Instilling team self-confidence in the traditional workplace is difficult enough, but the process is even tougher in a virtual environment. But even if your group is scattered across the globe, you can ensure they trust each other by doing the following:
- Help them get to know each other. Managers often assume that people are mainly interested in what their fellow team members can do, not who they are. Wrong. Encourage personal connections by starting meetings with a short time for people to talk about what’s been happening in their lives, both professionally and personally.
- Share and rotate power. Outside of the office, centralized power structure is less effective. Let different members lead the team at different times. The person with the most relevant knowledge about a particular stage of work should take charge.
Adapted from “How to Build Trust in a Virtual Workplace” by Keith Ferrazzi.
