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Virtual Teams and Motivation



In today's globalised economy, it is more and more frequent to find work teams totally or partially constituted by geographically-dispersed individuals.

However, managing virtual teams is not an easy task, despite the technological tools that make it easier to work in such an environment. The bigger the team and the more cultural diversity there is, the more complex it gets to motivate the team members.

Nevertheless, it is possible to define a few tips to motivate a team, no matter which particular characteristics it has.

  1. "Personalize" the team

    2. Do not underestimate the power of an image. If it is possible to have face-to-face meetings with the whole team, do it. If not, try to introduce every team member to each other, using pictures. It will help to diminish uncertainty and will eliminate the sensation of a non-human team.

  2. Maximize the use of instant messaging tools

    3. Make an efficient and effective use of instant messaging tools. They provide a bigger sense of availability and collaboration, facilitating the creation of camaraderie, and contributing to a significant reduction in stress levels, due to a less formal and more spontaneous communication.

  3. Take your time to know the team

    4. Whether through conversations, surveys, personality assessments, or any other tool, try to know each of your team members a little bit more. Show a genuine interest in their well-being, and share every-day-life stories with them. This will make them feel appreciated, and will make your team stronger.

  4. Send them an inspiring message once in a while

    5. A project has a lot of stressful moments, such as a conflict between two team members, or a disagreement with the client. After those moments, people need to hear an inspiring word to return to a relaxed and stress-free state. Look for inspiring messages or jokes. You will see how a simple action like this can boost morale and have a positive impact on productivity.


To effectively manage a virtual team, a Project Manager must make an extensive use of his soft skills. An adequate use of those skills, in conjunction with a project management process adapted to the project’s needs will help the team achieve the objectives. But most importantly, it will create a sense of how a real team should be.
Read about motivation in a general context...



based on an article on the International Community for Project Managers by M. Vincenzi (2009)