I have developed a training program around helping managers manage virtual teams. For the purpose of this training I am defining virtual teams as those not working face to face daily. The training is really around understanding measuring performance and motivating employees who work virtually.The only thing missing is a compelling role play/activity to help participants play out the differences between working face to face and virtually.

If anyone has a role play or activity that they have used for this type of training that they would like to share I would appreciate it.

Thanks

Did you ever find anything? I'm in the same boat.

Can you give me some idea of what your course says? My experience with virtual teams was that the first three of the traditional four stages went by much faster than in face to face teams. Productivity was also greater. I have heard that this is not universally the case (although it has been for me with six or zeven such experiences).

So, what particular differences are you trying to show? It would seem to me that many team building games (e.g. those from Thiagi) could be played with parts of the teams in different rooms and runners, cell phones, computers or IM to communicate. Or maybe with breif (2 minute?) meetings, periods of no communication, then notes written on index cards (email simulation) and carried by the instructor to other team members (and maybe with some getting lost to make it more real

That's what I'd do if I were interested in some aspects of the virtual team issue. There are others, of course, which is why I asked.

I ended up developing my own simulation. I wanted a simulation that would highlight the challenges virtual teams face. Not that non-virtual teams don't face some of the same challenges, I feel that they create even greater stress when the team is virtual.

I had the team build a building out of supplies I provided. To simulate the virtual aspect, they were all in different locations, with different communication tools (some had email, some only phone etc.) and different parts of the instructions on what they needed to build.

We then came together to discuss the challenges and how to overcome them:
Setting communication ground rules
Ensuring that everyone has access the the same tools
Ensuring common objectives and goals
How to deal with frustration
etc.

LL

Because sometimes a simulation can do an even better job of highlighting the challenges than just applying the situation itself. Simulations should not mimic the typical situation, they should highlight the challenges. Are you suggesting I should have just had them run a typical conference call to discuss product development and see what comes up? What if nothing comes up? Have a just waisted a great learning opportunity?
I think people learn best when there is a lecture followed by an experiment. If you just let people experiment that's what you get left with - people's experiments.