Yael Zofi's Blog, page 11

TAKING YOUR AGILE PROCESSES VIRTUAL? APPLY CONTEXT COMMUNICATION

Posted by Jackline Makena and Susan Victor

 

This week the AIM Strategies team surveyed online conversations about an increasingly important topic – virtual teams in the technology industry.  There are numerous discussions on how to apply Agile software development methodologies in a virtual environment. For those who are not tech-savvy, Agile refers to software development methodologies that emphasize iterative and continuous feedback, testing and flexibility. These methodologies differ from waterfall methodologies, in which development and testing are distinct and separate phases. Core to Agile software development processes, and their iterative nature, is the need for daily face-to-face interaction.  Yet, virtual teams are defined by a lack of this personal, direct contact.

 

Yael Zofi in her book, “A Manager’s Guide to Virtual Teams”, points out that virtual teams offer many advantages to tech companies, including the reduction of overhead costs, access to global expertise and the ability to work round the clock, “following the sun”. Clearly, virtual teams are on the rise in the technology industry, and so a key question is, can projects conducted with Agile methodologies succeed in the virtual world?  Without the advantage of context communication (a given when colleagues share a workspace), can this communication gap be filled through other tools?  Context communication exists when you can observe different types of cues (behaviors, actions, surroundings) that provide background information to enable a deeper understanding of someone’s intention.

 

The Agile’s Manifesto, a loose framework of the 12 principles behind Agile, emphasizes “individuals and interactions over processes and tools”. (If interested, please click here for Robin Good’s Best Online Collaboration Tools, updated monthly – collaboration tools.)

 

AIM’s Virtual Trends Report, noted the importance of the human connection in the virtual environment, and provided practical tips on building trusting business relationships and defusing conflict. Given the reality of working with fewer communication cues than face-to-face situations, managers of virtual software development teams need to find ways to achieve context communication, which consists of three components: Environmental Cues, the Medium and Relationships.

 

Environmental Cues – the observable cues common to face-to-face communication, which enable co-workers to gauge how others perceive them and their ideas.  We can adjust our expectations and demands accordingly.
The Medium – this is the format used to communicate with co-workers in the virtual world.  Medium determines the richness of information that is received. Each team must establish clear procedures for managing written, voice and virtual in-person communication.
Relationships – think of relationships as the glue that binds team members together. To overcome the difficulties of working across physical distances, relationships need to be constructed using tools that were not designed to build relationship (like computers and phones). And without the benefit of hallways and watercooler conversations that promote strong work relationships, software developers who work virtually need assistance in facilitating these conversations.

 

If your virtual software development team uses Agile methodologies and you would like some practical tips on how to create these key elements of context communication, please read Yael Zofi’s, “A Manager’s Gudie to Virtual Teams” (especially Chapter 3, Context Communication: Definitions and Challenges (download here for free), or contact us at info@aim-strategies.com to inquire about team training sessions.

 

Please note: If you are part of, or manage, a virtual team working with agile, would you consider sharing the experiences and challenges you face?  We are especially interested in specific examples of successful Agile methods in these virtual workplaces.  It is our belief that by sharing best practices we will build on each others’ successes and achieve even greater results as we go forward in this increasingly connected world.

 

Virtual Teams Cliff Note #9: Future of Virtual Leadership

Global leadership is the topic for our final cliff note from the WatchIT TV recordings with exprt, Yael Zofi. Here Zofi explains the expanded role of the leader in our intensely competitive, hyper-connected business environment. What does it take today (and tomorrow) to position your organization for success? Long interested in this key area of people management, Yael researched this topic and published her findings several years ago in the ““GlobaLeader Survey Report”“. This report includes information from a survey AIM Strategies® developed, based on over decade of research on key leadership issues in the global environment. Now, this unique GlobaLeadership™ (GL) model is available at no cost to our readers and visitors. The heart of this model is the concept of the Agent of Connection, surrounded by seven critical dimensions for effective virtual team leadership. These dimensions are:

