Leadership and Virtual Teams

Brian MenneckeMIS 539

What do managers do anyways?

Managers assume responsibility for people and resources, focus those people and resources to achieve a shared goal, and see to it that activities are executed to accomplish those shared goals

Managers accomplish these goals by …PlanningOrganizingDirecting Coordinating resourcesMonitoring Holding people accountable

Virtual TeamsVirtual teams consist of members who interact

primarily using electronic communication tools

How do you supervisevirtual teams?

Members …can’t be seen directly are dispersed in spacework at different timesmay have different rewards may have different affiliationshave different skills and capabilities

Perhaps you shouldn’t say you supervise virtual teams; rather, you manage or herd the virtual team

Managers must recognize the nature of teams

Teams are …DynamicOrganicComplex

Teams function as …SystemsResource processorsPolitical entities

Teams as Systems: Managers of Boundaries

If virtual teams operate as open systems, does a manager need to operate …Within the system?Across the system (as a boundary spanner)?Both within and across?

Teams as Systems: Managers of Boundaries

Boundary spanning managers of virtual teams should let the team worry about what’s happening inside the system; that is, they don’t manage within the system alone

Managers should focus on managing across and outside of the team system.

Managers should focus on managing the system

Some of these concepts are derivative of Fisher & Fisher, The Distance Manager, 2001

Teams as Systems: Managers of Boundaries

Tasks and Responsibilities for Boundary Managers Expose team members to opportunities and resources

outside the team Protect the team to threats outside the team Garner, filter and disseminate information from outside

the team Analyze and interpret data and information from the

environment Establish relationship and communication with external

constituencies Bring in resources needed to succeed Facilitate communication within the team Identify, resolve, and manage problems within the team

Some of these concepts are derivative of Fisher & Fisher, The Distance Manager, 2001

What competencies do managers of virtual team

need to have? Develop and share a vision for the team

Facilitate team member rapport and team development (i.e., group well being)

Help individuals integrate and efficiently function in the team

Identify means to align individual goals with team outcomes

Function as a leader by exemplifying the standards and ideals of the team and organization

The role of the managerIn summary, a good manager exhibits these

characteristics and skillsLeaderResults catalystFacilitatorBoundary spannerBusiness analystCoachExemplar

These concepts are derivative of Fisher & Fisher, The Distance Manager, 2001

The role of the leaderLeader: Unleashes energy and enthusiasm by creating

a vision that inspires and motivates team members

Results catalyst: Helps the team to get it done right without coercing or authoritarianism, manages by principals rather than policy, and uses boundaries rather than giving orders

Facilitator: Brings together required tools, information, and resources needed to get it done right

Barrier Spanner: Opens doors and runs interference for the team, challenges the status quo, and breaks down artificial barriers

These concepts are derivative of Fisher & Fisher, The Distance Manager, 2001

The role of the leaderBusiness Analyst: Gets the big picture and

translates information and events in the environment in to opportunities for the team

Coach: Helps others achieve their potential by teaching team members how to succeed

Exemplar: Modeling good behavior and “walking the talk”

These concepts are derivative of Fisher & Fisher, The Distance Manager, 2001

The nature of leadersThere are several leadership styles that effect

communicationAuthoritarianDemocraticLaissez-Faire

These concepts are derivative of Lewin, Lippitt, & White (1939)

The nature of leadersAuthoritarian Leaders…

maintain strict control over followers by directly regulating policy, procedures, and behaviors

Establish distance between themselves and their subordinates to emphasize the role differentiation

Operate assuming that subordinates would not function effectively without direct supervision

Assume that unsupervised employees will be less productive

Communicate and listen poorlyMicromanage projects and team activitiesUse conflict for political purposes

These concepts are derivative of Lewin, Lippitt, & White (1939)

The nature of leadersDemocratic Leaders…

Use communication that is supportive of clear communication between leaders and subordinates

Encourage follower involvement in goal setting Allow subordinates to make decisions (and trust them

to do so)Are inclusive in decision making and encourage input

from subordinatesBelieve that the contributions of team members

improves team outcomesProvide effective feedback and listen wellMediate conflict

These concepts are derivative of Lewin, Lippitt, & White (1939)

The nature of leadersLaissez Faire Leaders…

Takes a hands off approachAbdicate responsibilityWithdraw from involvement with subordinatesOffer little support to or guidance for subordinatesProvide infrequent feedback and poor listening skillsAvoids conflict

These concepts are derivative of Lewin, Lippitt, & White (1939)

What do managers do that causes them to go wrong?Behaving as either an authoritarian or an

abdicator

Starting the team off wrong

Failing to set clear goals and roles

Starving teams of resources

Failing to recognize and support the social side of teams

Some of these concepts are derivative of Fisher & Fisher, The Distance Manager, 2001

What makes leaders successful?

Leader traits

Situational approachesContingency TheoryPath-Goal TheorySituational Leadership TheoryLeader-Member Exchange Theory

Functional approaches

Transformational approaches

Power and LeadershipSources of Power

Coercive Power (who gives out punishment)Reward Power (who gives out the goodies)Legitimate Power (position, not the person)Expert Power (the person, not the position)Referent Power (the role model)

Good Leaders Give it Away

Reasons to give power to others Increased task satisfaction and task performanceGreater cooperation among group membersCollective survivalPersonal growth and learningPreventing power abuses

Good Leaders Resolve Conflict Constructively

Leaders need to negotiateCooperative climate versus competitive

disagreementPut yourself in their shoes Identify joint solutions to problems

But people are differentDiversity in teams often needs to be understood

and managedHall (1977) High and Low Context CulturesHofstede (1984) Four Cultural Dimensions

Individualism versus collectivismMasculinity versus femininityPower-Distance Uncertainty Avoidance

High versus Low ContextHigh Context Cultures: Meaning of messages is

embedded in the context; that is, group members assume that others share their understanding of meaning and context

Low Context Cultures: Meaning of messages is embedded in words; that is, words have meaning

How does a leader build a team?

Discuss Team Building Concepts

Recognize and support the social side of teams

Budget time and effort for building team rapport and cohesion throughFun and gamesFace-to-face time Personalizing the experience

Pick the right tools for the task

Task-technology fit: Task-technology fit (TTF) theory holds that IT is more likely to have a positive impact on individual performance and be used if the capabilities of the IT match the tasks that the user must perform (Goodhue and Thompson, 1995).

Recognize the limitations of communication

technologiesWhat technology does well:

Spans space Spans timeFacilitates recording and record keepingManages time and schedulesEnhances visual display of contentCreates opportunities for sharing of ideas and

conceptsFocuses attention and awareness of others Offers enhancements compared to face-to-face

communications

Recognize the limitations of communication

technologiesWhat technology does poorly:

Restricts cues and gesturesFacilitates miscommunication, misdirection, and

falsificationLimits some forms of social interactionSupport feelings of presence and closeness

A Model of Social Media Support for Virtual Teams

Push Content Share Content

Immediacy Low

BlogsE-mailSocial Networking Podcasts

WikisGroupware (SharePoint,

Google Sites)Forums/Discussion

Boards

Immediacy High

IMWebinarsTwitter

Conferencing SystemsVirtual worldsVOIPShared Browsers

Leadership Emergence in Virtual Environments

A Case Study: Summer HCI 594 Class