the bioteaming manifesto looks at the problems virtual teams have and tries to illustrate how change can occur by using a biological metaphor.

the authors (ken thompson & robin good) argue there is no culture of collaboration and collaborative learning and often we are too focused on what technology will make everything right instead of nurturing these teams and and this culture. i agree with this and with their list of problems virtual teams encounter (technology adaptation, reliance on old traditional work modes, low team motivation, lack of effective communication approaches, lack of cooperation)

the ant colony where the group is more important than the individual is mentioned. there was also something about bees. to be honest, i hate insects so i felt myself skimming during these sections even though i don’t think it was expanded upon as much as the metaphor could have been.

the nasty nature references aside, i do think they have some great ideas. the 4 action zones (and their rules) provide good starting points to keep in mind when laying down the ground rules with teams. ditto with the 7 beliefs of highly performing teams.