Dear Dr. Scott, I’m working in one of the virtual groups in your online Masters class. I’m at my wit’s end trying to complete our group tasks for this first week of working together. To be honest, it’s really challenging to “collaborate” with the group when there are only 2 of the 6 of us present online in our virtual group’s wor- space! I have tried to engage our members. I have emailed them. I have posted requests for folks to jump in to the dialogue. But the clock is ticking and I’m getting ticked, too! What advice do you have about how I should proceed? It’s just very stressful trying to work with people who are not willing to participate.
Signed, Freakin’ Frustrated Frenzy in Florida
As our planet “shrinks” through virtual group work, what are some keys to building effective virtual work groups?
So I teach graduate students online. There are often virtual group projects assigned. Through the years I have seen some groups flourish and some tank. Typically, these people have never met face-to-face, and even during the project never speak voice-to-voice. Sometimes I receive a plea from a student like the email above (based upon a true story!).
What are the keys to successfully working in a virtual group? Whether for an online course (which a growing number of people across the globe partake in weekly), or a business virtual group – what are some concrete steps to building an effective virtual work group?
1. Connect with group members as individuals; try to establish a sense of a personal relationship right away – rather than focusing solely on the tasks at hand. Ensure clarity of purpose and who the group members are right away. And most importantly in this first step, conscientiously communicate respect and value toward each person and the experiences and depth each person brings to the group.
2. Be willing to be authentically vulnerable. By approaching conversations as a humble contributor (rather than a know-it-all), you add to a positive chemistry where insights and perspectives of others are genuinely encouraged. Operating without assumptions for why other group members do what they do helps you remain open to discovery – and encourages others to share openly rather than defend any shortcomings.
3. Verbalize agreements in the team setting. Even in a virtual, text-only setting, committing to actions and timelines – and then following through! – builds trust in the virtual group. There’s not much beyond being dependable and pleasant that the group may know about you in the fully virtual, text-only group; following through on agreements sets the team up for continued effective work toward its common goal.
4. When life gets out of control as it sometimes does, or when “it” happens and you can’t follow-through or engage with your virtual group as intended or planned, are you willing to “own” your behaviors? If you willingly address your shortcomings and include plans for how you intend to avoid this in the future, you help your group get over your short-lived failure. (Believe me, they most likely already know about your shortcoming! Being silent about it only causes them to doubt that you are aware of how you negatively impacted the group.) “Owning” your behavior drives the level of trust up – which is so critical for the success of a virtual group.
5. Express appreciation for the efforts, contributions, and personhood of your group members. It is amazing how a little bit of verbal appreciation goes such a long way! Celebrate the value that each person contributes; celebrate the mini and major milestones of the group’s progress.
These keys to build real trust in a virtual group also work in building a trusting culture in a group that meets face-to-face. The difference is that in the virtual setting, you just have to be a bit more focused on investing in your group’s positive momentum – because you can’t rely on “sensing” feelings through voice tone and body language and facial expressions! In the virtual group it becomes tricky at best to check your perceptions.
Going back to the email I received from my graduate student, Freakin’ Frustrated Frenzy in Florida, it was somewhat funny to see the debacle unfold as it came to light that the assumed “missing” and “unengaged” group members were not missing or unengaged at all! They had (all) mistakenly been dialoguing in a different area of the online work-space for the group…and had been wondering where the “other 2” group members were! No one was dis-engaged…they were just a bit confused on the correct virtual location in which to work together!
Part of the 5th key above to build trust in a virtual group includes the strategy of operating without assumptions in trying to understand the motives and behaviors of others. One of my favorite statements when it comes to communication – whether virtual or face-to-face – is: Assumptions get you nearly every time!
By Dr. Heidi Scott – Leadership and Organizational Development Specialist (who for fun teaches undergrad Communication and graduate Leadership!)
Learning Pursuits Blog 
Thanks for this advice.
I am glad you found this advice helpful! What I love is how these strategies fit work in virtual groups, face-to-face groups, and if you think about it… they really set you up for success in just about all relationships!
Thnaks for the advice Nice will someone please reply to my Post please Dont even read it Just reply http://wp.me/p123m6-L
I hope this advice includes tangible steps you can begin to implement today in some sort of group you work within!
