Virtual collaboration has very special requirements Executives and team members. Team building, treating each other with respect, klare Communication channels and defined Set are essential factors here. 3 tips how to get one Team on the other side of the Welt can lead.

International cooperation_time shift

Effective cooperation

Team and project work will be in Companys of every kind increasingly popular. Because from more effective and efficient Teamwork benefits arise for customers and companies. But more and more teams are not sitting together in the same room Office .

In times of cross-departmental cooperation and international projects, team members often live on different continents and still work together on a task. Thanks to new and ever-evolving technologies, it's easier than ever to work on documents and presentations with colleagues at the same time. This is how virtual collaboration is already for many Everyday life.

When the team is spread all over the world ...

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The advantages of intercultural teams, flexible working hours and home office work have often been reported. However, one topic that has not yet been extensively discussed in this context is the question of how managers and team leaders, who travel frequently on business trips, take responsibility for their team and their employees Tasks can take over while they're on the road or - like in my case - live in a different country than the rest of their team.

I live in Amsterdam but my team is spread around the world, working in New York, San Francisco and Tokyo. This type of collaboration requires creative thinking and the full Commitment of all team members. Because no matter how often you can visit your team and are personally on site, working together in different time zones poses challenges.

3 Tips for leading international teams

1. The challenge of time shift

With internationally active teams, there is always the question of when to update each other and when to arrange Skype or telephone meetings. If the working hours of the team members hardly overlap, weekly Meetingsthat always take place at the same time can be counterproductive. It is better to arrange rotating meeting times so that nobody feels disadvantaged. Employees should also be able to dial in from home after or before work and be flexible about their working hours.

In addition, more meetings are needed in international teams to keep all parties informed. After all, you do not meet in the corridor or in the kitchenette when you are not working in the same location. However, the meetings should be kept short. Each team member provides a brief update of what is currently being worked on and the hurdles to be overcome. Here you should be as efficient as possible.

2. Clear targets

Since the team members usually work very independently, it is important to agree on clear goals and work together to develop a plan for how they should be achieved. So everyone knows - no matter where he is - exactly which are the priorities and who is responsible for which tasks.

Instant messaging tools such as Google Chat or WhatsApp are very useful for daily communication. But of course they do not replace "face-to-face" conversations - Skype or other video telephony-Solutions are irreplaceable here. When a team member joins a Problem got stuck, it should be possible to quickly discuss possible solutions in a short phone call. Just because you're not in the same office doesn't mean you're working in silos. For the Success it is essential that the team leader in particular can be reached by his employees.

3. Quality time

I personally try to be as often as possible in our Headquarter in New York and work closely with the team. This means that I do not want to be constantly involved in meetings with other managers. It is important to spend a lot of time with your team to really understand how employees think and what challenges they face.

I have found that a week is often too short to accomplish everything I set out to do while on site. That's why it's important to be with your team for a longer period of time. It's not just about Ask on current projects, but also to spend time with his team and get to know them better.


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