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Managing Global Teams

- Astrid McNellis, MS, PMP

4/24/2015

©Astrid McNellis 1

Introduction

4/24/2015 ©Astrid McNellis 2

Astrid McNellis Massachusetts Institute of Technology

95 – BS Mechanical Engineering

96 – MS Product Development

PM Training

2001 Masters Certification in Project Management

2005 PMP Certification

2010 Lean Leader Certification

Experience

Company Size: $0 → $10 Billion

Company Type: Start Up → University → Multi National

Industries: Manufacturing, High Tech, Energy, Medical Device

Global Citizen

Currently (semi) Retired!


What To Expect

Global teams require global PM mindset

Standard PM discipline applies

Focus on areas of high impact in global teams

Workshop NOT a Presentation

Project Management is a practice

Techniques that worked for me

Share your successes & frustrations

Ask Questions & Interact

We could do this for 4 days!!

I will likely leave you frustrated, wanting to discuss further

How Hard Can It Be?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=iAgX6qlJEMc

Managing Global Teams Project Management on Steroids


Global Project Management Same PM role, but with extra considerations:

Laws & Regulations

Culture & Environment

Contractual Obligations

Logistics

Political & Economic

Communication & Language

Examples:

What does “Yes” mean?

Imports without bribes. . .


Biggest Impacts

Project Schedule/Cost

Risk Planning

4/24/2015 ©Astrid McNellis

Probability Low High

Imp

ac

t

Low

H

igh

Avoid or

Transfer

Accept

Manage

WORTH YOUR TIME TO

IDENTIFY AND EVALUATE,

BUT MANAGE TOP %

7

Global Project Management

Biggest Differences

Culture – how people relate, priorities, etc.

Communications – esp understanding each other!

Time Differences – this can work in your favor!

Relationships – are more of a challenge to establish

Take a breath. . .and focus on

Preparing – know the culture you’re going into

Relationships – can resolve many issues

Keep it Simple!!


It’s All About the Relationship! This is the part where most people roll their eyes


Overview

Accelerate Team Building

DiSC

Cultural Awareness


What profession has the most tight-knit teams?

I submit it’s the military

. . .most hardened folks around

Why are they so tight-knit?

They’ve

been to hell and back together

been vulnerable to each other

helped each other

nobody else understands what they have been thru

They will move the world for each other – even 20 years later


So how do we get some of that in our teams?

(and why does it matter?)


KK KU

UK UU

Exercise

Intention Walk

Instructions

1. Get from A to B

2. Must be unique

3. Can get help from someone but they have to do their own thing

4. Audience

Applaud if they’ve achieved 1 & 2 above

Boo if they haven’t

(you’re doing nobody a favor by letting them slide)

If you’ve done this before, go last!


Debrief What did you get out of this exercise?


WB

Benefits of a Team Building Exercise

Camaraderie!

She’s crazy!

You can do this!

Oh! That was cool!

Do the impossible

Team up with an unlikely person

See a new side to others

Think outside the box


Elements of Successful Team Building Exercises Quick!

Involve Music

Active = involve movement

Silly: makes people laugh/feel like kids

Feels somewhat unachievable

Encourages teamwork

Leads to collaboration with someone new

Involves as many of the team as possible

Keep these elements in mind when doing all team activities (e.g. schedule, risk, etc)


DiSC

Cultural Differences


How do your team mates think?

EVERYTHING DiSC®

Jennifer Knowles DiSC Consultant 720-202-2106 [email protected] http://www.impactfulchange.com

Survey

• Who has heard of DiSC?

• Who knows their own DiSC style?

• Who has used DiSC with their teams?


Example DiSC and Ron


How You See Yourself


Active & Outgoing

Thoughtful & Reserved

No right or wrong answers!!