Great advice and congrats on being freshly pressed. Hang on for the ride!
Kathy
Kathy, thank you! It is fun to connect with so many people in our growing virtual world! These keys for building trust in virtual groups seem to especially resonate with those spend a great deal of time communicating virtually. I am joyful about even one idea helping someone be better equipped to succeed in virtual relationships in work and life.
Great advice. Thanks for sharing!
B.C., I am glad you found this to be helpful advice! Hmmmm. I wonder how soon today we will each have an opportunity to put any one of these strategies to work! 🙂
Nice advice that is relevant in today’s world of social media!
Yes, now that you mention it, these 5 Keys to Building Real Trust in a Virtual Group DO apply with relevance in a global sense to communication via social media (in the many ways and purposes it is used)!
Fantastic tips. They will definitely come in handy for me as I’m still pretty cyber-ly retarded. Thanks!!
I have found many people who are “new” to living part of life online (especially where it “matters” like in higher education or virtual groups at work), that there is often a high stress level. What I hear the most from people who may classify themselves as “technology challenged” are fears related to: “What if I post the wrong thing? Or what if I inadvertently post something to the wrong person in my group – or in the wrong group space online? Sometimes I just feel paralyzed to post any response because everyone else seems to know more than me.” And the list goes on.
So if you are launching into group communication in the virtual setting, good for you to “own” your current state of feeling as though you are technically challenged! This allows others to speak words of encouraging input to you more than they may have otherwise. It also helps keep you fresh and watchful for leveraging strategies for building trust in this type of virtual group as you interact. Thank you for being open to learning (one of our greatest allies to continued growth and improvement!).
[…] the point. I just read a very interesting post, from another WordPress user, and it hit home pretty well! As is known, I’m sort of a nerdy guy. Yeah, shocker! I play a […]
I just read your blog post – and I really like your statement:
Maybe I’m just saying you should try to be nicer on the Internet, and to try harder to be a good person – even virtually. “Don’t be an e-jerk” is sort of cliché, but that doesn’t make it any less true.
Being nice goes a long way – in ALL of our relationships. Thank you for sharing this perspective and call to action!
[…] you opt to go ahead with the online trust thing, here are some better tips for you. GA_googleAddAttr("AdOpt", "1"); GA_googleAddAttr("Origin", "other"); […]
Michael, you bring up some interesting points about NOT trusting people you don’t know inside of virtual groups. Thank you! I fully agree with your caution to not always trust or try to build trust with people you know nothing about but who you have somehow by happenstance have stumbled together in the virtual world of technology we live in.
So please allow me to add a comment (and “own” my behavior!) regarding a caveat to my blog post “5 Keys to Building Real Trust in a Virtual Group.” I really needed to include the lens from which I was writing – and that is that the types of “virtual groups” I am referring to are those that are formally set up through school in the higher education system, life – where you are linked with others who share the same mission/goal or the optional but very real purpose of a group or organization, and work – where you may find yourself teamed up with colleagues in states or continents away but with whom you share the same adherence to company mission and standards.
You bring a very needed caution to share with people – that we DO need to be careful in online groups because (even w/in the confines I’ve just stated above of being linked w/ others who “should” be sharing aligned values, goals, purpose to being in the group, etc.) may not always be who their profile name, gravatar, and profile facts say they are!
Thank you for sharing this perspective.
Thanks for sharing your tips and advice!!
Lakia, I am glad you found these to be helpful to you! (I’ve already put one to work today… to “own” my behaviors!)
[…] of this morning’s links was “5 Keys to Building Real Trust in a Virtual Group“. Now, my purpose isn’t to malign the author of this particular blog in any way, […]
These are some great ideas that I could use today with some of the virtual groups that I deal with. I am going to test them out and see how well they work. Thanks for your post I think it could be very helpful for me and what I am trying to accomplish!
This is great! Reading and learning with a “ready-to-implement-strategies” mindset may result in walking away from today with a few new “best practices” for you in building trust in your virtual groups.
I’d love to learn what you find works really well in helping you accomplish what you are after!
Good advice! For everyone working in a group or any sort of community- virtual or real!
So true! These strategies can help each of us build and maintain effective communication and leadership skills as we employ them. Thanks for your insight about these key strategies working in any sort of community!
