Get tips and sage advice to collaborate and communicate more effectively from GreenLight Collaboration's virtual communication expert, Trina Hoefling. Since 1984, Trina's experience in virtual work and collaboration across boundaries is arguably the most extensive in the field. She is a pioneer in the virtual work arena and is founder and president of GroupONE Solutions, LLC. GroupONE Solutions implements virtual solutions and provides strategic coaching for companies ranging from privately held businesses to Fortune 50 clients and the government. She is the author of WORKING VIRTUALLY: Managing Successful Virtual Teams and Organizations and several other publications.

Basic Training in Virtual Collaboration Tools still Critical

Posted on August 7, 2011 by Trina Hoefling

And a quick word from your infrequent virtual collaboration blogger! As I’ve mentioned in my last few posts, I’m privileged to work with a virtual Colorado company that is building quickly into a fast-growth company that will outgrow its Colorado borders. It has been exhilerating and a magnetic draw for me, so apologies to any of you seeking frequent posts!

Our little virtual company has had a killer collaborative virtual platform for a while now, and this week we got our team together for 2 two-hour hands-on collaboration training, starting with how and why the virtual ‘office’ comes together as it does and followed by basic software training coupled with my Push-Pull-Post virtual communication guidelines.

What a difference this has made? I have been a virtual software and collaboration competencies advocate since the 1990′s, as many of you know. I have made an assumption in recent years that everyone understands how to manage and use social media and online collaboration. What I’ve learned, and I put myself in the group of learners, is that many professionals in my generation and a bit younger (and older) are using software more as a Personal Management tool than a team collaboration tool. This is a great start, and lays a solid foundation for effective and high performance virtual teaming. But it has impact that is limited to your own self management.

What I was reminded of and surprised about, is that many people are using virtual collaboration platforms as if they had TIVO but only used it to pause live TV. With a little bit of high level logic and understanding, coupled with some team communication agreements wrapped around a team training session… the fuller features are understood, embraced, and used. This saves time, frustration, communication breakdowns, and yes, hurt feelings.

Basic training in the tools built around the rhythms and flows of your virtual team is always a great investment in your company’s future, and your own.

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Get virtual team work relationships off to a good start

Posted on May 11, 2011 by Trina Hoefling

A Virtual Manager provides continuous feedback, engages in regular and prompt communication, and clarifies tasks. I recently was asked by a client to pull together a kind of Top Practical Tips for getting a virtual team off to a good work relationship start. Here they are -

■        Host virtual conferences.

■        Communicate why each team member was selected for team membership. Share strengths and passions.

■        Redefine roles and reassign tasks within the team in order to ensure better outcomes for the project as a whole.

■        Regardless of the issue, don’t be afraid to make changes even after the team has started working together if it means that communication channels might be made clearer.

■        Encourage peer collaboration to continuously improve work structure.

■        Make sure everyone has a clear concept of what the overall goal is.

■        Conduct regular meetings and status updates.

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The Handbook of High Performance Virtual Teams

Posted on April 5, 2011 by Trina Hoefling

My second book, (Well, I’m a chapter author along with my fellow virtual champions and leaders) hoefling 3fold path, has gone international! Here’s the link to see the most succinct topic summary I’ve seen.
I wrote on Expanding Emotional Bandwidth and trust in your virtual team in chapter 4.
I’ve uploaded a rough video snippet of my summary of that chapter. Take a peek!

http://www.com/news/home/20110329006242/en/Research-Markets-Handbook-High-Performance-Virtual-Teams

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Virtual Team Rhythms

Posted on March 12, 2011 by Trina Hoefling

In virtual teams, there is always a lot of ‘space between the notes.’

Think of one of your favorite songs, preferably one that is slower more than club tempo (not that there’s anything wrong with that). Hear it in your head, or sing it aloud if you’re not tonally challenged, like me. Tune in on your iPod….

Listen to the melody until you hear the ‘space between the notes.’ Hear how the silence, in tempo with the sounds, creates a rhythm to the song? Add a good melody – a well created tune with an engaging rhythm. Now it’s not just a good song in the moment that moves me into its rhythm; the melody is memorable.

In a virtual team environment, the space between the notes, when rhythmic, helps the team ‘sing’ together, and if melodic, well.

I’m c0-creating a virtual company in partnership and collaboration (and part of why I’ve been a bad, bad blogger, I have to acknowledge) with a merry start-up tribe of awesome teammates. We’re listening to and for our rhythms, and beginning to write some melodies. I forgot how fun this can be, growing a high-performing virtual team.

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How do you think ‘Work’ gets done?

Posted on January 5, 2011 by Trina Hoefling

Collaborative tools are intended to fundamentally expand the nature of how work gets done and how people connect with one another. In focusing organizational effectiveness by better using web-based collaboration, two findings are particularly relevant as “Lessons Learned.”

  1. People’s mental model about web tools as a viable communication vehicle is the largest contributor to effective web tool usage, assuming the technology functions properly. If members view collaboration software and web conferencing as necessary evils, a second choice, the tools will be touched when required but not really embraced and integrated into “our way of doing business around here.”

Remedy. Organizations that commit to virtual collaboration at the leadership level; and that educate people to leverage the tools’ potential, benefits, and appropriate usage.

  1. Organizational systems and structures that support, reinforce, and reward collaboration are more likely to achieve sustainable integration of virtual collaboration into people’s daily behaviors. Without this, the tools will be used, but history suggests they will be used primarily as personal organizational tools and when other options aren’t available. Again, a second choice or based on personal motivation. While this is helpful, this falls far short of the potential of virtual collaboration tools.

Remedy. Conduct an internal analysis to see how much healthy collaboration, virtual or not, is recognized and rewarded in your organization.

Remember that the key focus is should be on using the platforms and tools such as Greenlight Collaboration to facilitate a culture of knowledge sharing, relationship building, and collaborative work.

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