leading in the new workplace
TRANSCRIPT
Leading in the new workplace: wired, complex and changing at the speed of
technology
Mari Anne Snow – CEO, SophiaThink ConsultingJanuary 11, 2011
Copyright © 2011 SophiaThink Consulting, LLC. All rights reserved.
Agenda
04/12/2023
• Today’s teams• Virtual team research – the reality• Avoiding major pitfalls• Technology enablers• Skills for success• Managing conflict from afar• Wrap up
Copyright © 2011 SophiaThink Consulting, LLC. All rights reserved.
Teamwork today
04/12/2023Copyright © 2011 SophiaThink Consulting, LLC. All rights reserved.
Yesterday
Today
Today’s teams
04/12/2023
• Factors to consider:– Gender/age/experience– Multi-discipline– Geographically dispersed– Multi-ethnic/multi-cultural/multi-lingual– Matrix /hierarchy – Vendor/employee– Acquired talent vs hired talent
Copyright © 2011 SophiaThink Consulting, LLC. All rights reserved.
04/12/2023
Virtual team research – the reality
• MIT Study conducted in 2010• 80 Software Development teams in 28 labs
around the world (392 people participated)– Labs varied in size– Every team had up to 9 members
• Findings:– Dispersed teams have very different requirements
than co-located teams.MIT Sloan Research: http://bit.ly/hJgtdJ
Copyright © 2011 SophiaThink Consulting, LLC. All rights reserved.
04/12/2023
Avoiding major pitfalls• Do your homework, understand your team• Create a working process that is clear, repeatable
and easy to teach• Face-to-face still matters• Show respect – manners matter• Understand the multiple value propositions• Address conflicts/problems early• Over communicate – give feedback often to all levels• Celebrate successes often - loudly
Copyright © 2011 SophiaThink Consulting, LLC. All rights reserved.
Technology enablers
04/12/2023Copyright © 2011 SophiaThink Consulting, LLC. All rights reserved.
04/12/2023
Technology enablers • Just because its available, doesn’t always make it
the best option • Use tools that work well and are accessible to
everyone• Even the best tool fails if it isn’t used• New technology requires user training time, don’t
scrimp • Listen to team feedback and remove barriers
quickly
Copyright © 2011 SophiaThink Consulting, LLC. All rights reserved.
04/12/2023
Skills for success - managers
• Superior communicator• Flexible & forgiving• Multi-level influence (even over distance)• Superior problem-solver• Sound business judgment• Discerning (when to push when to sit back)• Calm under pressure• Muti-task master (directing, not doing)• Big picture focused/small detail oriented
Copyright © 2011 SophiaThink Consulting, LLC. All rights reserved.
04/12/2023
Skills for success – team members
• Open-minded – world view• Collaborative• Technically competent• Team oriented• Capable in their discipline • Thoughtful• Patient /tolerant• Good humored• Forgiving
Copyright © 2011 SophiaThink Consulting, LLC. All rights reserved.
04/12/2023
Managing conflict from afar
• Deal with it early• Identify the root cause • Address the individuals, not the group• Be honest, but frame discussions in objective
terms (how behavior is impacting the team and the project)
• Devote the time needed to resolve things• Keep an eye on things
Copyright © 2011 SophiaThink Consulting, LLC. All rights reserved.
Group discussion
04/12/2023Copyright © 2011 SophiaThink Consulting, LLC. All rights reserved.
04/12/2023
Contact informationMari Anne SnowCEO, SophiaThink(c) 401.286.9828msnow@sophiathinkconsulting.comwww.sophiathinkconsulting.comwww.sophiathinkblog.com@SophiaThinkhttp://www.linkedin.com/in/mariannesnow1
Copyright © 2011 SophiaThink Consulting, LLC. All rights reserved.