Leadership Tip of the Week: Goal Setting and Virtual Teams

Virtual teams need clear, precise and mutually agreed-on goals to improve cohesiveness and performance. These are teams where members are separated geographically and use technology to interact.

A high-potential young leader was just fired. His performance had been outstanding until taking on a leadership role with this new virtual team. They were assigned to a very important project launch. This group consisted of some of the most talented people in the organization, and the young leader was given a tremendous opportunity to lead them. He had excelled when he was working with other teams who were working in the same physical space, but he had ultimately struggled to build a cohesive team with the geographical separation.

Building cohesion in virtual teams can be a challenge. Cohesion is important and greatly improves a team’s effectiveness. Leaders running virtual teams need to be clear, precise and have mutually agreed-on goals. Establishing those goals helps align everyone’s effort and allows the team to stay focused in a decentralized environment.

Physical distance can keep team members apart, but a solid leader using the right tactics can be the glue that holds them together.