Virtual Team Building and Management Instructor Guide
TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface ..............................................................................................................................................5 What is Courseware? ................................................................................................................................ 5 How Do I Customize My Course? .............................................................................................................. 5 Materials Required ................................................................................................................................... 7 Maximizing Your Training Power .............................................................................................................. 7 Module One: Getting Started .............................................................................................................9 Housekeeping Items.................................................................................................................................. 9 The Parking Lot ....................................................................................................................................... 10 Workshop Objectives .............................................................................................................................. 10 Pre-Assignment ....................................................................................................................................... 11 Module Two: Setting Up Your Virtual Team (I) .................................................................................. 12 Choose Self-Motivated People with Initiative ......................................................................................... 12 Face to Face Meetings at First (Kick-off Meeting) .................................................................................. 13 Diversity Will Add Value.......................................................................................................................... 14 Experienced with Technology ................................................................................................................. 15 Case Study............................................................................................................................................... 16 Module Two: Review Questions.............................................................................................................. 17 Module Three: Setting Up Your Virtual Team (II) ............................................................................... 20 Personality Can Count as Much as Skills................................................................................................. 20 Rules of Engagement .............................................................................................................................. 21 Setting up Ground Rules ......................................................................................................................... 22 Icebreakers and Introductions ................................................................................................................ 23 Case Study............................................................................................................................................... 24
Module Three: Review Questions ........................................................................................................... 26 Module Four: Virtual Team Meetings ............................................................................................... 30 Scheduling Will Always Be an Issue ........................................................................................................ 30 Have a Clear Objective and Agenda ....................................................................................................... 31 Solicit Additional Topics in Advance ....................................................................................................... 32 Discourage Just Being a Status Report ................................................................................................... 33 Case Study............................................................................................................................................... 34 Module Four: Review Questions ............................................................................................................. 35 Module Five: Communication (I)....................................................................................................... 38 Early and Often ....................................................................................................................................... 38 Rules of Responsiveness ......................................................................................................................... 39 Face to Face When Possible .................................................................................................................... 40 Choose the Best Tool............................................................................................................................... 41 Case Study............................................................................................................................................... 42 Module Five: Review Questions .............................................................................................................. 43 Module Six: Communication (II) ....................................................................................................... 46 Be Honest and Clear ............................................................................................................................... 46 Stay in Constant Contact ........................................................................................................................ 47 Don’t Make Assumptions ........................................................................................................................ 48 Set Up Email Protocols ............................................................................................................................ 49 Case Study............................................................................................................................................... 50 Module Six: Review Questions ................................................................................................................ 51 Module Seven: Building Trust ........................................................................................................... 54 Trust Your Team and They Will Trust You ............................................................................................... 54 Beware of “Us vs. Them” Territorial Issues............................................................................................. 55 Share Best Practices................................................................................................................................ 56
Create a Sense of Ownership .................................................................................................................. 57 Case Study............................................................................................................................................... 58 Module Seven: Review Questions ........................................................................................................... 59 Module Eight: Cultural Issues ........................................................................................................... 62 Respect and Embrace Differences .......................................................................................................... 62 Be Aware of Different Work Styles ......................................................................................................... 63 Know Your Team Members Cultural Background ................................................................................... 64 Dealing with Stereotypes ........................................................................................................................ 65 Case Study............................................................................................................................................... 