So what say you of the motivation of online students? Often times I have found that the motivation level of these online students vary, and I have held back on motivating my own students in an online setting because I am unaware of how I should start. Is there any research in this area that one could be made aware of?
Great question about how to best motivate online students in the virtual class setting. I have been experimenting over the years w/ each online graduate course I teach – in discerning how to draw them out from the get-go and authentically engage in the learning and dialogue (versus just jumping through hoops of the making the correct # of posts each week!).
Here’s what I have learned and continue to refine as the online professor:
1. Write an honest bio or “About Me” post for the entire class to know who you are – that goes well beyond your academic track record and business/career experiences. Include your personal interests and even hobbies. Share some of your core values (not that they have to share the same values w/ you! But it lets them know who you are and even a bit more about the perspective you are approaching dialogue from). Share something regarding your most important personal relationships (family, etc.). I have found that this type of sharing by choice REALLY jump starts students’ willingness to engage in more “real” sharing about who they are – which encourages additional dialogue among class members.
2. During the first week of an online class, carve out the time and make a personal post/response TO EVERY STUDENT. Demonstrate your interest and involvement. I really enjoy the first week of teaching an online class because it is the one window of opportunity to engage in more personal ways because we have not yet gotten deeply into course content (whatever it may be).
3. Provide personal feedback on content, thinking, form, mechanics, APA (or whatever style they are writing to), ideas, and questions to help students think more deeply about their papers. Sure, they are looking for the “grade.” But I find that most students really value feedback aimed at helping them become richer thinkers, as well as better academic writers.
4. Respond quickly! Whether it is scanning discussion boards for discussion threads w/ a subject line that appears to necessitate your input, or grading and returning papers promptly, this matters. I believe this increases student motivation to engage…because quite honestly, if I were a student, I would not want to be found tardy (or entirely missing!) from a dialogue with my instructor!
I hope these ideas help you! I inquired w/ one of my brainy friends about what reference/resource to recommend to you. She said to recommend Dr. Sylvia Rimm’s book: Why bright students get poor grades and what you can do about it. I have read other works by Dr. Rimm and find her work to be data-driven (in a good way!) and very practical. Enjoy! Dr. Scott
[…] Dear Dr. Scott, I’m working in one of the virtual groups in your online Masters class. I’m at my wit’s end trying to complete our group tasks for this first week of working together. To be honest, it’s really challenging to “collaborate” with the group when there are only 2 of the 6 of us present online in our virtual group’s wor- space! I have tried to engage our members. I have emailed them. I have posted requests for folks to jump in to the di … Read More […]
With our growing number of business relationships where you don’t meet face-to-face (sometimes ever!) but you work closely together, I have seen these strategies really work. Even when you throw in the mix of voice-to-voice and even video conferencing in the work setting, these strategies serve as a great framework for building trust. Thank you!
Wonderful tips! It is really imperative to build a good foundation of trust among team members, as this will play a vital role in the attainment of the company’s goal. Trust can be gained by establishing a good relationship with each member, and to hear them out with their concerns and ideas. There should always be an open communication among team members.
Thanks for the feedback! I agree that establishing a good relationship w/ each member can really help the team accomplish a company goal. One more aspect to consider in helping a team/group move toward accomplishing a company goal … dialogue to ensure every team member knows, understands, and buys in to that goal the group is working together toward! Thanks for the dialogue about a fun subject.
Excellent post – thank you. As I was reading I was thinking “most of these work face to face too”, and then you covered that. But online relationship require actual verbalization of things that are often covered by body-language. It always reminds me of having to teach my children that nodding doesn’t work when you are on the phone!
Congrats on being freshly pressed!
You made me laugh! Yes, there’s no body language in virtual, text-only, work groups! Keeping this fact before us can sure help us be mindful of being intentional in how we communicate!
To me this topic sounds a lot like “Are you willing to lead?” – and I mean actually lead, not boss. Having experienced several situations similar to the example, I’ve noticed that a common reaction to a non-cohesive group is for someone to try to hammer people into line by delegating and bossing. Sometimes that works.
Your notes describe what I would term “attitudinal leadership.” Based on my experience, I’d agree that it’s the better course.
