Virtual and/or remote teams are composed of geographically dispersed employees that interact through various channels of technology. Virtual teams can provide a real business benefit because they reduce costs and can establish a competitive advantage within the global marketplace. Here are three simple tips for leading today’s virtual workforce.

1. Time: Establish a specified day and time when you will check in, whether it is on a daily or weekly basis. This ensures that both parties know what is going on and feel connected. Remember: the more you communicate the less likely your employees will feel they are “out of sight, out of mind.” Respond to your employees. Follow up phone calls and emails ASAP. In doing so, you will build a high level of trust and demonstrate that you are responsive and available.

2. Trust: Remind your employees that you hired them because of their specific talents and that you have faith in their work ethic and autonomy. Set standards, goals and deadlines with specific milestones and check in points. Champion their freedom to work when they want, where they want and how they want; as long as they are performing and producing quality results in a timely manner.

3. Training: Ensure that your virtual team has the necessary training to be effective. For example, they may need training on cultural competence. This is because while an enduring silence is perceived as perfectly comfortable in India, Indonesia and Japan, and being unnecessarily talkative is considered rude and a lack of self-control, silence is uncomfortable in our American culture. Because they may not have been trained in cultural competence, unknowingly, they could offend someone!

Leading a virtual workforce takes training as well. Start with these three T’s and you are well on your way!

(from Leading Remote Teams – Dr. Mimi Hull)