66 Module Eight: Review Questions ............................................................................................................ 67 Module Nine: To Succeed With a Virtual Team ................................................................................. 70 Set Clear Goals ........................................................................................................................................ 70 Create Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) ...................................................................................... 71 Build a Team Culture .............................................................................................................................. 72 Provide Timely Feedback ........................................................................................................................ 73 Case Study............................................................................................................................................... 74 Module Nine: Review Questions ............................................................................................................. 75 Module Ten: Dealing With Poor Team Players .................................................................................. 78 Manage Their Results, Not Their Activities ............................................................................................. 78 Be Proactive, Not Reactive...................................................................................................................... 79 Check In Often......................................................................................................................................... 80 Remove Them ......................................................................................................................................... 81 Case Study............................................................................................................................................... 82 Module Ten: Review Questions .............................................................................................................. 83 Module Eleven: Choosing the Right Tools ......................................................................................... 86 Communication Software ....................................................................................................................... 86
Collaboration and Sharing Tools............................................................................................................. 87 Project Management Software .............................................................................................................. 88 Use What Works for You and Your Team ............................................................................................... 89 Case Study............................................................................................................................................... 90 Module Eleven: Review Questions .......................................................................................................... 92 Module Twelve: Wrapping Up .......................................................................................................... 95 Words from the Wise .............................................................................................................................. 95 Review of Parking Lot ............................................................................................................................. 95 Completion of Action Plans and Evaluations .......................................................................................... 96
The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you. B.B. King
Preface What is Courseware? Welcome to Courseware.com, a completely new training experience! Our courseware packages offer you top-quality training materials that are customizable, user-friendly, educational, and fun. We provide your materials, materials for the student, PowerPoint slides, and a takehome reference sheet for the student. You simply need to prepare and train! Best of all, our courseware packages are created in Microsoft Office and can be opened using any version of Word and PowerPoint. (Most other word processing and presentation programs support these formats, too.) This means that you can customize the content, add your logo, change the color scheme, and easily print and e-mail training materials.
How Do I Customize My Course? Customizing your course is easy. To edit text, just click and type as you would with any document. This is particularly convenient if you want to add customized statistics for your region, special examples for your participants’ industry, or additional information. You can, of course, also use all of your word processor’s other features, including text formatting and editing tools (such as cutting and pasting). To remove modules, simply select the text and press Delete on your keyboard. Then, navigate to the Table of Contents, right-click, and click Update Field. You may see a dialog box; if so, click “Update entire table” and press OK.
(You will also want to perform this step if you add modules or move them around.) Page 5
If you want to change the way text looks, you can format any piece of text any way you want. However, to make it easy, we have used styles so that you can update all the text at once. If you are using Word 97 to 2003, start by clicking the Format menu followed by Styles and Formatting. In Word 2007 and 2010 under the Home tab, right-click on your chosen style and click Modify. That will then produce the Modify Style options window where you can set your preferred style options. For example, if we wanted to change our Heading 1 style, used for Module Titles, this is what we would do:
Now, we can change our formatting and it will apply to all the headings in the document. For more information on making Word work for you, please refer to Word 2007 or 2010 Essentials by Courseware.com.
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Materials Required All of our courses use flip chart paper and markers extensively. (If you prefer, you can use a whiteboard or chalkboard instead.) We recommend that each participant have a copy of the Training Manual, and that you review each module before training to ensure you have any special materials required. Worksheets and handouts are included within a separate activities folder and can be reproduced and used where indicated. If you would like to save paper, these worksheets are easily transferrable to a flip chart paper format, instead of having individual worksheets. We recommend these additional materials for all workshops:
Laptop with projector, for PowerPoint slides
Quick Reference Sheets for students to take home
Timer or watch (separate from your laptop)
Masking tape
Blank paper
Maximizing Your Training Power We have just one more thing for you before you get started. Our company is built for trainers, by trainers, so we thought we would share some of our tips with you, to help you create an engaging, unforgettable experience for your participants.
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Make it customized. By tailoring each course to your participants, you will find that your results will increase a thousand-fold. o
Use examples, case studies, and stories that are relevant to the group.
o
Identify whether your participants are strangers or whether they work together. Tailor your approach appropriately.
o
Different people learn in different ways, so use different types of activities to balance it all out. (For example, some people learn by reading, while others learn by talking about it, while still others need a hands-on approach. For more information, we suggest Experiential Learning by David Kolb.)
Make it fun and interactive. Most people do not enjoy sitting and listening to someone else talk for hours at a time. Make use of the tips in this book and your own experience to keep your
participants engaged. Mix up the activities to include individual work, small group work, large group discussions, and mini-lectures. 
Make it relevant. Participants are much more receptive to learning if they understand why they are learning it and how they can apply it in their daily lives. Most importantly, they want to know how it will benefit them and make their lives easier. Take every opportunity to tie what you are teaching back to real life.

