8.3 Developing competences for working in VITeams

Working in VITeams is a complex undertaking. As discussed in previous sessions it requires the ability to handle a range of technologies, dealing with different levels of virtuality, knowing when and how to use synchronous as well as asynchronous communication tools, acting in a way that creates a trusting and inducing work environment. It also requires working with and benefitting from a diversity of team members as well as recognising and adjusting to different stages of the team development process to mention but a few aspects. Overall competences for working in VITeams should enable you to achieve interdependent goals, support collaborating work processes, the development of a negotiated team culture and enable synergies. In short it can be argued that team members need virtual, intercultural and collaborative competences to interact efficiently, effectively and appropriately in a given context.

This also means that successful and satisfying work in virtual intercultural teams requires a range of intertwined and interdependent competences. These are commonly understood as clusters of related knowledge, skills and attitudes (KSAs). The ones discussed in session one in particular referred to virtual competences understood by Wang and Haggerty (2009, p.578) as the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to work and communicate in virtual environments with the aim of completing collaborative work projects. From a technical point of view this includes the proficiency to apply available communication technologies such as email, instant messaging, telephone or video conferencing tools which are basic enablers of virtual teamwork, at times also referred to as digital fluency. Closely linked to these is the ability to handle geographical and temporal dispersion. Being set apart from work colleagues necessitates inter alia enhanced time and self-management skills, mitigating challenges related to communication and emotional disconnects and at times dealing with different times zones.

Apart from such dispersed work related competences, another set of competences relates to working in a diverse and thus intercultural team. This includes the ability to positively influence collaborations and the development of supportive relationships among diverse team members in a virtual context. Generally speaking, it comprises the ability to communicate with diverse people in a way that supports mutual understanding, earns their respect and trust, while encouraging a cooperative and productive virtual workplace conducive to the achievement of team goals and team satisfaction. This skill set represents both the “knowing what” and the “knowing how”, because it refers to understanding the uniqueness of encounters in virtual settings and having the skills to handle these in an adequate way.

Another set of competences discussed in session 1 refer to specific team competences which are closely linked to communication and include the flexibility and ability to develop interactional routines. With regard to flexibility, the ability to both adapt behaviour as well as suspend judgement are key. Adaptive behaviour can be understood in the sense that team members need to flexibly select from a repertoire of actions those that fit a range of different social and intercultural situations as well as unexpected circumstances.

This short review of competences for virtual teamwork highlights several things. One is that the competences supporting virtual intercultural teamwork are complex, interdependent and intertwined and that one cannot really be set apart from the other. In a nutshell it can be argued that working in VITeams requires a combination of virtual, dispersed work and team related as well as intercultural competences. For example, feeling competent in communicating and supporting a conducive work atmosphere but not in using computer based technologies would only be part of the equation.

Adding to this complexity is, as mentioned earlier, that competences as such need to be understood as a trilogy linking knowledge, skills and attitudes (Wang & Haggerty; 2009; Deardorff, 2020; Byram 2009). Or in other words having an affective and emotional as well as cognitive and behavioural or actional component (Spitzberg & Chagnon, 2009, p. 7) For example, having the technical knowhow of using computer based technologies is one part of the competency, but when best to use which medium for knowledge transfer, how to substitute for missing communication cues and the timing of a response for example are equally important and refer to the skill component. And yet, having the knowledge and skills to deal with the challenges posed by working in virtual teams needs to be complemented with a positive attitude, openness and motivation to apply the knowledge and skills. In our example it would refer to the motivation of actually overcoming any anxiety to use computer mediated communication systems, being ready and open to learn and overcome any negative emotions associated with the use of technology or working in virtual settings in general.

To the knowledge, skills and attitude Fantini (2000, p. 28) rightly adds awareness turning the trilogy into a quartet of A+ASK (Awareness, attitudes, skills and knowledge). He argues that awareness is an essential component of competence development although it seems to be of a different order. According to him awareness ‘emanates from learnings in the other areas while it also enhances their development’ (Fantini, 2000, p. 28). Awareness is required at the onset of virtual teamwork in the sense of recognising and accepting that virtual intercultural teamwork is different from working together face to face and being mindful and alerted to diverse cultural identities. Awareness also refers to the ability to critically look at oneself as a member of the team. Awareness is also central in the course of working together and going through a process of learning in the sense of a critical consciousness of what is happening is central for the team to develop. Fantini (2000, p.29) refers to awareness as involving, exploring, experimenting, and experiencing and as such considers awareness to be reflective and introspective. It can therefore lead to a deeper understanding of one self and other team members and accepting them on their own terms.

Intercultural competence can be characterised as encompassing the ability to develop and maintain relationships, to communicate effectively and appropriately and the ability to obtain compliance and cooperation with others. Although such competences may be “desirable for everyone everywhere” as Fantini (2000, p.27) argues, they need to be considered in the specific context in which they are needed. Competences relevant and successfully applied in one context may not be useful and achieving the desired goal in another. This means that in the context of virtual teamwork, the intercultural competence required has specific peculiarities.

Last but not least, competences need to be considered with regard to the anticipated goal and output. Generally speaking, they can be understood as accounting for the process of managing team interactions in a way that is likely to produce appropriate individual, relational, task and team outcome.