Chris, I love your take on this! Your description of “attitudinal leadership” aligns closely with servant leadership in many ways. How are we, as online instructors (AND virtual group members), willing to set our own agendas aside and communicate with grace and openness with one another – all w/ an authentic desire to really “hear” and learn about the perspectives, ideas, and “Ah-ha’s” of others? How often are we purposeful in how we set the virtual culture in a work group by how we communicate with and treat others?
Thank you for your ideas. You’ve helped me connect a few more dots in my mind on this topic!
I Really Think Your Post, Wait…Your Blog Is A Billion Times Better Than Mine, This Particular Post Is Really Helpful! My PS Home Group Might Stay Together If I Tell Them To Read Your Blog! Again, Your Blog Is A Bazillion Times Better Than Mine!
Isn’t it great that each blogger can contribute to thought space as ideas hit our brains? I am interested in contributing ideas, questions, and content that may help others in relevant ways; I am glad to learn that this post may be of help to your PS Home Group if that is important to you. Thanks!
Cool Job.
I’m glad this found relevance for you!
This is great advice. I am a college junior in Florida and we often have group projects that get frustrating, especially when people do not cooperate. But these rules apply to groups face-to-face as well, and as I finish my 3 different group projects in the next few weeks, I will keep these tips in mind. 🙂
Great job in navigating 3 different group projects at the same time! I bet you faced many challenges along the way!
One thing that may be of help when you “close out” work projects and team work w/ these groups is to sit back and reflect on what went well. What do you intend to keep doing as a result of seeing positive results in how you interacted w/ your groups? What, as a result of reflection, do you intend to not do again in a similar virtual group? And what ideas do you have around starting some new strategy that you think may work well in a subsequent work group – virtual or face-to-face?
It may be really fun for you to dialogue with your group members about these things… in fact, that could be quite fascinating!
I’m glad you were Freshly Pressed because that is how I found you. This is great information about building my blogosphere as it is just like a virtual group of sorts!
Thanks for the insight and congrats on being Freshly Pressed!
Blessings,
Ava
xox
Hi Ava, you know, it’s funny but I went on a run today and was thinking about the same thing! – that blogging and interacting with others you haven’t ever met in our virtual world requires us to follow these same guidelines! I appreciate your thoughts about this!
That’s true. totally agree, especially the “establishing personal relationship” and “showing appreciation”
Thanks
Thanks – it’s fun to see results from implementing even just one strategy for building trust in a virtual group. And just like in face-to-face communication, authenticity is readily perceived! I was thinking about how these strategies really only work if you truly DESIRE to build trust and learn from others in a virtual group. Hmmmm. Thanks for helping me think!
Awesome! I agree with all of these. Great Post!
Great advice. I think if people are presented with the risk and rewards of their actions they’re more likely to make a decision. They’re more likely to join the group and work online if they feel like their input is required, valued and they have an important part to play in the group.
I recently created a free site that makes group work easier for students. It’s a type of Facebook for education and its called http://Enterthegroup.com.
Sal, this education site of yours looks great!
I will invite my online Masters students to explore this as an additional “place” for small group collaboration on projects. Thank you for sharing that! I love great ideas!
And I believe that your comment that people are more likely to join in virtual conversation when they feel that their contributions are valued and important in their role in the group is so true!
Hi, really liked your article. I have worked in a group for a project, and I think all peoples roles are vital to the group, and I liked how you explained everything. Very intelligent. Congrats FP
Thanks – I agree w/ you on the importance of clear roles and also the clarity of the project in order for a group (especially a virtual one) to be most effective w/ a healthy dose of trust.
Great ideas for virtual and face-to-face groups.
Hi, I enjoyed your blog. Great advice. Could quite easily apply to any business environment as well, such as networking. I am also fairly new to all this and really appreciate your tips. Cyberspace has just become more human for me. Thank you for sharing.
I love your ideas here. I believe that the more we approach virtual communication in groups with people we don’t know well (or at all), that when we do so with the heart-set (that’s beyond a mindset!) of interacting w/ others as real humans…those are the conditions that allow us to communicate authentically with others. I know for me, that’s when I learn and gain the most. Thanks for sharing your insight!
Organisation should come first – online or offline. That and communication between team members is what seems to be lacking here. Good advice for group collaboration.