Keep an open mind. Many trainers find that they learn something each time they teach a workshop. If you go into a training session with that attitude, you will find that there can be an amazing two-way flow of information between the trainer and trainees. Enjoy it, learn from it, and make the most of it in your workshops.
And now, time for the training!
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Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other John F. Kennedy Module One: Getting Started Virtual teams are growing in popularity since many companies continue to grow and expand in different areas. But sometimes learning to manage a team that we can’t physically see every day can be difficult. When we learn how to manage our local teams, as well as our virtual teams, we can form a group that works together to increase productivity and provides a new perspective on any project.
Housekeeping Items Take a few moments to cover basic housekeeping items.
If you need an opening or a way to introduce the participants to each other, utilize the Icebreakers folder to begin or between breaks during the day.
Let participants know where they can find washrooms, break facilities, and fire exits.
Ask participants to turn off their cell phones or at least turn them to vibrate. If they must take a call, request that they do it outside.
Take this time to encourage the group to ask questions and make this an interactive workshop.
Write the words Respect, Confidentiality, and Practice on a piece of flip chart paper and tape it to the wall. Explain to participants that in order to get the most out of this workshop, we must all work together, listen to each other, explore new ideas, and make mistakes. After all, that’s how we learn!
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The Parking Lot Explain the concept of The Parking Lot to participants.
The Parking Lot is a visible place where you will “park” ideas that arise which are not on the agenda, may be off topic, or are better addressed outside of the program.
At the end of the session, we will review parked ideas and follow up, or make suggestions for your own investigation when you are back at work.
Suggestions for the trainer: 1. If you are working with a large group of participants, you may wish to nominate a recorder to park items as you are facilitating. 2. It’s a good idea to note the name of the contributor along with the parked item. 3. Items noted on the parking lot can be useful to you later as you plan future training sessions.
Workshop Objectives Research has consistently demonstrated that when clear goals are associated with learning, it occurs more easily and rapidly. With that in mind, let’s review our goals for today. At the end of this workshop, participants should be able to:
Know the keys to establishing a virtual team
Learn how to hold effective meetings and group sessions
Learn effective ways to communicate with team members
Use tools to build trust and confidence among employees
Know how to handle poor performing employees
Know how to manage a virtual team during any project
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Pre-Assignment Complete this worksheet before the class begins. Makes note of what you hope to learn or goals you want to address after the class.
1.) Have you ever been a part of a virtual team? Have you ever had to manage one? _________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ 2.) What do you think are the benefits of a virtual team? Disadvantages? ___________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ 3.) What obstacles do we face when we try to manage a virtual team? _____________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ 4.) What do you hope to learn from this course? ______________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________
Any other thoughts: ______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________
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Management by objectives works if you first think through your objectives. Peter Drucker Module Two: Setting Up Your Virtual Team (I) One of the key challenges in managing a virtual team is creating one in the first place. The manager must find employees that can work well under minimal supervision and can function with different types of technology. Don’t let geographical differences hinder the team you want to create.
Choose Self-Motivated People with Initiative One aspect of working on a virtual team is the ability to be self-motivated and selfdisciplined enough to finish the job without someone looking over your shoulder. When building your virtual team, choose employees that show self-motivation characteristics, such as making goals and having strategies for completing assignments. If looking to utilize current employees, look for employees who have had a proven record for getting assignments done and sticking to what they want to accomplish. If hiring from outside the company, look at the person’s resume and see what kind of success they have had and how they reached it. Characteristics of a self-motivated person:
They don’t fear failure
They have definite goals
They make plans
They are flexible when faced with a problem
Estimated Time
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10 minutes
Topic Objective
Identifying characteristics of self-motivated people. Choose Self-Motivated People with Initiative
Topic Summary
Discuss the characteristics of self-motivated people and how they can benefit a virtual team
Materials Required
Flipchart/Dry erase board, markers
Planning Checklist
None
Recommended Activity
Ask the class what they think it means to be self-motivated. What does that entail? Then ask how these same characteristics can benefit a virtual team. Write their answers on the flipchart/dry erase board.
Stories to Share
Share any relevant personal stories.
