© Malhotra & Majchrzak 2005 Dr. Arv Malhotra The Kenan-Flagler Business School The University of...

© Malhotra & Majchrzak 2005

Dr. Arv MalhotraThe Kenan-Flagler Business School

The University of North Carolina at Chapel [email protected]

SIM WISCONSIN CHAPTERSIM WISCONSIN CHAPTER

Leading, Leveraging & Managing Leading, Leveraging & Managing Far-Flung TeamsFar-Flung Teams


Agenda for the TalkAgenda for the Talk

Examples of Far-Flung Teams Technology-Use Practices of Far-Flung

Teams Leading Far-Flung Teams Managing Far-Flung Team Process


Example: Telecom Infrastructure Provider

AIM: Global Demand and Supply Planning

Leading CustomerLeading CustomerGermanyGermany

Component Supplier Component SupplierGermanyGermany

Global Logistics GroupGlobal Logistics GroupOklahomaOklahoma

ProductionProductionOhioOhio

Corporate HQCorporate HQNJNJ


Example: Wireless Devices Manufacturer

AIM: Test New Products (Pre-Launch) in Global Market

Marketing GroupMarketing GroupBrazilBrazil

Hong KongHong KongMarketing GroupMarketing Group

Hong KongHong KongMarketing GroupMarketing Group

Marketing GroupMarketing GroupU.K.U.K.

Design Engineering GroupDesign Engineering GroupTexasTexas


Design Engineering Group Design Engineering Group

Customer’s New MarketCustomer’s New MarketMexicoMexico

BrazilBrazil

Customer’s Main OfficeCustomer’s Main OfficeU.K.U.K.

Design Engineering Group Design Engineering GroupGermanyGermany

Customer’s Main OfficeCustomer’s Main OfficeU.S.U.S.

Design Engineering Group Design Engineering GroupU.S.U.S.

Example: Automotive Engine Manufacturer

AIM: Design New Engine for a New Market for the customer


Example: Electronics Manufacturer

AIM: Develop a Global Standard Processes for the Co.

TokyoTokyo

BangaloreBangalore

ItalyItaly

BerlinBerlinCambridgeCambridge

BostonBoston

MontrealMontreal

U.S. WestU.S. West


SAMELOCATION

REGIONALLYDISTRIBUTED

GLOBALLYDISTRIBUTED

SAMEFUNCTION

SAMECOMPANY

VALUECHAIN

GEO

GR

APH

IC S

CO

PE

TEAMSTEAMS

VIRTUALTEAMS

VIRTUALTEAMS

FAR-FLUNGTEAMS

FACE to FACE

PURELYVIRTUAL

Far-Flung Teams:Virtual Teams Version 10.0

MEMBERSHIP


“Communications challengedCommunications challenged” most work/interaction through electronic media different kind of discipline needed

“Culturally challengedCulturally challenged” different countries, functions, companies

“Task challengedTask challenged” uncertainty in content of outcomes, uncertainty in processes, tough to coordinate because of team size, # languages, # time zones

Challenges of Far-Flung TeamsChallenges of Far-Flung Teams


Far-Flung Teams: The Key BenefitsFar-Flung Teams: The Key Benefits

If working in a far-flung “virtual” mode is so challenging then why do it?


0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

% of Teams Reporting

Cost Savings

M&A - IntegratingExpertise

Job Flexibility

Think Global, Act Local

Access to SpecializedExpertise

Far-Flung Team ObjectivesFar-Flung Teams: Top 5 ObjectivesFar-Flung Teams: Top 5 Objectives


Technology Enabling Far-Flung Teams:Technology Enabling Far-Flung Teams:Points to PonderPoints to Ponder

Technology Enabling Far-Flung Teams:Technology Enabling Far-Flung Teams:Points to PonderPoints to Ponder

E-Mail is Be All End AllE-Mail is Be All End All

Rest is Just Fancy ShmancyRest is Just Fancy ShmancyE-Mail is Be All End AllE-Mail is Be All End All

Rest is Just Fancy ShmancyRest is Just Fancy Shmancy

Things Could Be a Whole Lot BetterThings Could Be a Whole Lot Better

with Video-Conferencing with Video-Conferencing Things Could Be a Whole Lot BetterThings Could Be a Whole Lot Better

with Video-Conferencing with Video-Conferencing

One or two “all team” audio-conference sessions One or two “all team” audio-conference sessions are more than enoughare more than enough

