Virtual team work in the time of COVID – Turning you and your team right side up again (part two)

Last week I wrote about “Virtual team work in the time of COVID – Turning you and your team right side up again (part one)” which is based on a recent Learning and Development Roundtable I held.

We’re busy with a steep learning curve when it comes to working virtually. We need a map of sorts, which is why I introduced you to a road map of six critical issues when working in virtual teams.

1. Goals
2. Pros
3. Cons and red flags
4. M.A.P.
5. Virtual Team Tips
6. The 7 C’s

I explained the first three: goals, pros, cons and red flags. Now it’s time for the next two: M.A.P. and the 7 C’s. (I’ll give you the virtual team tips next week.)

1. M.A.P

M.A.P. is an acronym based on Daniel Pink’s work, of our key psychological needs.  Here are the sign posts to follow on your team M.A.P. Hit these ones and your team will hit it out of the park.  

M stands for Mastery

We all need a sense of mastery, of competence.  Ask yourself what you can do to give your team members a sense of mastery.

During the Learning and Development Roundtable workshop we watched several of the cup game videos for fun and tried mastering our hand at it.  Each video had a different level of difficulty and we talked about how that related to our sense of mastery. Here’s one of the examples; note it’s the hardest to follow!

A stands for Autonomy

Especially when ambiguity is rampant (when will we ever get out of our PJ’s?!), the need for autonomy is high.  We all need a sense of control or agency.

Ask yourself what you can do to give your team members a sense of autonomy.

To underscore the point, I led a guided visualization during the workshop, getting folks to relax and then think of a BHAG (a big, hairy, audacious goal) (Jim Collins and Jerry Porras).  Then I walked them through imagining they had reached this goal and to think about how it felt, what had happened etc.

P stands for Purpose

We are our best selves when we’re pulling together, working towards a shared goal, a common vision.  Ask yourself what you can do to give your team members a sense of purpose.

In the Learning and Development Roundtable we annotated a common screen, each with a symbol that represented our vision.

Working Better Together© is a classic combo of the 7 C’s: communication, con res, creativity, collaboration, culture, change management and celebration skills (yes they can be taught)

2. 7 c’s

In my decades of work with hundreds of clients in and from more than 125 countries I’ve narrowed down seven strategic areas to improve your team that all start with the letter C.

Take some time to see where your virtual team is shining and where it may need some help with:

• Creativity
• Communication
• Conflict resolution
• Collaboration
• Change management
• Culture (including intercultural communication and intercultural conflict resolution)
• Celebration

How did you do with the five of the six critical issues working with virtual teams?

1. Goals
2. Pros
3. Cons and red flags
4. M.A.P.
5. The 7 C’s

Let me know where the light is shining and where you might need some support. Next week we’ll finish up this series with Virtual Team Tips.

Now go on and learn, laugh and lead.

Learn

• Love (and connection, learning and leaning) in the time of Coronavirus

Laugh

• Use my cooperative story with your team for a laugh or three.

Lead

• Six simple tips for running better Zoom meetings
• Resources to Lead; Leading in the time of Coronavirus

P.S. Want to receive invitations to my monthly, free, online Learning and Development Roundtable like the one this post was based on, Virtual team work in the time of COVID – Turning you and your team right side up again? Easy peasy. Sign up here.