Delivery Tips
Encourage everyone to participate.
Review Questions
Why is it important to hire self-motivated people for a virtual team?
Face to Face Meetings at First (Kick-off Meeting) Even though virtual team members will be working apart from each other, it is important to start the team in the same location, usually through some type of ‘kick-off’ meeting. At this first meeting, members are introduced to each other and usually exchange contact information. The manager would then usually introduce the goals, assignments, and future projects for the group. This is the time where employees can ask questions, discuss availability, and plan for what they will be doing during the course of the upcoming projects. If geography is a problem for gathering everyone together, try to find a central location that is a fair distance from everyone involved. In some cases, employees may need to be present by phone or video to be a part of the meeting. Setting up a one-time video meeting or conference may be the only way to get some face time between all participants. Having that initial face time is very important to the overall success of the team.
Estimated Time
10 minutes.
Topic Objective
Discuss the need for a kick-off meeting.
Topic Summary
Face to Face Meetings at First (Kick-off Meeting)
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Identify what should be shared at a kick-off meeting and why. Materials Required
01-Building the Kick off Meeting
Planning Checklist
None
Recommended Activity
Complete the handout individually. Share your ideas with the rest of the class.
Stories to Share
Share any personal relevant stories.
Delivery Tips
Encourage everyone to share their ideas.
Review Questions
Why are face to face meetings important to a virtual team?
Diversity Will Add Value Any manager wants a team of employees that can all work hard and accomplish their goals, but in the same instance a manager needs each employee to be different in their own way and utilize what they have to offer. Each employee is different and has a different set of skills that they excel at. They are able to provide different ideas and opinions that can be shared with others and create a new, unique perspective. When we bring a diverse group of employees together, they are not only able to use their diverse skills to complement each other, but they can ensure their part of the project is done to the best of their abilities, making the overall assignment a great success. Benefits of a diverse work group:
Various ideas and perspectives
Each employee excels at their skill set
Contributes to the group as a whole
Estimated Time
10 minutes
Topic Objective
Identifying how different characteristics can add value to a group. Diversity Will Add Value
Topic Summary Discuss how diversity can add value to a group of people. Materials Required
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Flipchart/Dry erase board, markers
Planning Checklist
None
Recommended Activity
Ask the class to name some characteristics that can make people seem different. Then ask them to identify how this would add value to a group of people working together. Write their answers on the flipchart/dry erase board.
Stories to Share
Share any relevant personal stories.
Delivery Tips
Encourage everyone to participate.
Review Questions
How does diversity affect a virtual team?
Experienced with Technology One of the most important aspects of a virtual team member is the need to be experienced with various types of technology. Team members will be in different locations, but will still need to keep in contact. Many ways employees accomplish this is to communicate by phone, email, fax, or even video phone. An employee must know how to operate different forms of technology in order to stay connected to other employees and management. Assignments and projects are often sent by electronic files in a variety of programs and shared among the group to edit and sent along. If employees do not have a high level of knowledge when it comes to technology, they may not be able to function well on a team that relies so much on it. Current knowledge as well as keeping up-to-date with new and emerging technologies is required for today’s teleworker.
Estimated Time
10 minutes.
Topic Objective
Discuss the importance of technology and people who use it Experienced with Technology
Topic Summary
Identify why it is important for a virtual team member to be experienced with technology.
Materials Required
02-Technology I Use
Planning Checklist
None
Recommended Activity
Complete the handout individually. Share your ideas with the rest of the
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class. Stories to Share
Share any personal relevant stories.
Delivery Tips
Encourage everyone to share their ideas.
Review Questions
How can technology affect every member of the team?
Case Study Janet was getting ready to form a new virtual team in their large tri-county area. She had several employees she wanted to assign to the team, but was unsure how they would manage, and if they could handle the work load. She reviewed several of their files and looked into what they have accomplished while working in the company. She found one employee that was great with figuring numbers and another that worked best with customers and clients. They both had experience with the company computers and software, so Janet decided to add them both to the team. She knew they would work well together to help the whole team.