VISTA-LEADERSHIP
INNOVA-LEADERSHIP
ADAPTA-LEADERSHIP
DIVERSA-LEADERSHIP
COMMUNI-LEADERSHIP
COLLABO-LEADERSHIP
EDU-LEADERSHIP

 

In Cliff Note #9 Yael addresses global leadership within the context of these seven dimensions. As she often notes, “out of sight does not mean out of mind”, which places leadership squarely at the center of a strong virtual presence, with the all-important responsibility of connecting team members with each other. Equally important, she believes, is that one individual cannot embody the key dimensions of success in today’s world; however, it is possible for a visionary leader to pull together a team in which all seven dimensions are represented. That task is on the plate of every global leader, whether she or he knows it or not.

 

Virtual Teams Video Cliff Note # 9 – Virtual Leadership. from Yael Zofi & The AIM Team on Vimeo.

 

Virtual Teams Cliff Note # 9: Future Leadership.

Leadership is the topic for our final cliff note from the WatchIT TV recordings with Yael Zofi. Here Zofi explains the expanded role of the leader in our intensely competitive, hyper-connected business environment. What does it take today (and tomorrow) to position your organization for success? Long interested in this key area of people management, Yael researched this topic and published her findings several years ago in the “GlobaLeader Survey Report“. This report includes information from a survey AIM Strategies developed, based on a decade of research on leadership issues in a global environment. Now, this unique GlobaLeadership™ (GL) model is available at no cost to our readers and visitors. The heart of this model is the concept of the Agent of Connection, surrounded by seven critical dimensions for effective virtual team leadership. These dimensions are:

 

VISTA-LEADERSHIP
INNOVA-LEADERSHIP
ADAPTA-LEADERSHIP
DIVERSA-LEADERSHIP
COMMUNI-LEADERSHIP
COLLABO-LEADERSHIP
EDU-LEADERSHI

 

In Cliff Note # 9 Yael addresses global leadership within the context of the seven dimensions. As she often notes, “out of sight does not mean out of mind”, which places leadership squarely at the center of a strong virtual presence, with the all-important responsibility of connecting team members with each other. Equally important, she believes, is that one individual cannot embody the key dimensions of success in today’s world; however, it is possible for a visionary leader to pull together a team in which all seven dimensions are represented. That task is on the plate of every leader, whether she or he knows it or not.

 

Virtual Teams Video Cliff Note # 9 – Virtual Leadership. from Yael Zofi on Vimeo.

 

Video Cliff Note # 8: Cross Cultural Communications and Virtual Teams

Posted by Susan Victor and Karina Koloch

 

Every virtual team – not just global teams – engage in Cross Cultural interactions, as anyone who ever worked on a VT knows. While communicating with colleagues of diverse backgrounds affords you an opportunity to expand beyond your immediate comfort zone, it also creates challenges. Yael Zofi has dedicated a full chapter of her book on Virtual Teams Management to Cross Cultural Communication in VTs. In addition, she previously addressed this topic in her book “Communicating Through a Global Lens” as well as in numerous articles. Please click here to read her latest article, Importance of Cross-Cultural Communication & Overcoming Intercultural Disconnect in Your Virtual Team.

 

If you would like to access further resources on managing and communicating in cross cultural teams, please visit our Newsroom for Yael’s articles and podcasts on the subject.

 

In Chapter 7 of “A Manager’s Guide to Virtual Teams” Yael shares examples of cultural characteristics, numerous case studies on situations that commonly occur and real-life scenarios on intercultural ‘disconnects’ in the virtual world. You’ll find specific techniques and steps to improve communication within your VT, along with examples of how to manage cultural differences.

 

To help VT managers gain a greater understanding of the complexities of cross cultural communication, Yael presents an easy to understand explanation of clusters that comprise all cross-cultural interactions. Regardless how a team is organized, themes emerge around how team members interact. That is, within every culture certain factors consistently appear when people work together; Yael has grouped these factors into five clusters, and introduced strategies to optimize interactions between people of various cultures. Feedback from readers has been overwhelmingly positive. So … if you would like to read a helpful guide to working with these five major clusters to improve relationships in VTs, please look into this chapter.

