Effective Virtual Relationships: Successful Traits in Employees & Supervisors

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Author(s): Sunitha Narayanan is principal of Career Advantage Ltd. and works with OI Partners (Cincinnati)

It is becoming somewhat common for even workers in traditional work settings to participate in a few virtual team projects during the course of business. How can supervisors recognize and nurture individual traits that develop an employee's potential to work virtually? Are there certain individuals who will struggle to meet business objectives in such a setting? How can organizations identify whether or not embracing a virtual environment will meet their goals consistently and effectively?

Susan Swavely, a supervisor with Ricklin & Echickson Associates, an organization that provides global transition assistance and career management services, shares, "Virtual environments do not work for everyone." A thoughtful assessment of work styles, expectations and personality traits, both by the individual and supervisor might help to identify the potential for an employee to thrive in a virtual environment. Swavely emphasizes, "Individuals needing in-person contact and routine feedback are not going to be well-suited for this set-up." For some individuals, a lack of human connectivity can lead to difficulty in participating in virtual teams. Most people use non-verbal gestures such as eye contact, nodding in agreement and other expressions to indicate agreement or disagreement in conversations. Finding ways to replace commonly used conversational cues to exchange information becomes crucial in establishing trust in a virtual relationship. Swavely suggests trust can be built intentionally by, "offering structural suggestions on work habits to keep employees focused and motivated; encouraging team members to reach out to individual expertise and experience within the team."

From a supervisor's standpoint, how can supervisors incorporate small changes in their supervisory style to manage a workforce they never or rarely see? Again, a deliberate self-assessment on the current style of supervision is a start. This self-assessment could include identifying their strengths and weaknesses as supervisors, assessing how their personal traits might encourage or hinder a virtual relationship and learning how to use a variety of supervision processes. For example, Swavely uses this self-assessment successfully depending on the level of experience her consultants bring to their work. She says, "I check in depending on my consultant's needs and experience; it could be as frequently as a couple times a week to just once or twice per month." It is worth noting that effective supervisors are able to function as a teacher and manager, making wise choices about which role to assume given the circumstances.

Another issue shared by Jim Byrne, career advisor with OI Partners-Cincinnati, a career management and leadership solutions firm, is one of communicating shared goals and objectives across all members of a virtual team. His experience as a supervisor of virtual teams in multinational corporations leads him to share, "sometimes virtual team members can have an isolated view of the larger picture; there is also a potential of not understanding what is expected." One way a supervisor could address this is by helping supervisees develop sequential short-term goals, clearly communicating policies and procedures, facilitating supervisee brainstorming of alternatives and collaboratively developing strategies for supervisee and client growth. One strategy that Byrne uses effectively in his supervisory role is scheduling at least a few personal meetings to provide interpersonal interaction between employees and staff at the main office.

While personal meetings help, sometimes this might not be a viable option. In such instances scheduling phone/video conferences help. Swavely explains, "I have mandatory individual meetings to review procedures and provide an update on company directions." When people consciously look for ways to communicate openly, reach out to colleagues and find creative ways to establish a personal relationship, the virtual work relationship thrives. Also, many times in virtual environments, it is difficult to pick up the "vulnerability" of an employee. As Byrne points out, "it is important to understand even more how life situations can add pressure on a virtual worker. A supervisor has to handle transitions from home mode to office mode, sensitively and accurately." One way to handle this is by focusing on outcomes and productivity of an individual, rather than quirks in work style. Taking the time, which initially could be intensive, to build a relationship of trust reaps dividends in the future.

Is there a fool-proof way to measure how effectively virtual teams meet business needs consistently? Perhaps. A continuous review of all business procedures, an enthusiasm to look at issues differently and a commitment to "make it work" are all factors that add to consistent success of such teams. For teams, whether virtual or in real time, to be successful, some basics remain the same. These are creating an atmosphere of respect, developing situations for all members to grow and finding ways to acknowledge the value of each team member. As George Santayana reminds us, "The Difficult is that which can be done immediately; the Impossible takes a little longer."

Sunitha Narayanan works with OI Partners-Cincinnati and is also principal of Career Advantage Ltd., a career management services group in Cincinnati. She has masters degrees in counseling and higher education administration. She can be reached at a.narayanan@fuse.net.

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