Task Oriented People Oriented




Active

Task Oriented

Thoughtful

People Oriented

Exercise

As a group, describe your group’s characteristics (strengths and weaknesses)

Active

Task Oriented

Thoughtful

People Oriented


WB


Dominant (D)

Direct, outspoken, results-oriented, a leader, problem-solver

Best characterized by: Donald Trump

https://www.discinsights.com/whatisdisc#.VO7FHnl0zDe


Active & Outgoing


Task

Ori

en

ted

Pe

op

le O

rien

ted

Influencing (I)


Friendly, outgoing, talkative, optimistic, the life of the party, people-oriented

Best characterized by: Bill Clinton


26

Active & Outgoing


Task

Ori

en

ted

Pe

op

le O

rien

ted

Steady (S)


Team player, stable, consistent, maintains the status quo, peacemaker, family-oriented, patient

Best characterized by: Fred Rogers


27

Active & Outgoing


Task

Ori

en

ted

Pe

op

le O

rien

ted

Compliant (C)


Logical, organized, data-driven, methodical, perfectionist, detail-oriented

Best characterized by: Bill Gates


28

Active & Outgoing


Task

Ori

en

ted

Pe

op

le O

rien

ted

Team Profile


If you can, hire a consultant

to work with your team

(excellent team building)

Exercise

You are trying to convince your boss to let you and your core team travel to another country for “team building”

1. What approach would you use with each style?

2. Test it with this group

3. Style: tell us if they ‘got you’

©Astrid McNellis 4/24/2015 30

WB

How to handle/interact with …

31

Get right to the point quickly and decisively without getting bogged down in minute details. Operate with conviction, know what you’re doing, and don’t try to bluff.

Show your energy and liveliness while focusing on the give- and-take interaction. Make your encounters fun, upbeat and enjoyable!

Cultivate a casual, easy going, personable, one-on-one relationship. Treat them with warmth, feeling, and sensitivity.

Use an orderly, logical, accurate approach which zeroes in on the process and procedures. Give them well thought-out, accurate documentation.

D

I

S

C

Ron and Me


Task Oriented People Oriented

Ron

Me

Thoughtful

Active

How do your team mates think? DiSC

Cultural Differences


Examples •


Volunteer?

34

Be Aware of Different Perspectives

http://www.1000ventures.com/business_guide/crosscuttings/cross-cultural_differences.html


Cultural Lens


“Culture is the collective programming of the mind distinguishing

the members of one group or category of people from others”

- Professor Geert Hofstede

CULTURE

Values

Beliefs

Prejudice

Norms

Perspective

Interpretation

Q: Who gets culture shock? A: Everyone!

36

The Hofstede Centre www.geert-hofstede.com


1967-1973: Prof. Hofstede conducted comprehensive studies of how values in the workplace are influenced by culture. Since then this work has been added to and can be reviewed on this site.

37

Country scores on the dimensions are relative

Generalization, not adequate for any one human

Terrific Presentation


Search google: Kiss, Bow or Shake Hands pdf

38

…and one more perspective


http://www.pbs.org/ampu/crosscult.html

39

Review

Accelerate Team Building

DiSC

Cultural Awareness


Set the Stage Start on the Right Foot


Overview

Prepare yourself

Prepare your core team

Successful Kick Off – extended team


Prepare Yourself


30%-50% of international assignments fail

Some Success Factors for You

Learning

Language skills and aptitude

Negotiation skills (get some training)

Political awareness (read the local stories)

Ability to simplify processes (KISS!)

Ability to manage risks

Attitude

Flexibility and adaptability

Cultural sensitivity and modesty

Willingness to learn/try new things

43

CIA Factbook


The Hofstede Centre http://geert-hofstede.com/index.php


Lots of Books. . . and Courses . . .and don’t forget country guides!


Prepare Your Core Team

Team of Leaders – helps to have same mindset

Team Room!!

Cultural Training

Work Breakdown Structure

Risk Evaluation



http://timvandevall.com/printable-maslows-hierarchy-of-needs-chart/

Successful Kick Off

48

Successful Kick Off


Remember Team Building Principles

Encourages teamwork

Leads to collaboration with someone new

Involves as many of the team as possible

Get the team involved – you facilitate

Visual

Cultural Orientation

Common Goal

“when we are wildly successful. . .”