Your comment, Organisation should come first – online or offline is fitting in getting at the perspective that people matter; team members matter. It coincides with one of my espoused values: People over profit. When this gets lived out, I think then we are taking steps toward your words of wisdom that whether online or offline, organizations (people) matter.
building a trusting culture is important, yes, that’s what I’ve learned in my flickr and wordpress community …
I agree. No matter the project at hand or the purpose for a virtual group, building a trusting culture is important.
Sometimes I think that the clearer the purpose and the stronger the passion of interest in the group’s purpose that the members have, that there can be an easier first step to building trust. Yet, when passion for the group’s focus and purpose is high, hanging on to and displaying humility is critical – especially when your group is made up of many, knowledgeable and passionate individuals gathered together with a singular focus. Thanks for your ideas!
Congrats on being freshly pressed. Individuals being individually different I guess it takes a while for everyone in a group to gel. It needs you to push yourself out of your comfort zone and emphathise with another. You need to figure out how to bring out the best in another. A tough job indeed but doable I guess.
Your points are so right on in the focused realm of treating others with respect, care, empathy, and truly wanting the best for others – regardless of our personal agendas that often sit submerged and unnoticed below the surface. Bringing out the best in others…who wouldn’t want to be around that? I would – sign me up to take part in that type of virtual group! Thanks!
I would like to say is , ” Let’s us see at the TOP”.
Awesome advice! Thanks for the post. 🙂
Heidi,
Thanks for distilling this tricky area of trust in virtual environments. Group work is difficult enough in f2f environments, much more so in virtual. You have offered some good advise for both classroom and work settings. Keep up the good work!
Mark
Mark, thanks! I know there are many of us who spend a great deal of time teaching and working in virtual groups – I bet everyone has at least one best and recommended practice for increasing trust among group members!
nice sharing realy like it
[…] found this article posted just two days ago when browsing through a blog called learningpursuitsblog.com. I had to put […]
It was fun to see “inside” the mind of a thinker involved in maximizing the learning experience while working with a small group. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Dr, Scott, it was my pleasure. Your blog gives excellent advice and I’ll be following your posts regularily.
Conor.
Conor, it seems that we share a desire to learn how to best work and lead in virtual groups. I look forward to continued conversations! Best wishes in your learning pursuits!
Hi there I located your blog by mistake when i was searching Live search for this subject, I need to express your blog is very valuable I also love the layout, it is wonderful!
Well that’s good advice, since we have a wide community that share their thoughts via blog. But it’s not as simple as it does to make our community to learn for appreciating other people in a virtual world, needs time I think…
[…] Dear Dr. Scott, I’m working in one of the virtual groups in your online Masters class. I’m at my wit’s end trying to complete our group tasks for this first week of working together. To be honest, it’s really challenging to “collaborate” with the group when there are only 2 of the 6 of us present online in our virtual group’s wor- space! I have tried to engage our members. I have emailed them. I have posted requests for folks to jump in to the di … Read More […]
Thanks for the feedback! I agree that establishing a good relationship w/ each member can really help the team accomplish a company goal. One more aspect to consider in helping a team/group move toward accomplishing a company goal … dialogue to ensure every team member knows, understands, and buys in to that goal the group is working together toward! Thanks for the dialogue about a fun subject.
Great content! Yes, team membership buy-in to the group goal is critical when it comes to a group working together and gaining momentum. Thanks!
Thank you for sharing content to read.
Hey hi,
Thanks for sharing this fantastic post! n\very nice tips..
it seems like “yes, i must have to learn and follow them,though its really tough to implement but it will definitely work! “.
Building trust in a group – especially a virtual one! – takes time and focused intentionality. Do you think it may be easier for you to focus on just 1 or 2 of these “Keys” in the next week, rather than all 5 at once? Sometimes breaking down what we want to remain mindful of can help us do well in those specific areas.
Yes, definitely, trying initially 1 or 2 will lead to follow the all at a time in future.
I am really grateful to the owner of this web page who
has shared this wonderful post at at this place.
Valeria, thanks for the note. Virtual team building only becomes more and more of a need w/ our culture embracing technology each day. Each month we find new and fresh ways of leveraging technology to help us build relational trust across the miles. And that is fun!