Along with increasing internationalization of companies, the challenges of leading global teams have been increasing for years as well. As a result leadership is more and more taking place virtually. A side note: “virtual“ actually is not a suitable term, since it means artificial, fake. More appropriate would be to speak of “comprehensively across sites“. Nevertheless - communication takes place via phone or video conference, via e-mail or diverse other, often company-internal, chat functions or applications such as “WhatsApp“. The responsible managers are often situated in the head office of the company or respective regional “hubs“ in Europa, USA or Asia. They are responsible for several local employees, but they also have a managing function on a global or at least continental basis. The difficulties associated with this (on a timely, cultural, technical, interactional basis) are usually accepted as given and often enough underestimated.
Three central challenges in the leadership of so called GVTs are the result (compare Zander 2013):
1. Targeting: Due to cultural differences and within this virtual environment conflicts of aims are more difficult to detect. Necessary common targeting is difficult and should be focused on in detail.
2. Transfer of knowledge: Requires special attention due to cultural differences in communication and trust.
3. Motivation: Due to cultural differences with regard to leadership preferences, different forms of “commitment“ among team members, different behaviour and needs of individual employees, a manager needs to be very sensible in his perception and behaviour.
Fig. 1: The global virtual team
In order to meet these challenges effectively, the following triphase action framework can be very helpful. For the sake of brevity we only describe the management tasks of the respective phase:
Welcome phase:
- Creating a social context and building up trust
- Explaining tasks and expected results
Working phase:
- Specifying the frame for communication and decision-making
- Promoting relevant processes and interactions
Final phase:
- Reflection on experimental learning
- Emphasizing competency development on GVT level
Designated managers of GVTs should be supported with specific learning designs in advance. In any case they should have experience in the leadership of real teams. In the preliminary phase of accepting GVTs these experiences could be compared with the specific requirements that arise from managing GVTs. In a presence workshop the opportunity should be given to reflect on these and to convey and train the specific features and skills in individually adaptable formats. It goes without saying that one needs to respond to the cultural backgrounds of the employees to be managed. This leadership training could be rounded up by a transition coaching within the first 100 days in the new management function. The coach should have respective experience in the field of GVTs. Since managers of GVTs will also always be key persons of the company, this investment should definitely be worthwhile.