Estimated Time
5 minutes
Topic Objective
Outline the Setting Up Your Virtual Team (I) case study. Case Study
Topic Summary Discuss the guidelines for establishing a virtual team. Materials Required
None.
Planning Checklist
None.
Recommended Activity
Discuss the results of the case study. How did Janet decide on whom to add to the virtual team?
Stories to Share
Share any relevant personal/professional story.
Delivery Tips
Encourage everyone to participate.
Review Questions
What problems did Janet face when trying to form her virtual team?
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Module Two: Review Questions 1. What is one characteristic of being self-motivated? a) b) c) d)
Being flexible Being emotional Able to type 35 WPM Always on time
Self-motivated people know they need to be flexible to achieve their goals and stay on track. When something doesn’t work out as planned, a self-motivated person will be able to work through it. 2. A self-motivated person usually does what? a) b) c) d)
Stays late at the office Makes lots of friends Takes multiple vacations Makes regular goals
A self-motivated person stays motivated by making regular goals and working to achieve them. 3. What is one advantage of having an in person kick-off meeting? a) b) c) d)
Employees can stay in a nice hotel Employees are able to ask questions in person Managers can write off the expenses Managers can hold longer meetings
A face to face kick off meeting not only allows employees to meet each other, but it allows them to ask questions and clarify anything they do not understand before they begin their assignment. 4. Which of the following is one to hold an employee kick off meeting if it can’t be done in person? a) b) c) d)
Having an instant message session Talking by email Using video conference chat Holding a conference phone call
Kick off meetings are best done in person, but if they can’t be done in person then a video conference chat is another method that can be used since it allows everyone to see each other and converse back and forth.
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5. What is one benefit of having a diverse virtual team? a) b) c) d)
It offers different points of views It allows for a higher turnover rate It allows the company to receive a discount It allows for employees to learn another language
A diverse team of people is beneficial because it allows each member to present a different opinion or different point of view on a project/assignment. 6. Teams are diverse because ___________________. a) b) c) d)
Every member drives a different car Every member works together for one goal Every team member is different Every member lives in another location
Any team, virtual or in person, is diverse because each member is different and has different opinions and viewpoints. 7. What is one reason technology is so important on a virtual team? a) b) c) d)
It proves how skilled they are It keeps them separated so they can work quietly It’s the only way to complete an assignment It’s the main method of communication
For a virtual team, technology is the main form of communication between team members, such as email, instant message or even a simple phone call. 8. Which of the following is a form of using technology to communicate? a) b) c) d)
Mailing a letter Sending an email Jotting on a sticky note Passing out a memo
Electronic communications, such as email, is one way a virtual team uses technology to stay connected and communicate regularly.
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9. What hesitation did Janet have when creating her virtual team? a) b) c) d)
She couldn’t find anyone smart enough She wondered if the employees would get along She didn’t want to manage a big group of people She wondered if the employee could handle the work load
Janet knew that working on a virtual team can be hard work, and she was unsure if some of her employee choices could handle the work. 10. What is one way Janet searched for new team employees? a) b) c) d)
Searched through company files Put an ad on the internet Made a phone call to human resources Asked the other managers what they thought
Janet searched through company files to find employees that had successful work records and who had a history of doing a good job.
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Coming together is the beginning. Keeping together is progress. But working together is success. Henry Ford Module Three: Setting Up Your Virtual Team (II) When employees are happy and work together, they work harder to accomplish the job. When establishing your virtual team, it’s more than just employee skills and abilities – you have to consider how they interact with each other and socialize in a group. Some of these things you may not know in the beginning, but some of them you learn along the way.
Personality Can Count as Much as Skills Many people can master a certain skill set or become experts in many abilities, but their personality while they do it is what can set them apart. The same thing goes for a virtual team. An accounting team full of employees that can balance a budget is great, but if their personalities don’t work together and they don’t have personality in their assignments, the experience is not as productive and can even have negative effects. When choosing employees to join your team, look at their personality and how they present themselves. These traits will speak louder than their skills alone. Avoid negative personality types:
“Negative Ned/Nancy”
The “Downer”
The Gossiper
The Antagonist
Estimated Time
10 minutes
Topic Objective
Discuss how personality can affect skill types
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Personality Can Count as Much as Skills Topic Summary
Discuss how an employee’s personality can enhance their skills and become a weighing factor in their evaluation.
