Virtual teams and Collaboration
Question 1. Handling communication conflicts in English speaking in a virtual team
It is a fact that not everyone is good at speaking English. Some people are native speakers of the language, while others have other native languages and learn English for global communication, among other reasons. In the case of virtual teams and Collaboration, it brings in people from different backgrounds in terms of culture, social, and physical backgrounds. Therefore, the aspect of the English language is different for the team members, which could raise conflicts in the team.
In managing and handling these potential conflicts, I would put in place and apply the various measures of virtual Collaboration to getting the team members right with each other. This includes the measures imposed by Carol Kinsey Geoman, a contributor in leadership strategy. One of the most effective measures is getting each of the members to understand that professionalism in their respective sectors is what matters, and not the effectiveness in speaking English. For effectiveness, I would also increase the cross-cultural awareness to help the members understand each other and maintain a standard virtual environment for every team member. If a conflict arises, management is possible under this measure by discussing with the involved members to bring increased empathy and understanding among them (Goman, 2012).
Building a virtual trust is also a measure that would bring all the members together, regardless of how they speak the language and feel the sense of belonging to a workgroup community. It can be achieved by having a virtual set up where the members introduce themselves and provide some background, professional, social, and other interesting aspects associated with their lives. To make every member to feel included, I could also mix the communication mediums and create some team norms and rules to guide the members in communication.
Question 2. Stages of group development in virtual teams compared to face-to-face teams
The stages of group development include the orientation or the formation stage where the group comes together. The stage that follows is the storming stage, where the dominating members of the group emerge. The norming stage then follows, which incorporates integration and cooperation of the members, followed by the performing stage where the group synergizes on the goals and objectives. The final stage is the closure or the adjourning stage, which is reached after completion of a task.
Taking into account face to face set up of teams, and the aspect of virtual teams, the implementation of these stages might be different following the implications of the setups. The formation, storming, and the norming stages, for example, might not be very formal and effective in the virtual teams set up due to the lack of a physical presence. These stages are essential in the interrelation and developing trust among the members, which are critical aspects of building a successful group or team.
In the aspect of selection of team members, the face-to-face set up is quite more manageable and effective as it involves selecting members based on their evident functional skills. The selection in the virtual set up, on the other side, is not very easy as it calls for management of ambiguity and proactive networking without knowledge in the physical sense. There is also a variance in the group structure, the style of leadership, and decision making in the virtual set up as compared to face to face set up (Gera, 2013).
However, some measures can be implemented to make the stages of group development in virtual teams to be as effective as the face-to-face setup. Considering that the initial stages of group development are the key to the success of the group, a physical meeting can be held in selecting the team members. It would account for the formation and storming stages effectively. The group members would also have a chance to integrate (norming) and hence create a good foundation for the group, which can hence be taken forward under the virtual set up. If the physical meeting is not possible, there can be a virtual meeting set up that would include all the members and allow them to introduce themselves and have ample time to interact with each other. This would also account for the crucial stages of the group development and hence promote effectiveness.
Question 3. Barriers against effective communication
The standard five barriers in communication are the language barriers, diversity in culture, differences in gender, differences in viewpoints or perception, and physiological differences (Communication Barriers, n.d.). To start with the language, it is a common barrier in that members with different language aspects may have challenges in conversing, such as, if a member does not understand English very well, he or she might pass on the wrong message or one that is not clear. Gender and cultural diversity also hinder effective communication due to the different perspectives in culture and gender. This brings us to another significant barrier, the perception of the message, and various aspects. Due to the diversity in various principles such as culture, the perception and interpretation of a message are different among various people, which creates a barrier to effective communication. Physiological differences entail the various emotional and physical aspects such as hearing disabilities or speech problems.
When conversing with someone with an oversized ego, it is good to understand that the individual has a feeling of being right in everything they say. Therefore, the actions that I would take to have effective communication with the person is avoiding direct confrontation and disagreements with the person. If they are wrong, I would not tell them directly. I would use an indirect approach to leading them to realize the flaws themselves.
References
Communication Barriers. (n.d.). Retrieved April 22, 2020, from http://phicare.com/competencies/communicationbarriers.php
Gera, S. (2013). Virtual teams versus face to face teams: A review of literature. IOSR Journal of Business and Management, 11(2), 01–04. https://doi.org/10.9790/487x-1120104
Goman, C. K. (2012). 5 Tips for Virtual Collaboration. https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolkinseygoman/2012/06/05/5-tips-for-virtual-collaboration/#55eb8e777c13