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Lessons Learned in Leading and Lessons Learned in Leading and Managing Virtual Teams Managing Virtual Teams

ETM5110/MSIS5600ETM5110/MSIS5600Managing Virtual Project TeamsManaging Virtual Project Teams

Nicholas C. Romano, Jr., Ph.D.Nicholas C. Romano, Jr., Ph.D.

Nicholas-Romano@mstm.okstate.eduNicholas-Romano@mstm.okstate.edu

Paul E. Rossler, Ph.D., P.E.Paul E. Rossler, Ph.D., P.E.

prossle@okstate.eduprossle@okstate.edu

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OverviewOverview

• What has the collective knowledge to date What has the collective knowledge to date uncovered about leading and managing uncovered about leading and managing virtual teams?virtual teams?

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““A meeting is a gathering where A meeting is a gathering where people speak up, say nothing, and people speak up, say nothing, and

then all disagree.” then all disagree.”

(Source: T.A. Kayser, (Source: T.A. Kayser, Mining Group GoldMining Group Gold. .

El Sequendo, CA: Serif, 1990)El Sequendo, CA: Serif, 1990)

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The new converging conference room wallshelped make meetings short and to the point.

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Why people meetWhy people meet

Surface PerspectivesSurface PerspectivesReview

Share WorkShare Work

Share the VisionShare the Vision

SocializeSocializeBuild Consensus

Solve ProblemsSolve Problems

Avoid DecisionsAvoid Decisions

Make Decisions

SynergySynergy Share Information

Build TrustBuild Trust

Allocate ResourcesAllocate Resources

Develop Project PlansDevelop Project Plans

Monitor Project ProgressMonitor Project Progress

Prioritize TasksPrioritize Tasks

(Source: Romano)(Source: Romano)

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Collaboration is difficultCollaboration is difficult

CollaborationCollaboration

Waiting to speakWaiting to speakDominationDomination

Fear of speakingFear of speakingMisunderstandingMisunderstanding

InattentionInattentionLack of focusLack of focus

Inadequate criteriaInadequate criteriaPremature decisionsPremature decisionsMissing informationMissing information

DistractionsDistractionsDigressionsDigressions

Wrong peopleWrong peopleGroupthinkGroupthinkPoor grasp of problemPoor grasp of problemIgnored alternativesIgnored alternativesLack of consensusLack of consensusPoor planningPoor planningHidden agendasHidden agendasConflictConflictInadequate resourcesInadequate resourcesPoorly defined goalsPoorly defined goals

Source: Nunamaker, J.F., R.O. Briggs, and D.D. Mittleman, Source: Nunamaker, J.F., R.O. Briggs, and D.D. Mittleman, Electronic meeting systems: Ten years of Electronic meeting systems: Ten years of lessons learnedlessons learned, in , in Groupware: Technology and applicationsGroupware: Technology and applications , D. Coleman and R. Khanna, Editors. , D. Coleman and R. Khanna, Editors. 1995, Prentice-Hall: Upper Saddle River, NJ. p. 149-193.1995, Prentice-Hall: Upper Saddle River, NJ. p. 149-193.

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Meeting purposes: Almost 2/3 Meeting purposes: Almost 2/3 involve complex group processesinvolve complex group processes

2%

2%

4%

4%

5%

11%

11%

26%

29%

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

Demonstrate a project or system

Accept Reports

Explore new ideas and concepts

Gain support for a program

Facilitate staff communicaiton

Ensure that everyone understands

Solve a Problem

Reach group decision or judgement

Reconcile conflict

(Monge, P. R., McSween, C., & Wyer, J. 1989)

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Key lessons for outstanding Key lessons for outstanding participationparticipation

• Anonymity increases the amount of key Anonymity increases the amount of key comments contributedcomments contributed

• Parallel nature of interaction increases Parallel nature of interaction increases participationparticipation

• With good process, adding participants With good process, adding participants (almost) always improves the outcomes(almost) always improves the outcomes– Good ideas are a function of the quantity of Good ideas are a function of the quantity of

ideas generatedideas generated(Source: Nunamaker, J.F., R.O. Briggs, and D.D. Mittleman)(Source: Nunamaker, J.F., R.O. Briggs, and D.D. Mittleman)

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• When participants anonymously criticize When participants anonymously criticize ideas, performance improvesideas, performance improves– It keeps the group searching for better answersIt keeps the group searching for better answers

• Any idea may inspire a completely new Any idea may inspire a completely new idea which would not have otherwise idea which would not have otherwise occurredoccurred– Develop activities that encourage frequent Develop activities that encourage frequent

generation of new ideasgeneration of new ideas

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• Provide feedback to groups to let them Provide feedback to groups to let them know how each activity they take maps to know how each activity they take maps to the entire agendathe entire agenda– Groups stay better focused if they understand Groups stay better focused if they understand

how what they are doing ties into the big how what they are doing ties into the big picturepicture

• In face-to-face groups, peer pressure keeps In face-to-face groups, peer pressure keeps people moving. people moving. – Distributed groups tend to lose momentumDistributed groups tend to lose momentum

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Key lessons about leadership in Key lessons about leadership in “virtual” teaming“virtual” teaming

• Technology does not replace leadershipTechnology does not replace leadership

• Technology can support any leadership Technology can support any leadership stylestyle

• Some people resist electronic meeting Some people resist electronic meeting systemssystems– The game has changed, oral/verbal skills and The game has changed, oral/verbal skills and

ramming an agenda through are not as ramming an agenda through are not as importantimportant

(Source: Nunamaker, J.F., R.O. Briggs, and D.D. Mittleman)(Source: Nunamaker, J.F., R.O. Briggs, and D.D. Mittleman)

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• Loss of engagement for distributed teamsLoss of engagement for distributed teams– Lack of visual and nonverbal cues and low Lack of visual and nonverbal cues and low

accountability appears to reduce involvementaccountability appears to reduce involvement

• Change of emotional engagement for face-Change of emotional engagement for face-to-face teamsto-face teams– More exciting for some, mundane for othersMore exciting for some, mundane for others

Lo

Hi Idea GenerationIdea Generation PrioritizingPrioritizing Policy DevelopmentPolicy DevelopmentIdea OrganizationIdea Organization

Satisfaction

1 1 1/2 1/2 1 - 2

Time

Satisfaction as a Function of Task

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• Need to develop group incentivesNeed to develop group incentives

• Willingness to accept criticism of you and Willingness to accept criticism of you and organizationorganization

• Make sure there is an individual incentive Make sure there is an individual incentive to contribute to the group effortto contribute to the group effort

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Some of you may be having trouble Some of you may be having trouble with the concept of “Groupware.”with the concept of “Groupware.”

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Lessons about Lessons about electronic votingelectronic voting

• Voting clarifies communication, focuses Voting clarifies communication, focuses discussion, reveals patterns of consensus, discussion, reveals patterns of consensus, and stimulates thinkingand stimulates thinking

• Anonymous polling can surface issues that Anonymous polling can surface issues that remain buried during direct conversationremain buried during direct conversation

(Source: Nunamaker, J.F., R.O. Briggs, and D.D. Mittleman)(Source: Nunamaker, J.F., R.O. Briggs, and D.D. Mittleman)

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• Voting can demonstrate areas of agreementVoting can demonstrate areas of agreement– Allowing the group to close off discussion in Allowing the group to close off discussion in

those areas and focus only on areas of those areas and focus only on areas of disagreementdisagreement

• Electronic polling can facilitate decisions Electronic polling can facilitate decisions that are too painful to face using traditional that are too painful to face using traditional methodsmethods

• Care must be taken to ensure that voting Care must be taken to ensure that voting criteria are clearly established and definedcriteria are clearly established and defined

We don’t vote here, we arrive We don’t vote here, we arrive at a natural consensusat a natural consensus

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Key lessons from facilitators and Key lessons from facilitators and session leaderssession leaders

• Preplanning is criticalPreplanning is critical

• Find a fast, clean way to do idea Find a fast, clean way to do idea organization – people hate it, and you lose organization – people hate it, and you lose them if you take to longthem if you take to long

• The group must always see where they are The group must always see where they are headed and how each activity advances headed and how each activity advances them toward the goalthem toward the goal

(Source: Nunamaker, J.F., R.O. Briggs, and D.D. Mittleman)(Source: Nunamaker, J.F., R.O. Briggs, and D.D. Mittleman)

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• Be cognizant of nonverbal interactions; Be cognizant of nonverbal interactions; Even small nonverbal cues can tell a Even small nonverbal cues can tell a facilitator a lotfacilitator a lot

• Expect that ideas generated will change the Expect that ideas generated will change the plan and the agendaplan and the agenda

• Group dynamics can be affected by the Group dynamics can be affected by the selection of technology interfaces selection of technology interfaces

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SummarySummary

• Collaboration in virtual team meetings is Collaboration in virtual team meetings is more likely if process losses are addressedmore likely if process losses are addressed

• Technology doesn’t replace leadership or Technology doesn’t replace leadership or the need for facilitation in virtual teamsthe need for facilitation in virtual teams

• Anonymity eliminates power intimidationAnonymity eliminates power intimidation

• Virtual teams, like face-to-face teams, must Virtual teams, like face-to-face teams, must always see where they are headedalways see where they are headed