Materials Required
03-Personality Vs. Skill
Planning Checklist
None
Recommended Activity
Complete the worksheet individually. Discuss your ideas with the rest of the class.
Stories to Share
Share any relevant personal stories.
Delivery Tips
Encourage everyone to participate.
Review Questions
How does personality affect a person’s job setting?
Rules of Engagement The rules of engagement on any team are an important base to build on. With a virtual team, it can be a crucial part of the team plan. These rules include basic concepts of who to contact and who will be in contact with them. Some organizations have nicknamed it ‘the phone tree’, in which a chart or graph is created with employee names and channels in which they can use to contact someone else. This is important to establish with your virtual team members to let them know where they can go with any problems or concerns so they don’t feel lost when they are in an area by themselves. Example:
Who do the employees contact for help?
Who do they work with on a regular basis?
Who do they contact with a complaint?
Estimated Time
10 minutes
Topic Objective
Identify a team’s rules of engagement
Topic Summary
Rules of Engagement Discuss the importance of a team’s rules of engagement and how they can
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be formed. Materials Required
04-Rules of Engagement
Planning Checklist
None
Recommended Activity
Complete the worksheet individually. Discuss your ideas with the rest of the class.
Stories to Share
Share any relevant personal stories.
Delivery Tips
Encourage everyone to participate.
Review Questions
Why is it important to establish the rules of engagement at the beginning?
Setting up Ground Rules Ground rules are guidelines that help form appropriate group behavior. By setting up ground rules at the beginning of your team’s formation, it will help stop some problems before they begin. Many ground rules start with employee behavior, such as how to treat each other and some sort of ‘code of ethics’ but also include basic rules about behavior at work, such as deadlines and basic workplace behaviors. Other areas for ground rules include project deliverables, such as following deadlines and procedures for presenting an assignment. One commonly overlooked set of ground rules are rules for employee work hours, including attendance policies, procedure for calling in sick, and rules for clocking in and out. Although there are many areas to cover when establishing these rules, the team will run smoother when everyone knows what they can and cannot do. Examples:
Email usage
Contact procedure
Project deliverables and deadlines
Employee respect
Employee acknowledgement
Adhering to employee schedules
Estimated Time
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10 minutes
Topic Objective
Identifying the purpose of ground rules Setting Up Ground Rules
Topic Summary
Discuss the importance of ground rules and how they can set the tone for a virtual team.
Materials Required
Flipchart/Dry erase board, markers
Planning Checklist
None
Recommended Activity
Ask the class to identify some common ground rules that have been established in their company. Ask them identify the purpose of the rule and if it has helped prevent problems in the workplace. Write their answers on the flipchart/dry erase board.
Stories to Share
Share any relevant personal stories.
Delivery Tips
Encourage everyone to participate.
Review Questions
What are the benefits of establishing ground rules?
Icebreakers and Introductions Icebreakers and introductions are very important tools to use at the kick-off meeting. Introductions are especially important since it allows employees to get to know each other before they begin working together and are required to communicate back and forth. Icebreakers are a fun way to get each employee to interact in the group. This is often done with a small game or involving everyone in a group activity. In these activities, employees share their name, job title or position, and some sort of fun fact, such as their favorite hobby or vacation spot. Icebreakers and introductions allow employees to relax with one another by talking about themselves and learning things about their fellow team members. Example Icebreaker activities:
Talk about favorite foods
Group people by common job duties
Compare hobbies
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Estimated Time
10 minutes
Topic Objective
Discussing different icebreakers and introductions. Icebreakers and Introductions
Topic Summary
Identify the purpose of icebreakers and introductions and how they can help team members.
Materials Required
Flipchart/Dry erase board, markers
Planning Checklist
None
Recommended Activity
Ask the class to remember a time when they were first introduced onto a group or team. Did they complete any type of introduction or icebreaker activity? Ask them to explain or demonstrate it for the class. Write their answers on the flipchart/dry erase board.
