Manager's Guide to Virtual Teams

Get solid collaboration from team members in remote locations

Globalization and new technologies have made team collaboration from distant geographical locations―on the road, from home or client sites, even on the other side of the globe―a routine part of business. Managing these teams requires new skills and sensitivities to maximize team and organizational performance.

Emphasizing pragmatism over theory and offering helpful tips instead of vague observations, Manager’s Guide to Virtual Teams helps you bridge the communication gaps created by geographical separation and get peak performance from employees you rarely see. You will learn how to:

• Keep team members in remote locations motivated and involved
• Coach for peak performance via e-mail, telephone, teleconference, and videoconference
• Help widely scattered team members understand their contribution to the business
• Build consensus for decisions among virtual team members
• Learn effective communication and feedback techniques for enhancing team performance

Briefcase Books, written specifically for today’s busy manager, feature eye-catching icons, checklists, and sidebars to guide managers step by step through everyday workplace situations. Look for these innovative features to help you navigate each page:

• Clear definitions of key terms and concepts
• Tactics and strategies for managing virtual teams
• Tricks of the trade for executing effective management techniques
• Practical advice for minimizing the possibility of error
• Warning signs for when things are about to go wrong
• Examples of successful virtual managing
• Specific planning procedures, tactics, and hands-on techniques

Kimball Fisher and Mareen Fisher are co-founders of The Fisher Group, Inc. and have worked with many Fortune 100 companies to implement high- performance management systems. They have consulted for clients in North America, Western Europe, Asia and Africa with companies such as Amoco, Apple Computers, Chevron, Corning, Delphi/Delco, Hewlett-Packard, Monsanto, Motorola, NBC, PepsiCo, Proctor and Gamble, The Port of Seattle, Shell, and Weyerhaeuser. The Fishers have trained thousands of managers. They are widely published and are popular speakers on teams, leadership and organization design. Kimball. Fisher is author of Leading Self-Directed Work Teams and co-author of Tips for Teams.