Virtual Team Leadership

I coordinated a team of researchers for a short term consultancy project a year ago. We were conducting research on best practices in creating educational opportunities for all during natural and political emergencies in developing countries. The work involved consultants from the US, Ghana, Ethiopia, and China. The final product was a paper giving detail of all of our recommendations for the World Bank.

One of the biggest challenges in doing this type of project is keeping in regular communication with people in different time zones across the world. It wasn't always possible to have meetings and be able to get everyone's input because we all had our individual work and family schedules. Culture was a big issue as well. When I work in other countries, it is expected that I adapt to the host country culture and ways of conducting business -- or at least make an honest attempt (I always make mistakes...). However in a virtual environment where everyone is still working in their native cultures, whose culture becomes the dominant culture?

This was the first time I had ever done this type of project so I was feeling out the process as I went along. If I had to do it again (and I am sure the opportunity will come again as technology is improving all the time...) I would develop some kind of process norms so that there would be a general understanding of how all involved should interact with each other. I would also have to configure a way to provide training on how to use the online collaboration tools as some people had issues (most of the ones who had issues were American...).