Virtual Teams Challenges and Solutions Essay

Introduction



The advent of technology has brought with itself various diverse changes. Advances in technology have effectively eliminated geographical barriers to communication and collaboration. As a matter of fact, the said changes have brought to the fore new possibilities for global organizations as far as teamwork is concerned. Thus it is now possible for people to undertake on common projects in a teamwork setting even if they are not in the same geographical location. This is what is what could contextually be referred to as virtual teams. It is important to note, from the onset, that there is no assigned definition for virtual teams. This is to say that several definitions have been offered over time in an attempt to define virtual teams. In essence, however, virtual teams could be seen as clusters of organizational employees who do not work in the same physical environment but nonetheless interact as well as collaborate using communication channels that are computer-based. Given that most organizations have today become global entities with operations across the world, the relevance of virtual teams when it comes to the successful coordination of the activities of such organizations cannot be overstated.



It is, however, important to note that although virtual teams are of great relevance in today’s business world; their very nature presents unique team leadership concerns. This is particularly the case when it comes to issues relating to employee interactions in a virtual setting and team leadership. In basic terms, managers could find it challenging to apply the same management techniques and approaches they apply to on-site teams to virtual teams. While most studies have in the past focused on the benefits of virtual teams, it would be prudent to investigate the various factors that inhibit the effective leadership of virtual teams. Further, it would also be enlightening to highlight and assess the various approaches that today’s leaders could adopt in an attempt to effectively direct, control, and govern virtual teams.



Discussion



In the past, typical teams were located in the same geographic setting – perhaps within the same building or office complex. Leading such teams towards the attainment of organizational goals was not considered to be a big challenge as in most instances, work schedules were largely the same and skillsets as well as backgrounds did not vary widely. That is no longer the case in today’s world. Today, team members could, in addition to having different backgrounds and work ethics, also come from any corner of the world and have significantly varying work schedules. This presents many unique challenges for today’s managers and business leaders. In essence, “the successful introduction of a virtual team and its management requires knowledge about the special characteristics of this team and the effective handling of challenges” (Szewc, 2014, p. 67).



To begin with, communication happens to be one of the most veritable challenges in the management of virtual teams. This is more so the…