Virtual Teaming
The Past
In 1999 after doing the “build a business” thing for 15 years with my former company - Freelance Hotline in Chicago, I left the corporate structure norm behind. Because of my natural tendencies toward care taking, and the fact I did not have children, my business became family and the workers, my “familial” responsibility. I am not saying that this was a necessarily healthy way to grow a business, but heck, I didn’t know any better and when I started the company at 24 years of age, I knew nothing of what it would become.
In 1999, middle age was upon me, and I knew I had to break the mold of caretaking, because, well, it was breaking me. I sold the company to one of my employees. (I also sold my car, my house, and moved. I know what mid life crisis is… a new start to the second half of life).
Fast forward to 2005.
I decided to get back into the game doing small business consulting; it was great but not enough of a money maker, so I took on creative placement and project management too. The difference? I work from home, all of my people work virtually from their offices or home. And thanks to Basecamp, all projects are worked on virtually.
Seasoned Professionals
Because I am working with seasoned pros that I have known for years, or I know through someone I have known for years, working virtually is mostly a breeze. Once the team members get used to the online software, everything pretty much flows. The clients love it too, they can see each stage of the project and where everyone fits and responsibility is not in question. Love it, love it, love it!!! No employee hassles, only the fruits of our combined labor.
What Do Clients Get?
Control over their project(s), lower project rates, and a team that shows up in person for presentations as necessary. Happy clients, happy team, happy me.
More On Virtual Teaming:
Making Work-at-Home Work for Everyone, on Harvard Business School Working Knowledge
Team Building for Virtual Workplace, by Mike Dempster, in Business Edge