Introduction and Overview

• Defining virtual and remote working
• Dealing with the realities of effective global teamwork
• Identifying the benefits and impacts of separation factors

Creating a Leadership Model for the Virtual World

Overcoming the challenges of working in virtual teams

• Planning to meet the challenges of a 24-hour world
• Unique characteristics of virtual and remote leadership

Analysing the impact of distance on collaborative working

• Comparing working together with working apart
• Factoring in the effect of trust among team members

Establishing the foundation for effective collaboration

• Defining "team" in a wider and more productive sense
• Providing what team members need to be successful

Developing Your Virtual Team

Evaluating your readiness

• Assessing organisational and management capabilities
• Recognising team potential

Building and maintaining a successful virtual team

• Identifying key staff competencies and qualities
• Establishing trust across your virtual teams
• Mapping the key relationships to enhance team success
• Investing in virtual team effectiveness

Networking and fostering relationships with key influencers

• Analysing the perspectives and priorities of stakeholders
• Implementing the most effective factor for virtual and remote working success
• Navigating organisational and political complexities
• Creating strategies for building relationships

Managing high-performance virtual teams

• Coaching and training in a virtual workplace
• Virtual management pitfalls to avoid
• Selecting an appropriate management style

The start-up session: the key to VRW success

• Generating team ground rules to enhance effectiveness and efficiency
• Orienting new remote team members
• Running effective virtual team start-up sessions

Technology, Communication and the Virtual Workplace

Enhancing the benefits of virtual collaboration

• Distinguishing and defining the six key communication content areas
• Addressing key behaviours unique to virtual workers
• Generating structured processes for selecting the right medium for key team activities

Leveraging key virtual technologies

• E-mail
• Intranets/Extranets
• IM
• Blogs
• Wikis
• Social Networking
• Conferencing and collaboration tools
• Tips for using e-mail efficiently
• Evaluating virtual tools to maximise communication

Managing Diversity and Distance

Working with cultural diversity

• Exploring levels and categories of culture
• Responding positively to the range and depth of cultures
• Incorporating cultural differences to benefit the team

When things go wrong at a distance

• Proactive approaches to conflict pressure points
• Overcoming the isolation factor

Creating an Action Plan to Lead Virtual Work

Taking a proactive approach to daily leadership

• Refocusing leadership actions using a three-level model
• Adapting a communication plan to track progress

Establishing a personal action plan for successful implementation

• Practical tips and techniques for successfully managing virtual work
• Instituting your personal leadership success criteria
• Shifting to a new set of leadership priorities
• Adopting a leadership strategy based on collaborative teamwork and structured communication