from each other. Lastly, I found that every opinion is respected in SVAKOM, which really helped make me feel valued and part of the team.

SVAKOM:?How do you handle communication with colleagues in different countries?

?Maybritt: I'll just say that without online workspaces, we'd be screwed. These types of platforms are used to clarify questions and organize projects. Because we work in so many different time zones, everyone is willing to answer questions in the evening to help the rest of the team. A Big Thank you at this point to my team for this!

?SVAKOM: What challenges have you faced from working in different time zones?

Maybritt: When you depend on the quick help of a single person, it sometimes requires creative solutions when experiencing a problem and that person is not available. At this point it is again good to be spread all over the world, because someone is always awake, available, and can help by offering a new perspective and resources perhaps unavailable where you are.

?SVAKOM: What do you love about being part of a close-knit international team?

?Maybritt: The approach to solving problems and working on projects changes due to different (cultural) backgrounds, so you can learn a lot and improve your skills. In addition, the different perspectives enable holistic strategies to be developed that you could never have created on your own.

?SVAKOM: What is your general opinion regarding virtual teams?

Maybritt: I think that virtual teams offer many advantages, such as flexibility. E.g., in our team, we are much closer to the customer since we are spread all over the world. However, in my opinion the team culture and communication are key to a successful virtual team. Virtual teams communicate primarily via various electronic communication media. Especially the non-verbal communication is lost in parts. This can increase the risk of misunderstandings. In addition, virtual teams generally have fewer opportunities for spontaneous, informal communication. With good planning and proper teamwork, especially in an international context, you can get the best out of a virtual team.

?SVAKOM: Any advice for someone new to working with a virtual team?

?Maybritt: As a new member of a virtual team, it is important to get yourself involved and clearly communicate your needs because, as mentioned earlier, non-verbal communication is limited. If something is bothering you, communicate it. I am sure that every person in a virtual team has felt the same way before and they understand and can work together to find a solution.

There are limits to what any team can do but speaking with Maybritt and other members of the SVAKOM team we find ourselves eager to explore those limits and learn more about what advantages we can extract from working together remotely.

While there are unique problems and situations which arise from working in a virtual team, there are plenty of benefits as well.

"...it is again good to be spread all over the world, because someone is always awake, available, and can help..." - Maybritt Carstensen

Through working closely in a virtual team, the opportunity becomes available to overcome obstacles with creative ideas, plans, and insight unavailable to a single person and/or group.

We will be continuing this series of interviews with SVAKOM team members regarding their interactions working in a virtual team and the unique solutions they find through working remotely together.