In This Case, You Are Asked To Consider Ways A Virtual ✓ Solved

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In this Case, you are asked to consider ways a virtual

In this case, you are asked to consider ways a virtual team can explicitly establish communication and task norms that support high performance. Identify 10 specific behavioral norms (five communication and five task norms) that you feel are essential to the smooth performance of virtual teams. Explain why you feel these norms are essential. Propose a specific action plan virtual teams could use to develop and enforce task and communication norms. Use the background readings to support your arguments.

Paper For Above Instructions

In today's increasingly interconnected world, virtual teams are becoming a staple in many organizations, allowing businesses to leverage talent from across the globe. However, the absence of physical presence can hinder communication and collaboration, making the establishment of explicit norms imperative for high performance. By focusing on behavioral norms in both communication and task execution, virtual teams can create a more cohesive work environment. This paper identifies ten essential behavioral norms for virtual teams, proposes an action plan to develop and enforce these norms, and supports these recommendations with relevant literature.

Essential Behavioral Norms

To ensure smooth performance, virtual teams must establish various behavioral norms. Here we identify five critical communication norms and five essential task norms:

Communication Norms

1. Regular Check-ins: Establishing mandatory weekly check-ins helps maintain engagement and fosters accountability among team members.
2. Open Communication Channels: Team members should be encouraged to share ideas freely and ask questions without hesitation. This openness aids in preventing misunderstandings.
3. Feedback Loops: Constructive feedback must be a norm, allowing team members to refine their work continually. Regular feedback sessions can improve individual and collective performance.
4. Cultural Sensitivity: Acknowledging and respecting each team member's cultural background fosters an inclusive environment, critical for a harmonious virtual team.
5. Transparency: Sharing information related to project changes and developments builds trust and ensures everyone is on the same page.

Task Norms

1. Clear Role Definitions: Each member must understand their responsibilities to avoid overlap and confusion, which is particularly crucial for virtual interactions.
2. Defined Objectives: Establishing clear and measurable goals ensures everyone in the team works towards a unified purpose, enhancing productivity.
3. Use of Project Management Tools: The adoption of tools like Trello or Asana can streamline task tracking, encouraging accountability and organization.
4. Documentation Practices: Proper documentation of processes and decisions is essential to maintain continuity and serves as a reference for future tasks.
5. Conflict Resolution Mechanisms: Outlining procedures for conflict resolution aids in promptly addressing issues that could disrupt team dynamics.

Importance of the Norms

Establishing these norms is essential as they directly influence the team's ability to collaborate effectively. Regular check-ins and open communication channels allow team members to stay connected and engaged, mitigating the feelings of isolation often experienced in virtual settings (Malhotra & Majchrzak, 2004). Furthermore, feedback loops foster a culture of continuous improvement and adaptability, which are vital for high performance.

The task norms are equally pertinent; clear role definitions and measurable objectives enhance accountability, ensuring every team member knows their contributions to the collective goal. Project management tools facilitate organization and clarity, reducing the risks of missed deadlines. Documentation practices create institutional knowledge, simplifying onboarding for new members and maintaining project consistency. Additionally, effective conflict resolution mechanisms minimize disruptions, promoting a healthier team dynamic.

Action Plan for Developing and Enforcing Norms

To develop and enforce these communication and task norms, virtual teams can adopt the following action plan:

1. Kick-off Meeting: Start with a comprehensive virtual meeting where all team members take part in discussing and agreeing upon the ten identified norms.
2. Facilitated Workshops: Organize workshops focused on communication skills, cultural sensitivity, and conflict resolution, making these essential topics an integral part of the team's culture.
3. Set Norm Review Cycles: Implement a system where the team reviews and updates the norms quarterly, ensuring that they remain relevant and effective.
4. Utilize Technology for Monitoring: Leverage project management tools to track adherence to norms, using metrics and reports to evaluate the level of compliance.
5. Recognize and Reward Compliance: Establish a reward system for team members who exemplify the norms in their daily work, fostering motivation and commitment.

This action plan creates a structured approach to not only establish the norms but also maintain them over time. According to Karten (2003), creating and sustaining team norms is not a one-time event but requires continued effort and commitment from all team members.

Conclusion

The establishment of explicit communication and task norms is crucial for the success of virtual teams, impacting collaboration, efficiency, and overall team morale. By implementing the ten norms identified in this paper and executing a comprehensive action plan to reinforce them, virtual teams can enhance their performance and achieve their goals more effectively. Such structured approaches to norm-setting, as highlighted in the literature, are essential to meet the distinctive challenges posed by virtual collaboration.

References

• Karten, N. (2003). Creating Team Norms. Retrieved from [insert URL here]
• Malhotra, A., & Majchrzak, A. (2004). Enabling knowledge creation in far-flung teams: best practices for IT support and knowledge sharing. Journal of Knowledge Management, 8(4), 75-85.
• Settle-Murphy, N. (2012). Untangle your Virtual Team with 10 Most-Needed Norms. Retrieved from [insert URL here]
• Labrose, M. (2010). 6 Rules for Better Communication in Virtual Teams. Computer World. Retrieved from [insert URL here]
• McGannon, B. (2009). Stealth Team Building. Retrieved from [insert URL here]
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