1 Challenges and Success Factors ETM5361/MSIS5600 Managing Virtual Project Teams Nicholas C. Romano, Jr., Ph.D. [email protected] Paul E.

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Challenges and Success Factors Challenges and Success Factors

ETM5361/MSIS5600ETM5361/MSIS5600Managing Virtual Project TeamsManaging Virtual Project Teams

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

[email protected]@mstm.okstate.edu

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

[email protected]@okstate.edu

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OverviewOverview

• What challenges do managers face in the What challenges do managers face in the use of teams? use of teams?

• Which of these challenges becomes even Which of these challenges becomes even more challenging in a virtual team more challenging in a virtual team environment? environment?

• Does virtual teaming add any new Does virtual teaming add any new challenges? challenges?

• What are the critical success factors in the What are the critical success factors in the use of virtual teams?use of virtual teams?

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What intervening factors lie on What intervening factors lie on the path to effective teamwork?the path to effective teamwork?

TeamworkForm Team

GoalClarity andAcceptance

Members’Knowledge,

Skills,Abilities

Team Leadership

TrustGroup Process and Facilitation

Ability andWillingness to

“Attend”

ExternalCost or

SchedulePressures

Access to Information and Other Resources

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Intervening factors create Intervening factors create challenges for managementchallenges for management

• Creating buy-in to and ownership of team Creating buy-in to and ownership of team goalsgoals

• Ensuring the right training, the right toolsEnsuring the right training, the right tools• Fostering a climate of trust, sense of teamFostering a climate of trust, sense of team• Buffering team members from Buffering team members from

organizational politics or undue pressureorganizational politics or undue pressure• Rewarding team performanceRewarding team performance• