In virtual environments, teams need a leader who removes ambiguity (Erin Meyer, 2010) and is task-oriented (Cogliser et al., 2012). One of your roles, as a leader, is to prevent and constructively resolve conflict by managing the flow of information.

Shared Identity and Context

There are two main types of conflict teams experience; interpersonal conflict and task conflict (De Dreu & Weingart, 2003).

• Interpersonal conflict occurs due to personal differences in interpersonal styles, cultural approaches, and values.
• Task conflict occurs over policies and procedures, methods of workflow, and distribution of resources.

Interpersonal and task conflicts occur in different ways in virtual teams that in-person. Pamela J. Hinds and Mark Mortensen are both experts in globally dispersed and virtual teams. Their research revealed that in virtual teams shared identity reduces interpersonal conflicts, and shared context reduces task conflict (Hinds & Mortensen, 2005). 

• Shared identity is when an individual identifies with their team members in a virtual team.
• Shared context is the information, tools, and work processes that everyone on a virtual team can access.

Relationship skills go hand in hand; Hinds & Mortensen (2005) also found that unplanned communication (refer to Part II) was associated with a stronger shared identity and increased shared context. 

Podcast: Making Remote Work - Mark Mortensen (INSEAD). 

Article: The Impact of Shared Identity and Context for Remote Teams

The Mutual Knowledge Problem

Why are shared identity and context so challenging to achieve in virtual teams? It comes down to what economists refers to as the mutual knowledge problem. This quick video introduces the concept of mutual knowledge:

Mutual knowledge is often lacking in remote teams. Cramton (2001) identified five sources of conflict in virtual teams stemming from lacking mutual knowlege: as a leader, you can help prevent and manage these conflicts constructively.

• Personal context. When teams do not have face-to-face contact, they may struggle to remember what is going on in their colleagues' lives.
• Information distribution. Whether by accident or on purpose, uneven information distribution can be a significant source of conflict.
• Importance. Technologically mediated communication can lack cues to meaning (facial expressions, tone, body language) that signal the importance of information. When you send an email with several topics, recipients may have different opinions of what is important.
• Speed of access. Our access to information varies; unstable internet connections, the realities of working from home during a pandemic, and time zones are just a few reasons.
• The meaning of silence. Silence can mean anything from "I completely agree with you," to "I hate this idea." Different interpretations of what silence means when using virtual communications can cause problems.

There are two big takeaways in Cramton's findings. First, conflicts in virtual teams are often due to problems with information management. Second, it is essential to resist making assumptions about the circumstances or intentions of others.

ACTION ITEMS

1. Foster shared identity and shared context within your team. Foster shared identity through relationship building (Part I), which helps prevent and manage interpersonal conflicts (Hinds & Mortensen, 2005). Build a shared context with effective communication (Part II), thereby preventing and managing task conflicts (Hinds & Mortensen, 2005).
2. Resolve conflicts constructively. Davidson & Wood (2004), in their Conflict Resolution Model, suggest first defining the issues and ensuring that all parties understand the concerns of others. Then, brainstorm creative solutions together and come to a mutually agreed-upon combination of solutions that work for everyone. I believe this is best done in a virtual meeting (and not email, as discussed Part II).
3. Take on a coordinator role. Take care of scheduling, coordinating meetings, and managing the flow of information (Wakefield et al., 2008). How is this a relationship skill? Relationship skills look different in virtual teams; by taking care of the information management, you're removing barriers and allowing your team to build stronger relationships, communicate effectively, and experience less conflict (Cogliser et al., 2012; Wakefield et al., 2008). Check-in with your team regarding what tasks need to be managed. When conflicts occur, discuss task and information management as part of your constructive solution.
4. Establish positive intent. Have an open conversation with your team about not assuming the worst. Discuss challenges like personal context and the meaning of silence and how, as a team, you will resist making assumptions when someone misses a deadline or does not answer an email (Cramton, 2001). When conflicts occur, refer back to this discussion. Ask the involved parties to consider whether the dispute is genuinely arising from another person's actions or whether it could be a mutual knowledge problem.
5. Create 'boundary objects.' Boundary objects are any shared point of reference through which knowledge and information are shared; a setup blueprints, a project plan, a diagram, an organizational model. Boundary objects are a fantastic tool for constructively resolving conflict in virtual teams; Iorio & Taylor (2014) found that teams identified conflicts more quickly by having and regularly referencing boundary objects. When conflict was underway, referring to boundary objects significantly sped up conflict resolution. As a leader, establish boundary objects and refer to them often. Platforms like Google Drive and Dropbox Desktop allow you and your team to update working documents in real-time.