 

For this week, Yael shares tips for effective Cross-Cultural communications. Enjoy watching it and reading the supporting material.

 

Next week’s post will include our last cliff note; we’ll explore the new role for the future leader in the virtual workplace and key dimensions, or traits, that will define future global leadership.

 

Cross Cultural Communications, Virtual Teams Video Cliff Note # 8 from Yael Zofi on Vimeo.

 

Video Cliff Note #7: Virtual Space CPR

This week we are posting the video cliff note from chapter 6 on “Getting Deliverable Out The Door” by explaining the meaning and importance of administering and implementing CPR.  In addition to the video clip we are attaching the link to the new article, Yael has recently written for IEE Technology and  Society Magazine titled “Getting Deliverables Out the Door with Your Virtual Team – Administering CPR” where she explores the topic in more details.

 

Cliff Note # 7 focuses on CPR, a planned, systematic approach to keeping things on track so that small issues do not grow, derailing the team’s efforts.  In order to move deliverables along, a relevant and comprehensive tool kit should to be designed in every virtual team. It is not an easy task given the paradox that exists in virtual workplace, which is the fact that both opposite approaches are needed in virtual workplace; a structure and flexibility.

 

CPR stands for C=Communication Plan, P= People Plan, R=Risk Management Plan: Below find a few virtual essential CPR tips from the book:

It’s important to develop the right Communication Plan by selecting the appropriate communication tools and processes. When doing that organize the criteria of your plan considering questions such as:  who is the stakeholder? why to communicate? what needs to be communicated? when to communicate and how to communicate?
In order to successfully get deliverables out the door, it’s critical to engage the right people in the right way. CPR People Plan focuses on the internal people component. Learn about your team as much as you can. Mapping team key information helps in making informed decisions about maximizing their efforts. By observing how the team functions you can create the best circumstances for collaborative teamwork.
Before creating a Risk Management Plan every team manager should identify and analyze the possible “what if” scenarios thoroughly before deciding on priorities and assigning ownerships for risk strategies.

 

Ask these basic questions:

What could negatively or positively affect the project?
What is the likelihood that this situation will occur?
How will it impact the project?
What can be done to mitigate its adverse effects?

 

Chapter 6 of “A Manager’s Guide to Virtual Teams” explains each of the elements of CPR and gives the reader a workable plan to work with CPR.  Many virtual managers have thanked Yael for setting them on the right path – and we hope you, too, will  find something of value in these pages.

 

Virtual Teams Cliff Note # 6 – Virtual CPR. from Yael Zofi on Vimeo.

 

 

Virtual Teams Video Cliff Note #6: Four Types of Virtual Conflicts.

Posted by Susan Victor and Karina Koloch

 

With July 4th celebrations behind us, we are well into summer. For those who are returning from vacations, or about to embark on one, recall that several weeks ago we began a ‘Virtual Teams Video Cliff Notes’ Series to guide managers and staff members in the virtual environment. The series contains ten articles, and features short video clips introduced by Yael Zofi. If you missed the previous five cliff notes, or need a refresher, here are direct links to them:

 

INTRODUCTION
THE AGENT OF CONNECTION
TEAM SETUP
CONTEXT COMMUNICATION
WHEEL OF TRUST™

 

This week we resume the series with Video Cliff Note #6: The Four Types of Virtual Conflicts

 

The potential for misunderstandings in the virtual world is great, where even simple misperceptions can result in conflict situations. Lack of face-to-face interactions create the conditions for conflicts to arise all too frequently, derailing projects. Therefore conflicts – even minor ones – need to be addressed early, to prevent them from spiraling out of control.

 

As a starting point, every virtual team member should understand the types of conflict that may occur. There are four types of conflicts, as follows:

 

Performance Conflict: What Am I Supposed to Do and How Should I Do it?
Identity Conflict: Where Do I Belong?
Data Conflict: What Should I Focus on First?
Social Conflict: Who Are the People on My Team and What Are Their Personalities?