One or two “all team” audio-conference sessions One or two “all team” audio-conference sessions are more than enoughare more than enough

Face-to-face meetings Face-to-face meetings are requiredare required for for brainstorming brainstorming

Face-to-face meetings Face-to-face meetings are requiredare required for for brainstorming brainstorming


InstantMessaging Electronic

Discussion Threads

TeamKnowledgeRepository

MeetingScheduler

Templates

Web Conferencing

AudioConferencing

VirtualWorkSpace

VirtualWorkSpace

Syn

chro

nous

Inte

ract

ions

Syn

chro

nous

Inte

ract

ions

AsynchronousInteractions

AsynchronousInteractions

Project SchedulingTool

Simulating Reality:Simulating Reality:Building a “Virtual Workspace”Building a “Virtual Workspace”

Simulating Reality:Simulating Reality:Building a “Virtual Workspace”Building a “Virtual Workspace”


0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Videoconference

SynchronousApplication Sharing

ElectronicWhiteboards

Instant Messaging

KnowledgeRepository

Audioconferencing

Technology-In-Use in Far-Flung TeamsTechnology-In-Use in Far-Flung Teams

% teams using the technology


Technology Enabling Far-Flung Teams:Technology Enabling Far-Flung Teams:Best PracticesBest Practices


E-Mail is Be All End AllRest is Just Fancy Shmancy

E-Mail is Be All End AllRest is Just Fancy Shmancy

One or two “all team” audio-conference sessions are more than enough

One or two “all team” audio-conference sessions are more than enough

Most successful far-flung teams banned use ofE-mail for team communications

Most successful far-flung teams banned use ofE-mail for team communications

Audio-conferencing is the lifeblood of all highlysuccessful far-flung teams

Audio-conferencing is the lifeblood of all highlysuccessful far-flung teams

(SLICE team @ Boeing-Rocketdyne had 74 sessions in 9 months)




Things Could Be a Whole Lot Betterwith Video-Conferencing

Things Could Be a Whole Lot Betterwith Video-Conferencing

Face-to-face meetings are required for brainstorming

Face-to-face meetings are required for brainstorming

Teams found web-conferencing (audio + application sharing more useful)

Teams found web-conferencing (audio + application sharing more useful)

Far-flung team found electronic brainstorming (ifdone correctly) much more productive

Far-flung team found electronic brainstorming (ifdone correctly) much more productive


Acti

vit

ies

Pre Start During End Between

Review discussion items to focus on disagree- ment

Assign agenda items

Rotate meeting facilitation

Refocus on timelines & progress tracking

Review discussion items to focus on disagree- ment

Assign agenda items

Rotate meeting facilitation

Refocus on timelines & progress tracking

Create feeling of team as a social entity

Create feeling of team as a social entity

Keep everyone engaged Check-in through voting, IM Application sharing & verbal discussion CONVERGE

Keep everyone engaged Check-in through voting, IM Application sharing & verbal discussion CONVERGE

Clear allocation of action items Meeting minutes posted rapidly

Clear allocation of action items Meeting minutes posted rapidly

Visibly ensure follow- up with discussion threads Update timeline & progress tracking

Visibly ensure follow- up with discussion threads Update timeline & progress tracking

Running Audio-conference Meetingsas Managed Events

Running Audio-conference Meetingsas Managed Events


EN

TH

US

IAS

M L

EV

EL

TEAM LIFECYCLE

Audio-conference Meetings:Letting the Lifecycle Guide Frequency & Content

Audio-conference Meetings:Letting the Lifecycle Guide Frequency & Content

Zone 1:Building Team SpiritMedium Frequency

Zone 2:Conflict ResolutionHigh Frequency

Zone 3:Converging Ideas Low to Medium Frequency


Know who contributed a piece of knowledge Know who contributed a piece of knowledge

11 Key Capabilities ofFar-Flung Team’s Knowledgebase

11 Key Capabilities ofFar-Flung Team’s Knowledgebase

Find specific entries contributed by specific individuals Find specific entries contributed by specific individuals

Identify historical connection between entries Identify historical connection between entries

Link external sources of knowledge to team’s knowledgebase Link external sources of knowledge to team’s knowledgebase

Find summary as well as detailed information Find summary as well as detailed information Link notes, multimedia info. and documents in the knowledgebase Link notes, multimedia info. and documents in the knowledgebase

Contains information about decision rationales that can be revisited Contains information about decision rationales that can be revisited

Attached keywords to the entries for later retrieval Attached keywords to the entries for later retrieval

View multiple entries simultaneously for comparison View multiple entries simultaneously for comparison

Inform team about changes to the knowledgebase Inform team about changes to the knowledgebase

Easily be able to change the identifiers on entries as knowledge evolves Easily be able to change the identifiers on entries as knowledge evolves

SOURCE: Majchrzak, Malhotra & John, 2005, Information Systems Research 16:1


• Teams that used it swore by it• Why they loved it

Immediacy: expertise at hand Team visibility Water cooler Backchannel communications during

meetings (the Blackberry effect)• Downside: security & loss of discussion

content

Instant Messaging:A Technology Tool Whose Time Has Come

Instant Messaging:A Technology Tool Whose Time Has Come


COORDINATIONCOLLABORATION

COORDINATION COLLABORATION

“The wrong approach”

“The successful far-flung way”

“making coordinationembedded”

“making collaborationeasier”

The “Virtual Workspace” Philosophy The “Virtual Workspace” Philosophy


Leading a far-flung team is all aboutLeading a far-flung team is all aboutfinding the right people to work on the teamfinding the right people to work on the team

Leading a far-flung team is all aboutLeading a far-flung team is all aboutfinding the right people to work on the teamfinding the right people to work on the team

Leading Far-Flung Teams:Leading Far-Flung Teams:Point to PonderPoint to Ponder

Leading Far-Flung Teams:Leading Far-Flung Teams:Point to PonderPoint to Ponder

… so what are the characteristics of an ideal far-flungteam member?


Broad Process AwarenessBroad Process Awareness

Deep

Fun

ction

al E

xpertise

Deep

Fun

ction

al E

xp

ertise

An Ideal Far-Flung Team MemberAn Ideal Far-Flung Team Member


Cultural and functional sensitivity Ability to pick up subtle non-visual cues

Rich functional & geographical experiences Excellent verbal communicator Multi-tasker Technology savvy High ambiguity tolerant Willingness to make personal sacrifices

An Ideal Far-Flung Team MemberAn Ideal Far-Flung Team Member


Far-flung team leadership means Far-flung team leadership means ““hands-off” leadership…hands-off” leadership…

Let the team manage itselfLet the team manage itself

Far-flung team leadership means Far-flung team leadership means ““hands-off” leadership…hands-off” leadership…

Let the team manage itselfLet the team manage itself

Leading Far-Flung Teams:Leading Far-Flung Teams:Points to PonderPoints to Ponder

Leading Far-Flung Teams:Leading Far-Flung Teams:Points to PonderPoints to Ponder


An effective far-flung team leader leads by …

… walking the virtual hallways frequent one-on-one check-ins one-on-one mentor discussions

… establishing communication norms closely monitor that norms are being followed be flexible to change the norms that are not working

… motivating others through inclusion ensure all members are contributing & being heard

Leading Far-Flung Teams:Communication Intensive Style

Leading Far-Flung Teams:Communication Intensive Style


Virtual meetings facilitatorVirtual meetings facilitator Team knowledge managerTeam knowledge manager Agenda maker and minutes takerAgenda maker and minutes taker RolodexerRolodexer Electronic discussion maintainerElectronic discussion maintainer Team progress (schedule) trackerTeam progress (schedule) tracker External presenter (written & verbal)External presenter (written & verbal)

Far-Flung Team Leadership:A Distributed Leadership StyleFar-Flung Team Leadership:

A Distributed Leadership Style


Co

gn

itiv

e D

iver

sity

Behavioral Diversity

Peak Performance

Source: Majchrzak, Malhotra, et al., “Can Absence Make a Team Grow Stronger?” Harvard Business Review, May 2004

Leading by SimultaneouslyEncouraging and Controlling Diversity

Leading by SimultaneouslyEncouraging and Controlling Diversity


He who talks the most, leads the least.

