It's critical to find ways to identify energy in the distributed team and make it available to the whole so they can feel it and build on it. Blow on the distributed embers of energy to help the whole team catch fire. Create ways to celebrate accomplishments as a whole team even when you aren't together. Without these, a distributed team can disappear off the radar screens of others in the organization and team members can lose a sense of themselves as part of the team. Lacking reminders, virtual team members can forget to tune into various team communication channels unless there is something pressing.
Artifacts give a virtual team visibility in team members' physical space.
They serve as an anchor to bring the team down to earth. Catching a glimpse of the team picture out of the corner of your eye is a subliminal reminder of the team, makes it present for you. This puts it in a team context and conveys the sense of ideas coming from the whole team rather than a single member.