Overview
Write a 6-page report for hypothetical executive leaders that analyzes the predictable stages of virtual team development and offers recommendations supported by research.
Virtual teams have become more commonly used in the workplace, as businesses seek to find ways for employees who are not located in the same geographic area to work together efficiently and economically. Some of these newly formed virtual teams achieve great success in their collaboration efforts, while others never seem to get started.
Questions to Consider
To deepen your understanding, you are encouraged to consider the questions below and discuss them with a fellow learner, a work associate, an interested friend, or a member of the business community.
What do you see as the top priorities when putting together a virtual team?
What role might cultural differences play in the success of an international virtual team?
Resources
Required Resources
Gratton, L., & Erickson, T. J. (2007). 8 ways to build collaborative teams. Harvard Business Review, 85(11), 100–109.
Assessment Instructions
Preparation
Research virtual team dynamics and the predictable stages of team development that are presented in the Gratton and Erickson article, “8 Ways to Build Collaborative Teams” (linked in the Resources).
Deliverable
Consider the following scenario:
You are a member of your company’s Organization Development team. Executive leaders have asked this group to help diagnose some of the organization’s problems involving virtual team success. Each year, teams of managers are assembled from across several global business units to tackle issues identified by executive leaders. Each team is expected to work on its assignment for twelve months. Many teams in the past have been very effective; they have delivered specific, workable solutions that were responsible for important improvements to the organization. But just as many teams have become ineffective, stalled, and even disbanded with little or no results to show for their time and effort.
You have been asked to review the scholarly and professional research on virtual team dynamics, including the predictable stages of virtual team development, and to formulate recommendations for your executive leaders to use in helping the next group of teams to recognize and move successfully through these stages. Your report will be used to guide the next round of team development.
Write a report for your executive leaders that analyzes the predictable stages of virtual team development and offers recommendations, supporting your analyses and recommendations with resources from your research.
Formatting Requirements
Your report should include the following:
Title page.
Executive summary (1 page).
An overview of organizational best practices for virtual team development (1–2 pages).
A description and overview of the predictable stages of virtual team development (2–3 pages).
Recommendations for moving through each stage (1–2 pages).
At least one specific, actionable strategy for each recommendation.
An analysis of the technologies that will best support your strategies (1–2 pages).
References page. Include a minimum of three research resources. Follow APA guidelines for style and formatting.
