You've got email, a phone, a fax, videoconferencing equipment, a pager and previous experience working on team-based projects. The other members of your team are all competent professionals. It's easy to do. Virtual teams are virgin territory in a rapidly changing and increasingly global workplace. To help you navigate this new land, we'll explore five common myths about virtual teams, and provide tips to help your team head in the right direction.
Virtual teams are the same as in-person teams.
Managers and professionals often don't perceive themselves as working virtually. That's where they get into trouble. A lot of people who've worked more traditionally have assumptions that a virtual team is like a regular team, but they quickly find out it isn't. In the traditional world, successful teams tend to have lots of informal contact. Managers can bump into team members in the corridor, for example, and end up conveying important information during a brief, casual conversation.