 







 

Chapter 5 (Defusing Conflict and Overcoming Roadblocks) of A Manager’s Guide to Virtual Teams, describes the types, dimensions and levels of conflict. This chapter also contains helpful case studies and virtual mediation techniques. Managers have a great resource in a series of exercises and questions designed as a ‘Virtual Roadmap’ to Productive Conflict Management. This ‘Virtual Roadmap’ is an indispensible tool for managers to use when defusing conflict in their teams.

 

Notes from the SHRM Conference in Atlanta

My five days in Atlanta, attending this year’s SHRM’s annual conference, was a true global experience. I am sure that the 15,000+ participants would agree. My sessions on Managing a Virtual Workforce – Bringing Reality to Your Virtual Teams ran Saturday and Sunday, and I also had the opportunity to discuss the subject with colleagues, throughout the conference.

 

Although it was great to speak about a topic I am passionate about, I enjoyed hearing presentations by some outstanding speakers. Each one focused on the importance of nurturing that human connection that I believe is the core of organizational success. Here are some highlights.

 

Condolezza Rice kicked off the conference with some inspirational comments about her commitment to America’s education system, and discussed the inspiring change and challenges afoot globally for women and ways the global community must continue to unite behind the cause of women’s empowerment

 

Author Malcolm Gladwell is a truly original speaker and had a great deal to say about how the millennial generation differs from previous generations. In his view, we are moving from hierarchy to network, and he believes organizations should embrace both models, as Apple does. Networks are open, and flexible, Gladwell said, and can start revolutions – but it takes hierarchies to finish them. Therefore, millennials need to be reminded of the importance of both models.

 

Scott Milligan, from the Disney organization, shared his company’s recruitment techniques, which are inseparable from its corporate culture. He noted the importance of quality standards, and he shared four key strategies for employee selection: communicate your culture; state non-negotiables up front; treat applicants as guests and hire attitude vs aptitude. An interesting point Milligan made is that Disney is an employee-focused organization first – the customer (or guest as Disney refers to its audience) is second.

 

Dreamworks Animations presenter, Dan Satterthwaite, shared the company’s belief that creativity requires trust, because creating original and unique products is a risky venture. I am sure that many organizations with more conventional products or services could take that lesson to heart and embed risk-taking into their own culture.

 

Patrick Lencioni’s session, Healthy Organizations Win: How to Harness Your Organization’s Full Potential, was about the untapped power of organizational health in sustaining competitive advantage. He shared practical suggestions on how to be the catalyst of organizational health in your own organization.

 

Jim Collins, author of Good to Great and Great by Choice, reminded all of us that “It’s all about people”. According to Collins, ‘Level 5’ (great leadership) is about humility and great leaders always pick people better than themselves, and “ask people what they think rather than tell people what they should know.” Collins said leaders should spend 10 hours each week in quality conversations, which tells us how important Collins thinks relationships are! I am convinced he is on to something, especially in a complex, highly competitive business environment where one person can’t achieve results alone.

 

Legendary Newsman, NBC News and New York Times Best-Selling Author Tom Brokaw closed the SHRM Conference with a look at the past, present and future. His personal style and meaningful connections left everyone engaged and inspired as we move forward in 2012.

 

What a wonderful experience it was. I met many amazing people and best of all I was able to share ideas with other professionals, consultants and authors about the themes and ideas that will carry our profession forward.

 

Check out our conference photos:

 

 

Global SHRM Conference – Virtual Teams Speaker’s Resources & Information

Posted by: Karina Koloch

 

The tagline for this year’s SHRM conference is “Be Brilliant” – meaning that every presentation and session is designed to inspire and to bring “critical insights and creative approaches to HR”. In keeping with this theme, Yael Zofi’s sessions will show participants how to become a “brilliant agent of connection and virtual manager”.

 

As we wrote last week, Yael will conduct two (8 credit) sessions at the conference this weekend and we wanted to give workshop participants a way to prepare beforehand.  Therefore, please look at these free resources, and reflect on situations that you have  experienced in the virtual workplace.

