1. The Virtual Project Manager
7 best practices for effective
communication
Hassan Osman
www.thecouchmanager.com

2. 1. Establish a Clear
Communication Plan
Define the rules of engagement
Explain communication preferences &
frequency
Define an escalation path
Include a project organizational chart
Include the team’s contact info

3. 2. Account for
Informal Discussions
Start or end meetings with discussions
unrelated to work
Plan for specific virtual meetings that
have the objective of socializing with
the team

4. 3. Be a Master of
Technology
Become an expert at using online
collaboration software
Understand limitations and
overlapping features of different
applications (including scheduling,
project management, and document
management software)

5. 4. Conduct
Structured Meetings
Have a specific agenda & send it out
ahead of time
Ensure the team remains on topic
during the meeting
Capture risks, issues & action items
(and assign owners)
Follow-up after the meeting with a
summary email

6. 5. Leverage Video
when Needed
Use webcam conferencing during
sensitive meetings to avoid the negative
effects of non-visual communication
Use more sophisticated video
conferencing technologies (like Cisco
TP) to conduct meetings when stakes are
high (e.g., negotiation discussions with
customers)

7. 6. Determine a Range
for Time-Zone
Differences
Determine a “prime-time” range for
meetings that include geographically
dispersed team members
Document time zone differences and
ranges in the communication plan

8. 7. Use Email
Effectively
Keep emails short – no one likes long
messages
Don’t bury action items (highlight
them using bullets)
Use different subject lines for new
email topics
Use “Reply-All” and “CC” sparingly

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