Online collaboration tools such as IMs, email and video conferencing enables workers to team up with any one globally. In order to gain success, all the virtual team members including the manager need to work in a meticulous way. Three factors such as integrity, communication and performance are the essence of trust. Using collaboration tools such as emails and Instant Messengers (IMs) the team members are not aware of each other’s intention due to absence of visual and aural signs. At times, cultural differences may lead to conflicts at some point of time. Without the availability of proper tools, the project gets affected as there is loss of communication. Not having a visual image of a person can lead to communication gaps. Video conferencing tools help in eliminating misunderstandings, as team members can see others. It’s easy to build trust through effective teamwork training on using online collaboration techniques. Understanding the cultural differences provides a more amicable atmosphere in the virtual team. Those who do not have experience working in a virtual team before will not be familiar with using the most commonly used collaboration software such as instant messengers , video conferencing software etc. Certain people hesitate to learn anything new, if they are resistant to change. Letting them know that the management will offer support for enabling them to adapt to anew and virtual work environment. This will help in eliminating any fear that the employees may have. Using the online collaborative tools to build a virtual team is useful. Unlike traditional teams, virtual teams have a huge range of ideas and skills that can be utilized. Building an efficient and successful team consumes time and requires planning, efforts and money. This ultimately brings good results. The health of an organization and its long-term standing is definitely influenced by the people who work in the organization. It's people who run the show and make decisions, not machines or computers and it is people who build client relationships. Over the last few decades the corporate world has accepted and adopted teamwork as an effective way to manage a business. The concept of the team as an entity that can deliver far more than an individual is now firmly established. The team is the unit that evaluates problems, develops strategies, and takes decisions on various aspects pertaining to the business. A team’s effectiveness or ineffectiveness can therefore have a direct impact on the performance of a business. Ineffective teams can potentially damage the reputation of a business. Quite often, poorly performing teams are responsible for clients or customers taking their business to a rival firm. Intense competition in several business segments means the teams have to be faster, better, offer more value, and display a distinct edge. When an organization has highly motivated, effective teams managing various aspects of its business, the benefits to the organization are enormous both in the tangible and intangible space. An organization has to strive to get the best out of its teams and to do this they have to make the right investments in training and development. This helps their business run a lot more efficiently, and more importantly it builds favorable credentials for the business in corporate circles. Every organization has the capability to make their teams effective for the long haul; they just need the right inclination to take that first step forward. The concept of a team is today well entrenched and has been adopted in organizations globally as a better approach to managing business. The question is now, ‘How do we make our teams more effective?’ If an organization wants to turn around poor team performance or to increase team efficiency, it is important to first understand the characteristics that standout in effective teams.
Effective teams have certain distinguishing characteristics in the way they work together and interact. A close examination of these characteristics can give vital clues and help identify and deduce the factors that play a big part in effective team work:
• Effective Teams talk to one Another Rather than Behind Each Other’s Back. Back-biting rare or non-existent in an efficient team and there is a high level of mutual trust. Trust creates a bond among the team members and this leads to rapport and solidarity. Tensions are therefore absent.
• Effective Teams Know How to Deal with Conflicts. Conflicts or disagreements pertaining to task-related discussions are treated as a normal occurrence and the team members do not harbor any animosity towards one another once the team meeting ends.
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• Effective Teams Want Team Success. They realize the need to focus on group goals and rise above personal ambitions. Team members are secure in their individual capabilities and understand the reason why the organization constituted a team in the first place. They are able to work towards executing their role in line with the common goals of the team. They seem to realize that if they carry out their individual roles sincerely, personal recognition is bound to come their way. In other words, there is a good measure of ‘team spirit’ within the team. Coaching enables an empowering culture within the organization to grow. It helps business owners and executives to be courageous leaders and make their vision a reality. This translates to higher employee productivity, effective leadership development, greater company morale and higher profitability rates over the short- and long term. Coaching will increase your leadership team’s effectiveness because each member will discover their core competencies and unique strengths which will become the source of all work effort, coaching challenges old structures and belief systems which may exist below the surface, yet impact the quality and productivity of the team. Our coaching focuses on getting what is important out in front as well as removing barriers to a team’s effectiveness once and for all.
Coaching works with the entire person; addressing needs, values, priorities, and building a solid foundation from which to increase one’s performance and thus greater team performance. BENEFITS TO TEAM MEMBERS WHO RECEIVE TEAM COACHING AND TRAINING INCLUDE: The team’s performance moves to the next level The development of leadership skills within the team Greater sense of trust and respect Practical ways to utilize differences in creating maximum team effect A more efficient team process An increase in effective conflict resolution Increase in their motivation Increased peer coaching Improved team retention over the long term