Dispersed teams have members in different countries, cultures, and time zones. Such teams share some important characteristics with local teams, but they also present unique challenges. Organizations need to prepare for and support them properly to realize their full potential.

This series of guidebooks draws on the practical knowledge that the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) has generated, since its inception in 1970, through its research and educational activity conducted in partnership with hundreds of thousands of managers and executives. Much of this knowledge is shared-in a way that is distinct from the typical university department, professional association, or consultancy. CCL is not simply a collection of individual experts, although the individual credentials of its staff are impressive; rather it is a community, with its members holding certain principles in common and working together to understand and generate practical responses to today's leadership and organizational challenges.
The purpose of the series is to provide managers with specific advice on how to complete a developmental task or solve a leadership challenge. In doing that, the series carries out CCL's mission to advance the understanding, practice, and development of leadership for the benefit of society worldwide.

Michael E. Kossler is a senior enterprise associate at CCL's Greensboro campus. He works with new global clients to assess their organizations' leadership development needs and then to design and implement custom solutions. He served as the project manager for CCL's research on geographically dispersed teams. Mike holds an M.A. in communications from the University of Akron and an M.M. in organizational development from Aquinas College.

Sonya Prestridge is a former senior program associate at CCL's Greensboro campus. She was a member of CCL's research team investigating geographically dispersed teams. Sonya holds an M.A. from Peabody College and a Ph.D. in adult education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.