Need Help? Get A Green Team

[Maria Elena Duron]

Need Help? Get a Green Team.

I have a Green Team. No, they are not green people and definitely not a group of gardeners or environmentalists. A Green Team is better known as a Virtual Team. It’s a group of individuals who work from different places, time zones, and organizational boundaries, bound together by technology. They have complementary skills and tools used to attain a common goal without you worrying about providing them offices and workstations.

“So, why green?” you might ask. Since virtual teams are geographically dispersed, there’s no need for them to commute to do the job. Thus, you are helping the environment by reducing air pollution.

Do you need a virtual team?
There are a lot of things that you need to consider before putting up your own team. Is it because you want more time for other activities? Is it the long commute to work? Or maybe you simply want to maximize the technology available to you. No matter what your reasons are, just like any other project, you’ve got to have a plan. You will need a laptop, a docking station, a fast internet connection, and a mobile phone to be able to manage your business and your virtual team more effectively. Just remember that it’s not sufficient that you have a plan. You have to take action in order for this to work!

Don’t Work Harder, Work Smarter!
There’s nothing permanent in this world but change. Sounds cliché but this is true. If you are so used to working really hard and doing things on your own traditional ways, then you have to be ready to embrace the changes that a green team would bring to your work life and to your business. Let’s just admit that we can’t do all the things we need to do on our own. We need other people to help us and that’s what your virtual team is for. Give yourself a break and learn the art of re-delegating your tasks. Aside from people, there are also resources in the internet that could make your job easier. Online banking is a good example. You can send and receive payments with just one click of your mouse. The best thing is banks and online money services maintain a secure website so you don’t have to worry about the security of your account.

Ready, Set, Go!
To have an effective green team, you have to organize them and identify who does what. Get to know the members of your team and check if you have similar working styles. For example, if you are the friendly kind of person and you need someone to answer your phone calls; you need to find someone who is as friendly as you are! Finding someone who can “mirror” you might be a challenge but it definitely has its own benefits. In that way, you can focus more on the bottom line!

No is sometimes a good answer.
Have you ever felt stressed because you have so many things to do yet you only have 24 hours in a day? Great managers know when to say no. You’re saying no not because you don’t want to do the job, but because you have already said yes to other people. Don’t overwhelm yourself with too many commitments. Like what our parents used to say, “Don’t eat what you can’t chew.” And it’s true! Focus on the tasks that need your talent and expertise. Then, re-delegate the mundane tasks to your virtual assistants. You can also utilize the resources available online that would help you set up reminders and schedules like meetingwizard.com. You may also want to try the tools like To Do Planner Pads and Ticker Filing System which are both available in Buzz2Bucks.com

A virtual team needs to be nurtured.
A green team is not only a group of employees working for you. Remember that they are people, too! One of the biggest mistakes that managers make is that they treat their employees like mechanical objects. Sometimes, it’s not only about the money and having a job because they can find their income somewhere else. It is important that you find out what motivates them and why they chose to become a virtual assistant. Giving recognition and rewards also help strengthen your relationship with your team. It’s not only about having the right people but also setting the right environment.