Roles (RACI)

Work Breakdown Structure

Agreed Upon Check Points

Risk Planning

and then. . . SIMPLIFY!! 49

Cus

tom

er R

equi

rem

ents

Bus

ines

s C

ase

IP R

evie

w

Pro

toty

pe T

estin

g

DF

M

Mfg R R C R A

Quality R C C C R

Marketing A A R C C

Engineering R R A A R

Simplify


Marketing

Engineering

Manu-

facturing

Quality

Q1 Q3 Q2

Customer Input

Design Input

Detail Design

Design for Manufacturing

Requirements

Business Case I Mkt Collateral

Dev Messages

Feat/Cost Eval

HoQ I

Supplier Eval

Business Case II

Proto Testing

DFM

Proto Testing

Supplier Testing

Supplier Selection

Prelim Mfg Pln

Prelim COGS

IP Review

HoQ II

R: Responsible

A: Accountable

C: Consulted

(I : Informed)

Successful Kick Off: Partners


Marketing Manufacturing

Proj Mgr

52

Review

Prepare yourself


Successful Kick Off – extended team


Trust but Verify Build on What you Started


Overview

Weekly Meetings

High Level – Extended Team

Detailed – Core Plus

Conference Calls

Document Collaboration

Quarterly Visits – at major checkpoints


YOU have a huge impact!!

Do your homework!

Develop personal relationships

Respect, humility and open mind

One on One meetings

Actively facilitate the meetings

100% Responsible

Be your word

Feedback is your friend – invite it in (even criticism!)

Remember your best and worst bosses/PMs


High Level Meetings

Who’s been a team member?

Who’s been to a bad meeting?

Example

Great PM, terrible meetings

Who’s been there?

Who’s been that PM?!?!

Global Team = Major Issues!

Reluctance to ask questions, disagree, delve deeper

Language barrier

You might miss something critical!


WB

High Level Meeting – 1 hr/week

Who’s been to a good meeting?

Active meeting technique

Key Points:

Understand the issue

Discuss Now?

Quick Answer?

How many people involved?

Importance

Timing – impact when?

If the smart phone comes out = bad meeting!

Practice this with your core team

Then they’ll be co-leaders in the meeting


WB

WB

Detail Meeting – 2 hrs/week

Action Log (any given time – 50 active items)

Consider leveraging word & change tracking

Review & decide what to discuss before meeting


Conference Call Success

First, what NOT to do

During the meeting:

Mind Map

Allow everyone to check in – assist with context

Everyone on computer screen

Actively draw people into discussion

Respect for people’s time:

“share the pain”

Expect & accept background noise

Only those who need to be there

Check out – any hanging chads? Clarity on action items?


Example of Mind Map – done LIVE!


Document Collaboration

Alternatives: SharePoint

Dropbox

Google Docs

SharePoint AHAs No Folders!

Documents found via search function

Exceptions: Archives, Specific Team Docs (e.g. Eng Testing)

All docs public to everyone

All could edit

SharePoint tracked edits and occasionally recovered a file

Document Naming Conventions - NO DATES!!!

<STAGE NO>_<STAGE>_<TEAM>_<Filename>

02_DEV_MKT_Brochure Claims.doc


Any other tips/tricks you found?


Quarterly Visits – 1 week/Quarter “It’s always too expensive to do it right, but it’s never

too expensive to do it twice” -Angus Jamieson

©Astrid McNellis 64

What Face to face visit – alternate visits if appropriate

When Quarterly – at (or in preparation for) key checkpoints

Who PM, core team (and extended team) involved in checkpoint Example: PM, Marketing, Engineering, Quality

Why

Quickly resolve existing issues/questions Check in on progress Identify new issues, misunderstandings Build relationship, partnerships

How (Agenda)

Broad swath – more like ‘Active Meeting’ style Revisit Kick Off documents as appropriate (Risk Plan!) Time for One on One discussions with Key Partners Team Building Free time!

What’s your next trip?

©Astrid McNellis 65

What Face to face visit – who’s coming to whom?

When What checkpoint?

Who Must Have, Nice to Have

Why

Quickly resolve existing issues/questions Check in on progress Identify new issues, misunderstandings Build relationship, partnerships

How (Agenda)

Broad swath – more like ‘Active Meeting’ style Revisit Kick Off documents as appropriate (Risk Plan!) Time for One on One discussions with Key Partners Team Building Free time!

Summary


Summary Global PM same, with extra considerations:

It’s all about the relationships Team building

DiSC

Cultural awareness

Set up for success Prepare yourself


Successful kick off

Trust but verify High level meetings

Detailed meetings

Conference call success

Document collaboration

Quarterly visits


Thank You!

Astrid McNellis

303.993.9481

[email protected]
