Virtual Team Ice-breaker Games
It’s the first time you’re bringing your virtual team together. You’re gathering your team of experts from various locations all over the world. It’s the start of a brand new project and you want to help your virtual team have a sense of unity. You’ve got John from Australia, Rishis from India, Ryan and Cassandra in the US all waiting in the online meeting room. How do you help this team really “gel”? As a virtual team leader, how do you direct your team to have that real sense of “teamwork” even though they may never meet face-to-face? What virtual team building activities can you introduce to ensure your team works creatively together towards a common goal?
Here are our top 3 virtual team building activities to ensure your team comes together as a truly united team from the very first day they meet online…
#1 The Virtual Team Honesty Game: Be honest with your virtual team about the special challenges they will face as a virtual team. Encourage discussion around this topic; invite ideas and possible solutions to the problems faced. Being honest about the typical challenges facing virtual teams and learning to trust in virtual teams is paramount to long-term virtual team success.
If you’re short on ideas, here are 3 Challenges your new virtual team will likely face:
- Individuals feeling isolated, rather than having a feeling of being connected with a common purpose
- Communication challenges associated with time zones, language and cultural differences
- Sharing, management and retention of information in the virtual team
#2 Virtual Team Ice-breakers: Having fun with your virtual team, and getting them to relax with each other is another important way to break-the-ice and get your virtual team members feeling connected. Virtual team games liven up meetings, break the ice, and improve communication and productivity
Get creative using social media, smartphones and other technology. It only takes 5 minutes to break-the-ice. We recommend – 50 Digital Team-Building Games.
This virtual team resource offers fun, energizing meeting openers, team activities, and group adventures for business meetings and teams. Using Twitter, GPS, Facebook, smartphones, and other technology, the games can be played virtually.
50 Digital Team-Building Games: Fast, Fun Meeting Openers, Group Activities and Adventures using Social Media, Smart Phones, GPS, Tablets, and More
#3 Virtual Team Personality Profiling Sessions: Personality profiling can be fun as well as highly beneficial to the virtual team leader as well as each member. Personality profiling will help the team to understand the unique way each person works and communicates. Discussing personality differences can be a fun journey of discovery, bringing the team together, while really impacting on the team in a positive way.
When you bring your virtual team together you need to make special consideration for the fact that your team do not have the advantage of meeting face-to-face. Without that face-to-face meeting you are faced with the unique challenges of a virtual team. The challenge of feeling connected, united and part of a real team. These challenges, with a little time and forethought can be overcome.
If you want to know how to conduct your own personality profiling session with your virtual team, click here to read our article “Easy Virtual Team Building Activity for Remote Teams“