Stories to Share
Share any relevant personal stories.
Delivery Tips
Encourage everyone to participate. Don’t forget about the Icebreakers located in the Icebreakers folder with the course.
Review Questions
What is the purpose of an Icebreaker?
Case Study Alex was almost done completing his newest virtual team. He picked a great group of employees that he believed would make a great contribution, skill, and personality wise. When they had their kick off meeting, Alex said he wanted everyone to introduce themselves to each other and become comfortable with their new team members. He asked each person to introduce themselves and then tell everyone the best place they have visited on vacation. Soon everyone was talking about different destination and laughing together. Lastly, before giving their assignments, Alex laid out the ground rules for the team, including the points of contact, rules regarding work property, dress code, and who to contact with a problem. When the meeting was over, Alex was confident his team would do a great job, even if they were far apart.
Estimated Time
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5 minutes
Topic Objective
Outline the Setting Up Your Virtual Team (II) case study. Case Study
Topic Summary Discuss techniques and requirements for creating a better virtual team. Materials Required
None.
Planning Checklist
None.
Recommended Activity
Discuss the results of the case study. Does the way Alex conducted the first meeting affect how the employees treat one another?
Stories to Share
Share any relevant personal/professional story.
Delivery Tips
Encourage everyone to participate.
Review Questions
Why did Alex gather employees together?
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Module Three: Review Questions 1. Personality traits speak _________________ than skills alone. a) b) c) d)
Louder More forceful Softer Half as much
Personality traits speak louder than skills alone because they can better define a person and how they will fit into a position. Making a decision on skills alone is only getting half of the information. 2. Which of the following is considered a negative personality type? a) b) c) d)
The people pleaser The helper The gossiper The assistant manager
The gossiper is a personality type that is characterized by spreading gossip around the office. This often causes confusion and even panic in the office. 3. Which of the following could be considered a rule of engagement? a) b) c) d)
Finding out where the employees eat for lunch Defining who to contact for help Determining what to do in an emergency Knowing when to go to bed
Determining who should be contacted for help is an example of a rule of engagement because it contributes to who the team should contact, for what and when. 4. What is one example of a rules of engagement flow plan? a) b) c) d)
A chain letter An employee directory An email recipient list A phone tree
A phone tree is a type of rules of engagement plan because it outlines who should be called in a critical situation and defines in what order each person should be called. This ensures that every person is reached in a timely manner without confusion.
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5. Setting up ground rules helps prevent what? a) b) c) d)
Team work Absences Conflict Fun
When ground rules are established from the beginning, it reduces the risk of future conflict since it can cut down on fighting or misbehavior. 6. Which of the following could be an aspect for ground rules? a) b) c) d)
Lunch menus Equipment purchasing Payroll deductions Email usage
Email usage is a common topic that requires ground rules to be established. It defines how email should be used and outlines consequences for misuse. 7. Introductions are important to a virtual team because why? a) b) c) d)
Employees may not see each other another time Employees can make judgments on their coworkers Employees can decide who they want to work with Employees will pick their permanent partners during this time
Introductions at a kick off meeting are important to a virtual team because the employees may not get a chance to meet again during the course of the assignment. They will need to know each other if they are going to continue to communicate. 8. Which of the following could be considered and icebreaker topic? a) b) c) d)
What do you do in this company? What kind of pet do you have? Did you get last week’s memo? Do you know what the dress code is for meetings?
Icebreakers are meant to make the employees feel more comfortable with each other and get to know each other better. A personal question, such as a pet or hobby, can make people feel more comfortable about opening up.
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9. What is one thing Alex asked everyone to share with the team? a) b) c) d)
Their favorite vacation place Their favorite food The number of pets they have Their mother’s maiden name
During the icebreaker activity, Alex asked each employee to give their name, job title, and their favorite vacation spot. 10. What is one of the ground rules Alex shared with the team? a) b) c) d)
Rules regarding food at the desk Rules regarding dress code Policies pertaining to vacation time Procedure for calling in sick
At the end of the meeting, Alex introduced the team ground rules, including the rules regarding employee dress code.
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