Looking to create teams online? This site may provide some useful tips.
Virtual Organization: "This site is concerned with various aspects of virtual organization such as leadership, structure, collaboration, teams, technology, methods, and learning."
I'm not sure who the author of this list is (and would welcome a correction so that I can give proper credit), but it's very useful! Consensus -- or coming to an agreement that everyone can and will support -- is a key to ethical leadership.
1. CREATE AN OPEN AND TRUSTING CLIMATE
Group members should feel free to express differing ideas and opinions without fear of attack or ridicule.
2. EXPLORE DIFFERENCE OF OPINION
This helps members to gain additional information, to clarify issues, and to seek better alternatives.
3. SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER'S IDEAS
Group members are open to and respect opinions different from their own.
4. HOLD OFF JUDGING OTHERS
Wait until all ideas have been presented and discussed before beginning to evaluate them.
5. EVALUATE IDEAS OBJECTIVELY
Evaluate each idea based on its merits. Confine disagreements to the issues and away from the personalities.
6. AVOID TRYING TO "WIN" DURING GROUP DISCUSSIONS
Discussions should not turn into a personal contest between members. Becoming too strongly attached to a particular idea can cause you to lose sight of the idea's objective merits.
7. DISCUSS IDEAS UNTIL SUFFICIENT AGREEMENT EXISTS
Deliberate with a view toward reaching majority agreement. Striving for 100% agreement, while desirable, may be unrealistic.
8. AVOID VOTING
Try not to make "winners" and "losers".
Some books related to congregational development that I'd recommend:
Chris Argyris, of Harvard University, has worked to apply humanistic and democratic values to motivation theory. Building authentic relationships increases trust, reduces conflict and rigidity, and improves group problem solving. His theory of group maturity is an important contribution to the understanding of how people work together in organizations.
Sections of this article: Introduction, Value Systems, Immaturity/Maturity, Organization Design.
Full Article: Chris Argyris immaturity / maturity motivation theory.
The attitude of a leader, especially towards other members of the team, is key to the success of any project. Here's a good outline of the research and theory into the "self-fulfilling prophecy" phenomenon.
Full article: The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy or Pygmalion Effect
A theory of leadership which assumes that anyone in a group may exercise leadership roles, and that the functions of leadership vary according to the "maturity" of the group (how well it's developed its norms, process, mutual understanding, etc.), Situational Leadership has practical applications in any organization or work team.
From the Center for Leadership Studies, home of Situational Leadership: Center for Leadership Studies - Related Articles