ComCorp

Paper Summary:

This paper takes a look at the analysis of ComCorp by Kenneth Kerber and Anthony Buono in their article 'Leadership Challenges in Global Virtual Teams: Lessons from the Field'. According to the paper, employees that comprise virtual work teams need to have higher than average levels of initiative, resourcefulness, ability to keep themselves moving towards goals, organized and able to manage time effectively.

Outline:
Introduction
Characteristics of Successful Managers
Keeping Virtual Team Members Engaged Alleviates Many Problems Early

From the Paper:

"To accomplish these two critical leadership steps, the virtual team manager had to first bring together in person the virtual team members to give everyone a chance to first meet each other, and second, to provide an opportunity for relationships to get formed. Third, getting together in person also provided an opportunity for both the asynchronous and synchronous forms of communication, all of them electronic, to be defined. Fourth, conference calling times were next defined for 90 minutes each week, in addition to one-on-one telephone meetings between the leader and each team member, evaluation of progress towards objectives, measures of client satisfaction, quarterly reports of departmental business accomplishments, performance appraisals completed on time and personal development plans all contributed to a high level of expectations and responsibility placed on the 16 individual contributors in the Training and Development Team. Given the significant amount of responsibility each of the virtual team members had for strategic projects and their many project and individual contribution goals, the role of the virtual team manager quickly became one of leading by example when it came to achievement and attitude. In fact the best performing virtual teams demand a manager who exceeds the team members' expectations for their commitment, attitude and focus on results, according to Mindell (1993)."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Kerber, Kenneth W. & Buono, Anthony F. (2004) Leadership Challenges in Global Virtual Teams: Lessons From the Field. SAM Advanced Management Journal Vol. 69 Issue 4, p4, 7p
• Bell, B. S., and Kozlowski, S.W.J. (2002). A typology of virtual teams. Group & Organization Management, 27(1), 14-49.
• Mindell, A. (1993). The leader as martial artist: An introduction to deep democracy. New York: Harper-Collins Publishers.

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