 

A free  chapter from “A Manager’s Guide to Virtual Teams” book
Virtual Teams Trends Report
Polls (We encourage you to vote before you attend the sessions. Results of the polls will be generated and available to you right away)

 

Yael will be signing her book three times during the conference: at the SHRM book store on Saturday at 5:15pm and Sunday at 12:15pm, and also Monday at noon at the “Hive” Internet Buzz Cafe.

 

Informational Flyer:
View more PowerPoint from Yael Zofi

 

SHRM Conference session on Managing Virtual Workforce

For the next two weeks our blog posts will focus on the upcoming SHRM Conference in Atlanta, where Yael Zofi will be running two full day sessions on Managing a Virtual Workforce. For those who were expecting “Virtual Teams Video Cliff Notes”, they will resume at the end of the month.

 

SHRM is known for holding wonderful global conferences. With keynote speakers like Malcolm Gladwell, Condoleezza Rice, Jim Collins, and Tom Brokaw, the 15,000+ participants will surely take away world-class ideas. The conference will focus on areas like Leadership, Change Management,  Global Talent Management, Global Compliance, Workforce Planning, Recruiting and New Media and Cross Cultural Insights, along with other Global Human Resource Management topics.  Presenters include global leaders, game changers, visionaries and authors.  In addition, participants will have the chance to meet up with media enterprises and relevant vendors.

 

 

Yael’s session, Managing a Virtual Workforce : Bringing Reality to Your Virtual Teams, is part of the “Advanced Recertification” conference track. She will discuss ways HR executives can better serve the changing needs of their virtual clients to become true ‘Agents of Connection’, to facilitate the all-important human connection in the virtual workplace.  Her session includes interactive discussions, engaging activities and case studies.  Her workshop will follow topics based on chapters of her book, A Manager’s Guide to Virtual Teams, and conclude with creating a Virtual Teams Roadmap.

 

On June 23rd and 24th Yael will sign her book at the international SHRM bookstore.

 

There are several ways to follow Yael’s conference experiences and get real-time updates: Twitter, #virtualteams and SHRM12 hashtags. Also, look for photos and videos on our Facebook page.

 

@SHRM12 @SHRMPress #NEXTCHAT: check out my blog on Virtual Teams:http://t.co/ZV6I52L8 and come to my sessions on Managing Virtual...

— Yael Zofi (@yaelzofi) June 13, 2012

Malcolm Gladwell Monday General Session June 25, 2012 http://t.co/5Cy2230d

— Yael Zofi (@yaelzofi) June 12, 2012

 



Stay tuned. We will share more information about the conference speakers, activities and press next week.

 

Virtual Teams Video Cliff Note #5 – Wheel of Trust™

It is impossible to overstate the importance of trust and accountability in business (as with all human) relationships. Accountability and trust are spoken of in the same breath because they are interrelated. Accountability provides the energy for the virtual team’s day-to-day activities, but trust is the larger concept and at the very core of all human interactions. And trust develops over time…

 

In the virtual environment, trust develops once team members realize that their teammates are reliable. Acting responsibly is important for all teams, but it is even more critical within virtual teams because they are working across distance, time and space.

 

Trust is extremely important because it creates a place for people to interact and connect with each other. Those connections – similar to the axles on the wheels of a car – enable teams to function efficiently and develop long-term relationships.

 

Yael Zofi refers to these trust-building axles in chapter 4 of her latest book, A Manager’s Guide to Virtual Teams, as four ‘spokes’ in the Wheel of Trust™.

 

They are:

Honesty-Trust: Do I trust you tell the truth?

Competence-Trust: Do I trust you to know what you’re doing?

Commitment-Trust: Do I trust you to follow through on your word?

Representation-Trust: Do I trust you to represent me when I’m not in the room?

 

They must work together to create Trust Synchronization and build accountability in your virtual team.

 

Here is Yael speaking more about the Wheel of Trust™: