Having one member in a remote location helps teams communicate.
What kind of team works together most effectively? The kind that keeps some distance — between one member and the rest of the team. So suggests a new study on geographically dispersed teams, which finds that it is beneficial for a group to include one member who is at a different location. That “isolate” prompts the group to be more disciplined in its coordination and communication — yielding a better and more productive experience for all members.In “Subgroups, Imbalance and Isolates in Geographically Dispersed Teams,” a forthcoming article in Organization Science, two researchers examine how the configuration of a distributed team affects its dynamics — and ultimately the quality of its output.
1 Comment On: A Surprising Truth About Geographically Dispersed Teams
oh..really? Did Mortensen and O’Leary study the communication behavior of work teams in regions separated by time zones differences of 10-14 (including daylight saving)hours? I’ve worked in Shanghai and Beijing and my US-based colleagues have never arranged a teleconference that is in the day time for me and night for them. Most of them in fact did not expect me to call in. Teleconferences for me could start at 10 pm and end at 5 am. Keeping me in the loop by email is no better. It’s out of sight out of mind.