ABSTRACT
Most people need a little (or a lot) of practice to bolster confidence and hone new skills, especially when they themselves don’t have role models in their line of sight. (After all, many virtual team leaders work remotely from their own managers, depriving them of the opportunity to observe “best practices” leadership themselves, much as their own team members miss seeing you in action every day.)
You can start applying the tips and techniques you’ve learned in this book in different ways. One approach is to perform a gap analysis to take stock of which skills and knowledge you most need to become a successful virtual team leader. For example, do you need to ramp up your listening skills to lead more effectively in an environment where you have few visual cues to go by? Can you use help facilitating difficult conversations across time and distance? Would you benefit by knowing how to more deftly navigate through cross-cultural differences? Pick a few areas where the gap between your current and desired future state is greatest, and map out a development plan for yourself. Enlist the help of colleagues, mentors, managers, or HR if needed.
