Can Absence Make a Team Grow Stronger? Ann Majchrzak Marshall School of Business University of Southern California majchrza@usc.edu

My experience base PhD in Social Psychology Research focused on implementation of mfg techns (Human Side of Factory Automation, Human Side of CAD) in Rust Belt Last 6 years focused on effective implementation of virtual collaboration technologies Most recent study: 54 successful cases

When use Far-Flung Teams MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES COMPLEX PROBLEMS LOCAL INTERESTS KNOWLEDGE CREATION & TRANSFER IMPLEMENT LOCALLY GLOBAL MARKETPLACE

SLICE Example Propulsion, thermal, structural, mfg engineering MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES Propulsion, thermal, structural, mfg engineering COMPLEX PROBLEMS LOCAL INTERESTS KNOWLEDGE CREATION & TRANSFER Goal: reduce cost of rocket engine by millions Rocketdyne, TI, MSC IMPLEMENT LOCALLY GLOBAL MARKETPLACE Mfg rocket, not just design Cheaper, reusable rocket

SLICE Outcomes Designed new rocket engine in 1/10th time (10 mos vs 6 years) 1/10th labor (<15% time of 8 people vs 50-100 people fulltime) First unit cost: $47K instead of $4.5M Predicted quality level of 9 sigma (not 6) 6 parts (instead of normal 1200) Est. engine mfg cost: $0.5M instead of $7M

The Challenges of Far Flung Teams Far Flung Virtual Teams are extreme: “Communications challenged” (conducting their core work mostly virtually through electronic medium) “Culturally challenged” (different countries, functions, companies) “Task challenged” (uncertainty in content of outcomes, process, or coordination because of team size, # languages, # time zones) Quick fix to challenges? In-person meetings?

The Challenges of Far Flung Teams Far Flung Virtual Teams are extreme: “Communications challenged” (conducting their core work mostly virtually through electronic medium) “Culturally challenged” (different countries, functions, companies) “Task challenged” (uncertainty in content of outcomes, process, or coordination because of team size, # languages, # time zones) Quick fix to challenges? In-person meetings

Problems of Fixing Challenges With In-person Meetings Conditions change after you leave Serendipity is hard to schedule Decision-making cycle time increases People in meetings don’t have access to their experts, materials, tools Leaves other responsibilities untended Travel takes time, money, and energy Diversity is left unexploited

Conceptual Framework for Managing Far Flung Team Challenges PEOPLE Leader STRATEGY TECHNOLOGY PROCESS TECH. Differentiate Myths from Realities

People Myth: F2F meetings are needed at beginning to build trust Reality: Trust is built through a planned team communication strategy & in-process team tuning sessions (be they F2F or not)

Technology Reality: Ban email! Integrate Living Team Room Myth: Communicate through email; technology is a necessary enabler Reality: Ban email! Integrate Living Team Room into work process

Living Team Room Capabilities Search Instant Messaging Synchronous Discussion Threads Audio Conferencing Living Room Living Documents Web Conferencing Annotation Asynchronous Templates

Living Team Room Capes + Work Process Search Instant Messaging Expertise location Discussion Threads Backchannel conversations Team identity Brainstorming Maintaining teamness Focusing efforts Web Conferencing Living Room Living Docs N-way realtime application sharing Knowledge shared in draft form; visibility into each other’s work Audio Conferencing Annotation Templates Trust-building Own comments Verbal clarification Action items, Agendas, Minutes

Process Reality: Prework: Intellectual property, Myth: Team starts on day team starts Reality: Prework: Intellectual property, Coordination protocols, tool standards

Process Myth: Reality: Save virtual meetings for disagreements Run conference calls like F2F meetings Reality: Save virtual meetings for disagreements & intellectual stimulation; requires meeting lifecycle management

Virtual Meeting Lifecycle --Review discussion items to focus on disagree-ment --Assign agenda items --Rotate team facilitation --Visible timelines & progress tracking Clear allocation of action items, meeting minutes posted rapidly Visibly ensure follow-up with discussion threads, progress tracking, & postings Member check-in through voting, IM, posting, application-sharing, & verbal discussion Recreate feeling of inclusiveness Activities Pre Start During End Between

Leader Reality: Far Flung teams require Myth Virtual means hands-off leadership Reality: Far Flung teams require communication-intensive leaders

Communication-Intensive Leadership Frequent 1-on-1 Check-ins 1-on-1 mentor discussions Leaders Members Establish team communication norms Closely monitor & intervene

Summary of Practices 1. Level playing field (everyone “calls in”); no physical meetings 2. Virtual workspace technologies 3. In-process team tuning sessions 4. Manage virtual meeting flow 5. Structure dynamically paired tasks among team members 6. Provide inclusion without smoothing diversity 7. Electronically brainstorm 8. Distribute leadership tasks

Far Flung Teams can be a competitive weapon, not a necessary evil Conclusion Far Flung Teams can be a competitive weapon, not a necessary evil