Answer

Geographically Diverse Teams

Geographical diverse teams are virtual groups and mainly collaborate with electronic communications as they are situated in different geographical regions. Effective management of virtual teams is vital to enhance maximum performance –which is essential in a competitive environment. Virtual teams experience many challenges because they are in different locations, and face-to-face communication is rare. However, project managers can implement strategies that will improve communication between the virtual teams.

1. Challenges Faced by Virtual Teams

Different Time Zones

One of the challenges of geographically diverse teams with a global range-over work is managing the different time zones (Pitagorsky, 2007). Setting up integrated conferences will be difficult as some team members might have to be awake at night to attend the meeting; thus, coordinating projects to meet the target dates will be challenging, leading to delays.

Technological Challenges

Technological challenges such as poor network connections and unreliable phone services might cause delays in the target date. A weak network connection is caused when a network lacks the capacity for a stable signal; thus, poor video qualities during zoom meetings cause conferences to be postponed. The weak network connection will hinder the virtual teams from attaining their targeted objective.

Lack of Bonding among the Teammates

Bonding among teammates is more developed in face-to-face scenarios; thus, it is a challenge to bond with teammates in geographically diverse teams, causing mistrust and poor cooperation.

1. Project Managers should Use the Following Strategies to Enhance Communication in Geographically Diverse Teams

Developing Fun Communication

To enhance bonding among virtual teams, project managers should implement fun communication to not miss out on some social exposures of going into an office. Through fun communication, the project manager can start a get -to -know each -other game and set a platform like Team Member Spotlight for team members to share their personal information (Christie, 2017).

Facilitating Effective Communication through Listening Skills

Project managers should ensure effective communication among the virtual teams to improve cooperation and the project’s success (Christie, 2017). Virtual meetings are facilitated mainly by electronic communication; thus, to ensure effective communication, the project manager should first listen and speak after to avoid making assumptions and misunderstandings.

1. The Most Effective Communication Strategy for Project Managers

Developing fun communication will be the most effective communication strategy for project managers. The main aim of teams is to work together to attain a particular goal. Thus, without the bonding of teammates, there will be no trust and cooperation, leading to the project’s failure.

In summary, virtual teams experience many challenges because they are in different locations, and face-to-face communication is rare. However, project managers can implement strategies that will improve communication between the virtual teams. Some of the challenges include weak network connections, operating in different time zones, and a lack of bonding among teammates. Ways that project managers can enhance virtual teams’ communication is by developing fun communication and exercising listening skills to avoid misunderstandings.