As a result of this new frontier, organizations are converging to allow employees to let their creative energies flourish by allowing them to work virtually. This type of virtual team building allows team members to positively utilize a repertoire of technology-facilitated communication networks. While the technology is not without its problems, the positives far outweigh the negatives. As a result of human factors-related communication issues, virtual members must be able to communicate effectively to establish trust and gain consensus, agreement, and the ability to influence. To positively establish trust, communication should be done synchronously through shared whiteboards, application sharing, video/audio conferencing and virtual meeting rooms so that all team members receive the same information. As a result of the team's synchronous collaboration, they can now positively communicate asynchronously through document sharing tools, group calendars, and newsgroups. Any negative aspects can be overcome by the trust that team members have among each other. Successful problem resolution can, in most cases, be accomplished quickly via voicemail or instant messaging. Additionally, managing a virtual team positively means being able to resolve issues electronically via email or voicemail. Additionally, weekly video conferences can be scheduled to bring together all team members and engage them in project team building. While virtual teams are a flexible way of working, problem solving can, for the most part, be accomplished in a timely manner and any negative qualities can be addressed as needed.
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