SYLLABUS 1

Virtual Management 101 Syllabus

Facilitator

Jessie Gravatt

Telephone

(XXX) XXX-XXXX

Email Address

XXXX@XXX.XXX

Availability

I appreciate your patience because my working hours may not be your working

hours. I’ll respond to emailed and texted inquiries within one business day and to

emailed homework assignments as needed. For between-module coaching

sessions, I will reach out to you via email.

Course Schedule

Every Saturday, three weeks in a row

Dates: [TBD, e.g., January 12, 19, and 26, 2024]

Times: [TBD, e.g., Noon to 1 p.m. MST]

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Overview

Welcome to Virtual Management 101! This course has three, one-hour Zoom modules

that are each spaced one week apart.

In this course, you’ll learn some basic concepts that will help you gain confidence in

leading your team in a virtual work environment. You’ll participate in learning activities

during the three modules that will empower you to create a healthy virtual work

environment, interdependent workflows, and professional development opportunities for

your team and yourself. Because this is a basic, 101-level course, we’ll focus mainly on

virtual leadership where it differs from managing others in an in-person environment

without getting into general management strategies. In between modules, you’ll

complete short assignments, participate in coaching, and have opportunities to extend

what you learn.

Course Goal and Objectives

Our goal with Virtual Management 101 is for you to gain the confidence to lead a team

in a virtual workplace.

At the end of this course, you’ll be able to…

• Identify the main components of a healthy virtual environment for teamwork.

• Develop a multipart plan for establish interdependent workflows in a virtual

environment.

• Create a plan to pursue your own professional development as a virtual manager.

• Describe ways to help your direct reports grow professionally.

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Format and Materials

You’ll participate in this course virtually and synchronously. That means you’ll meet via

Zoom with your classmates and facilitator every week. You’ll also have opportunities to

add to your knowledge after each module by watching videos and reading articles with

thought leadership with links provided by your facilitator.

To fully join in the Zoom modules, you’ll need an internet-enabled device with a

webcam. You’ll be expected to have your video on most of the time, particularly for

group discussion and partner activities. (If you need a bio break during a camera-on

activity, please take care of yourself and resume video as soon as you can.) You’ll also

follow each module with your participant guide, which is a PDF you’ll receive in an

email* that you can either a) save to and fill out on your device or b) print to fill with a

pen or pencil. No other texts are required.

For the third module, you’ll want to use a mobile device, such as a smartphone or

tablet, with an internet connection for a “walk and talk” with a partner.

*We’ll send it to the email address you used to register for the course. Want it sent

elsewhere? Contact your course facilitator, using the contact information on the first

page of this syllabus.

Participation and Other Expectations

Because this is a learner-centered and open-ended experience, we encourage you to

bring your knowledge and perspectives to the discussions and other activities. You’ll

learn not only from the course content and materials but also from the others in

attendance. While we don’t expect immediate mastery of concepts, we do expect you to

help us create a safe space for everyone to try out new ideas and engage in reflection
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by being respectful, considerate, and kind. Help each other engage with and build on

ideas with thoughtful questions and curiosity!

Here are some other participation guidelines you should be aware of:

 Participant guide: Your participant guide will guide in engaging in critical self-

reflection. It is yours to do with as you please, and you don’t need to turn it in.

However, as with the rest of the course, you’ll get out of it what you put in.

 Open-book policy: You can use your notes to complete knowledge checks (e.g.,

quizzes).

 Poll results: Your poll results will be anonymous to other participants, though

your facilitator has access to your specific answers.

 Homework: The two mandatory homework assignments should be emailed to

your facilitator by 5 p.m. MST on the day before the next module.

 Between-module coaching: In addition to the virtual modules, you’ll meet via

Zoom with your facilitator at least once after one of the three modules, and your

facilitator will contact you via email to set up coaching.

