Virtual Success
Today's business environment demands a new philosophy for accomplishing tasks. As technology workers continue to become un-tethered, often without warning to the enterprise and its IT infrastructure, it is increasingly the responsibility of the enterprise to provide the education and change management necessary for the employee's success in a virtual environment.
By Kazim Isfahani
March 05, 2002 — CSO —
RFG believes IT executives must take deliberate process steps to ensure the success of their virtual project teams. By understanding the people, process, and technologies that foster a collaborative environment, IT executives can leverage their existing technology resources, while providing employees with the ability to contribute their intellectual and knowledge capital regardless of their location.
Business Imperatives:
A virtual team has a number of definitions, although it generally refers to a group of people working towards a common purpose interdependently, across geography and locations, using technology. These teams may be grouped within the firm, outside the firm, or both.
Trust and identity play a vital role in the formation and the successful completion of a virtual team. Identity and communication tend to go hand in hand. Similarly, the effective use of communication, especially during the early stages of the team's development, plays an equally important role in gaining and maintaining trust. Team members must understand the importance of providing timely accounts of work deliverables, and offer feedback on member contributions.
RFG believes IT executives must take deliberate process steps to ensure the success of their virtual project teams. By understanding the people, process, and technologies that foster a collaborative environment, IT executives can leverage their existing technology resources, while providing employees with the ability to contribute their intellectual and knowledge capital regardless of their location.
Business Imperatives:
- Today's business environment demands a new philosophy for accomplishing tasks. As technology workers continue to become un-tethered, often without warning to the enterprise and its IT infrastructure, it is increasingly the responsibility of the enterprise to provide the education and change management necessary for the employee's success in a virtual environment. IT executives should ensure that the appropriate education and competencies are developed among its core staff to leverage the full potential of a successful virtual team.
- Successful virtual teams involve a strong combination of people, process, and technology. For people to work seamlessly across boundaries, distance, and time, collaboration tools and services to catalyze productivity must be readily available. IT executives should evaluate tools from emerging professional services automation (PSA) vendors, project management and collaboration players, as well as leading audio and video streaming technology that can support the activities of a virtual team.
- A virtual team represents an exercise in risk management for the enterprise, since potential sources of risk lie outside the control of IT executives. Thus, it is imperative that IT executives evaluate the virtual team structure, and create safeguards to protect the firm's intellectual assets from potential sabotage.
A virtual team has a number of definitions, although it generally refers to a group of people working towards a common purpose interdependently, across geography and locations, using technology. These teams may be grouped within the firm, outside the firm, or both.
The virtual team has a variety of characteristics among its members. These include:
- Dispersed knowledge, staff, systems, and workplaces
- Highly efficient with the end goal as a primary focus
- Integrated technologically across communities, employees, and partners
- Potential expansion to include buyers, external sources, and suppliers
- Rapid and fluid adjustment to major change
Trust and identity play a vital role in the formation and the successful completion of a virtual team. Identity and communication tend to go hand in hand. Similarly, the effective use of communication, especially during the early stages of the team's development, plays an equally important role in gaining and maintaining trust. Team members must understand the importance of providing timely accounts of work deliverables, and offer feedback on member contributions.
Virtual Success - CSO Online - Security and Risk
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