As a global company we have virtual teams working in different locations all around the world (this week we are the UK, Iraq (Erbil), Dubai, Europe and India).
Technology enables us to work remotely, anywhere, anytime and all our business information is in the “cloud” and can be accessed from laptops, tablets and mobiles whenever required.
However, we also recognise the dangers inherent in operating a disparate workforce. Not being able to get together regularly in person can hamper a team’s ability to develop trust, mutual respect, friendship and team spirit.
There are practices you can implement to address this on the surface – for instance, the house rule on team conference calls is ‘video on’ – but there really is no substitute for bringing people together.
Our most recent event was staged in partnership with a company called Discovery Village and held in the Nindi Hills near Bangalore.
Taking employees out of their normal working environment helps to break down barriers, both personal and cultural. It eliminates distractions, and most importantly, it allows people share experiences and get to know each other as friends, not just work colleagues.
Communication is the most important skill in business; without effective communications you will not succeed. In the British Army, where our founder Chris was forged, everyone is trained the same way; there is a standard format for orders, messages, documents and radio communications so that everyone understands what needs to be achieved (the aim) and their role in the mission.
Continuous training fine tunes these skills and helps to build high performing teams. In the corporate world everyone has a different set of skills, experiences, language and training. The challenge is to create that “common language” that everyone understands.
Team building is more than a just a training activity for XCD, it is a strategic initiative. If you would like to become part of the XCD team, please visit our careers page.
