Building trust between members of a virtual team is a tough task mainly because members of such a team rarely meet and don’t know much about each other. This can be even more difficult when there is less face to face communication and limited contact.
Trust is necessary for virtual project teams to succeed because it encourages people to assist and help each other. When there is trust between people they are more open and share their experience which in turn results in better productivity of the team.
If you are a remote project manager or a member of a virtual team and don’t know how to build trust between your team members, the tips below will surely help you.
1. Show your Virtual Team you are Trustworthy
If you want your team members to trust you show them continuously through your actions that you are trustworthy. Be fair to all the members and have a positive behavior with them. You should also keep your promises and meet commitments.
Be very careful about what you do, trust can be lost easily but it doesn’t come in a day.
2. Communicate Regularly With the Team
Communication is the key to building trust with your virtual team. You must be skilled enough to use proper means for communicating regularly with others. Never blame the technology for the lack of contact and try to build a healthy relationship with the team members.
3. Respect Your Team
Always respect each and every member of your team. Don’t forget to give credit where it’s due and appreciate the efforts of your team. Resolve your conflicts privately and don’t make assumptions about your colleagues.
Allow your fellow members to demonstrate they are trustworthy and respect their skills and way of working.
4. Tell your Team the Advantages of Trusting Each Other
Let your team know the benefits of working together and trusting each other. Show them that it will help them succeed and improve the productivity of the whole team. Also, tell them how the team will suffer if there is no trust between the members.
5. Resolve Conflicts Quickly
Conflicts are one of the main barriers to building trust. If you have issues with any of the team members, talk to them and sort it out quickly otherwise it will negatively affect the entire team.
6. Work as a Team
Instead of focusing on individual goals and objectives work collectively as a team. Involve your team in decision making and problem-solving and listen to their ideas. This helps in building healthy relationships and trust with the team.
Use these tips to build trust between the members of your virtual team and increase your productivity as a team.
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