Leading is being anactive listener and passive controller

Defining Far-Flung Team LeadershipDefining Far-Flung Team Leadership


TRUSTin traditional

settings

TRUSTin traditional

settings

EXPERTISEBASED

EXPERTISEBASED

SOCIALCUES

BASED

SOCIALCUES

BASED

Trust in Traditional TeamsTrust in Traditional Teams


SOCIALCUES

BASED

SOCIALCUES

BASED

EXPERTISEBASED

EXPERTISEBASED

SWIFTTRUSTin far-flung

teams

SWIFTTRUSTin far-flung

teams

Trust in Far-Flung TeamsTrust in Far-Flung Teams


Trust in Far-Flung Teams is built through…Trust in Far-Flung Teams is built through…Trust in Far-Flung Teams is built through…Trust in Far-Flung Teams is built through…

Establishing CommunicationEstablishing CommunicationProtocols EarlyProtocols Early

(and being flexible to change)


Who schedules the virtual meetings (and when)? Who facilitates the meetings & and what is the general expectation from virtual

meetings? Who will attend the virtual meetings & what etiquettes will be followed? How agenda for virtual meetings will be developed & distributed? How team meetings’ minutes will taken & distributed? How often (and when) will virtual meetings be scheduled?

What are the expectations from team members between virtual team meetings? How will information be shared between team members? How information will be stored & retrieved via the knowledge repository?

What information (and how) will be provided to senior execs., business partners, and clients?

Who will provide this information (and when)?

RELATED TO VIRTUAL TEAM MEETINGSRELATED TO VIRTUAL TEAM MEETINGS

RELATED TO INFORMATION SHARING IN THE TEAMRELATED TO INFORMATION SHARING IN THE TEAM

RELATED TO EXTERNAL COMMUNICATIONRELATED TO EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION

Developing a Far-Flung Team Communication Protocol …

Adapted from: Mastering Virtual Teams by D.L. Duarte and N.T. Snyder


Trust in Far-Flung Teams is built through…Trust in Far-Flung Teams is built through…Trust in Far-Flung Teams is built through…Trust in Far-Flung Teams is built through…

Clearly Specified (& Visible) Clearly Specified (& Visible) Timelines and Tasks +Timelines and Tasks +

Individual AccountabilityIndividual Accountability


SwedenSweden

IndiaIndia

BrazilBrazil

ArgentinaArgentina

SUBTEAM A

SUBTEAM B

Building Trust:Creating Interdependent Sub-teams

Building Trust:Creating Interdependent Sub-teams


SeniorExecutive

SeniorExecutive

SeniorExecutive

SeniorExecutive

SeniorExecutive

SeniorExecutive

SeniorExecutive

SeniorExecutive

TeamMemberTeam

MemberTeam

MemberTeam

MemberTeam

MemberTeam

MemberTeam

MemberTeam

Member

Team LeaderTeam Leader

FAR-FLUNG TEAM

STEERING COMMITTEE

Functional Expertise ALocation A

Functional Expertise BLocation A

Functional Expertise CLocation B

Functional Expertise DLocation C

Leading by Making the Virtual VisibleLeading by Making the Virtual Visible


OUTPUTPERSPECTIVE

OUTPUTPERSPECTIVE

INDIVIDUALDIRECT

BENEFITS

INDIVIDUALDIRECT

BENEFITS

LEARNING &GROWTH

PERSPECTIVE

LEARNING &GROWTH

PERSPECTIVE

PROCESSPERSPECTIVE

PROCESSPERSPECTIVE

Measure ofFar-Flung

Team Success

Measure ofFar-Flung

Team Success

TEAM PERSPECTIVE

INDIVIDUAL PERSPECTIVE

Measuring Team Success:Using a Balanced Scorecard Perspective

Measuring Team Success:Using a Balanced Scorecard Perspective


PEOPLE

PROCESS

TECH.

STRUCTURE STRATEGY

• Corporate policies that support far-flung teams• Structuring and leveraging sub-teams• Executive stewardship

of far-flung teams

• Picking the people for the team• Leadership for far-flung teams

• Establishing norms to work together• Creating common procedures• Planning & conducting virtual meetings

• Using technology for coordination & collaboration• Managing technology impact on group processes

• Chartering far-flung teams• Objectives of far-flung teams

Framework for Managing Far-Flung Teams Framework for Managing Far-Flung Teams


Far-Flung teams require a Far-Flung teams require a special culture and special culture and

communication intensive communication intensive leadership that stresses leadership that stresses

managing & sharingmanaging & sharingknowledge by leveragingknowledge by leveragingcollaborative technologycollaborative technology

FINAL THOUGHTSFINAL THOUGHTS FINAL THOUGHTSFINAL THOUGHTS

© Malhotra & Majchrzak 2005 Dr. Arv Malhotra The Kenan-Flagler Business School The University of...

Documents

Transcript of © Malhotra & Majchrzak 2005 Dr. Arv Malhotra The Kenan-Flagler Business School The University of...