Agenda

Module Topic / Learning Activities

1 Creating a Healthy Virtual Work Environment

• Welcome

• First Day Final, Part 1

• “Warning: Unhealthy Environment Ahead” Sign

• Think-Pair-Share: Creating Your Work-Life Balance

• Poll: Virtual Environment Scenarios*

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• Group Discussion: Leading by Example

• Boundaries for Work-Life Balance*

• First Day Final, Part 2*

• Homework: Healthy Environment Sign

• Optional additional learning: TBA

2 Establishing Interdependent Workflows

• Group Discussion: Comparing Work Environments

• Breakout: Communication Etiquette “Telephone” Game

• Game Debrief

• Partner Activity: Feedforward Role-Playing

• Poll: Three Categories of Virtual Workflows*

• Workflow Planning Brainstorming

• Homework: Your Custom Workflow Planner*

• Optional additional learning: TBA

3 Being the Best Virtual Manager You Can Be

• Professional Development Journey Mapping

• Scoreboards for Three Goals*

• Professional Development “Walk and Talk”

• Concept-Mapping Opportunities*

• Finding a Professional Mentor

• Optional additional learning: TBA

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Learning Assessments

Your facilitator will use the learning activities marked with an asterisk (*) above to

assess your learning throughout the course. While your facilitator will contact you to

offer coaching if deemed necessary, you are welcome to email your facilitator with

questions and requests for help.

Module 1—Creating a Healthy Virtual Work Environment

Virtual Environment Scenarios

With your class, you will read through three scenarios about work-life imbalances. In a

poll (which is anonymous to everyone but your facilitator), you’ll individually choose

which work-life boundary was violated in each. Correctly answering at least two

scenarios’ boundaries will be considered proficient, and your facilitator will contact you

after the module to provide coaching if you need help reaching proficiency.

First Day Final, Part 2

You’ll take this quiz two times in Zoom during the first module, and the second time, you

can use the notes you take in your participant guide. The quiz has ten scenario-based

questions—one for each of the ten qualities of a healthy virtual work environment—with

multiple answer options, and you’ll need to match each scenario with its correct quality.

If you score less than 90%, your facilitator will be in touch to help you better understand

the ten qualities.

Boundaries for a Work-Life Balance

After learning the conditions of a healthy work-life balance, you will compose five

boundaries that meet those conditions that are specific to you, your professional roles,

and your company. You’ll find starter ideas in your participant guide, and you’ll share
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your five boundaries with your facilitator via email (see your facilitator’s email address

on the first page of this syllabus). Your facilitator will contact you, if needed, to help you

improve the boundaries you composed.

Module 2—Establishing Interdependent Workflows

Three Categories of Virtual Workflows

In the form of another poll (where again, only the facilitator can see which responses

are yours), you’ll be asked to recall the three categories of workflows that need to be

handled differently in a virtual work environment versus an in-person work environment.

Your facilitator will contact you to arrange coaching if you score below proficiency

(where proficiency is a score of 100%).

Your Custom Workflow Planner

You’ll either complete a fill-in-the-blank planner in your participant guide or use that to

create a planner that better fits your needs. You’ll need to complete all five parts of the

planner and email it to your facilitator after the second module. The facilitator will check

your planner to ensure you understand how to create virtual workflows. Getting four out

of five parts correct is considered proficient, and your facilitator will contact you to

arrange coaching, if needed.

Module 3—Being the Best Virtual Manager You Can Be

Professional Development Scoreboards

As part of thinking through a high-level professional development journey for yourself

that’s specific to your work as a virtual manager, you’ll create three scoreboard-style

goals. You’ll find a template scoreboard in your participant guide, and you’re welcome to
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get creative by making scoreboards that motivate you personally. After you send your

scoreboards to your facilitator, they’ll be in touch with feedback.

Concept-Mapping Opportunities

In your participant guide’s concept map template, you’ll add at least ten “nodes” or ideas

for how to help your direct reports grow professionally. These ideas need to relate to

your team members’ roles and environment. You’ll send your concept map to your

facilitator after the third and final module (just like you will with your scoreboards) for

feedback and encouragement!