You can gauge the health of a virtual team by measuring the average lag time between when team members identify a problem and when they discuss it. If you and your colleagues don’t trust one another, issues will go unaddressed for much longer than they should. That’s why it is critical for members of a virtual team to establish trust and a sense of safety up front. Trusting people is hard when you don’t work with them face-to-face, but even the smallest of gestures can help: Be generous with information. If someone is struggling with a project or task, be the first to offer help. And when someone on the team has even a minor success, send a congratulatory email. A little kindness goes a long way in encouraging others to give you the benefit of the doubt when stresses inevitably arise.
Adapted from "How to Raise Sensitive Issues During a Virtual Meeting," by Joseph Grenny
