Managing Virtual Teams

Rating:
Summary: Willmore's book is 5 Stars in my book
Review: I'm an aerospace engineering manager with an extensive background of working in Europe, the Middle East, and various locations in this country. I have a keen appreciation for the problems facing any project manager whose task force is scattered, difficult to assemble, and facing continual deadlines. Willmore's tutorial on virtual teams describes the problem and proceeds to solve it with a book that tells me "everything I needed to know - but didn't know who to ask." I only wish such a useful book had been available years ago. But now that it's here, I fully recommend it to anyone who wants to know everything involved in getting the best work product out of a workforce that is too scattered to bring together to conduct normal face-to-face team building/bonding activities. Willmore's book takes you from Step One fundamentals right on through to the completion of the team's task. Along the way he covers everything from personality differences and communication to logistics and training. He not only explains the theory and the principles in a clear, concise, and complete way - he gives authentic case examples to illustrate what to do. His book is five stars in my book

Rating:
Summary: Don't miss this if you're part of a spread out workforce
Review: This author has brilliantly anticipated the need for a "How To" manual on the principles and practices of how to get scattered, disparate -- even dissimilar professions and people to work in harmony as a team -- without even meeting.

With the postmodern world's global, multi-national corporate and governmental activities -- the challenge facing project managers has become one of producing results from a workforce that is so far-flung it's impractical, even impossible for personnel to take the time and incur the expense to have the face time ordinarily necessary for a "team" to form, coordinate, and effect its mission.

Willmore has succeeded admirably in laying out the principles involved in forming a "virtual" team -- and the practices involved in guiding it to success. He discusses these issues from the standpoint of every participant in the venture -- whether consultant, member, manager, etc., and does so comprehensively with examples, checklists, and real-life scenarios that seem to cover all the bases. He deals with logistics, likely attitudes, communication, training, and just about any issue that might come up -- including the pros and cons of virtual teams themselves.

I give it five stars for readability, relevance, and usefulness for anyone interested in effective team work from spread out team members.

Rating:
Summary: An Important Resource for Virtual Teams and Their Members!
Review: This book is a must-read for anyone who works with virtual teams in any capacity, whether it be as a member, leader, manager, facilitator, coach, or consultant. Willmore provides real-life examples and in-depth scenarios, along with helpful tools and checklists. For instance, he concludes every chapter with questions for consideration as a way to facilitate reflection and learning. I particularly appreciated the matrix that laid out the relationship between different types of technology and various group work activities. The book covers the fundamentals without being too basic, beginning with how to set up a virtual team to building trust and cohesion to management and virtual learning. The information about the values, benefits, and distinctions of virtual teams from face to face teams is useful for anyone attempting to champion this mode of working. I have no doubt that the book will serve as a useful resource for years to come