You might be surprised to know that the two most important tools impacting the success of your virtual team have nothing to do with technology. They are the ability to ask questions and the ability to make decisions: asking the right questions about what the team requires, what their challenges are, and how they are going to communicate and collaborate – and empowering your team members to make their own informed decisions; from their understanding of a common vision and goal. These are the foundation for an effective distributed team.

All teams struggle with trust, feedback, motivation, and communication quality. And these difficulties can be magnified when the team is not co-located. Increasingly, work within and between organizations is structured of individual contributors working in teams. Unfortunately, most people don't just simply adapt to virtual teamwork. Too many virtual team initiatives and distributed work programs have failed because of a lack of research, planning, and training.

Phil Montero on Cisco's Bizwise TV
"How to Mobilize Your Workforce"

"The primary underlying barriers to widespread telework adoption are not cultural resistance, technology issues, or even security, but instead are the same management issues that have chronically challenged government effectiveness."

Max Stier, President and CEO for the Partnership for Public Service
Keynote address, Spring 2009 Telework Exchange Town Hall Meeting, Washington D.C.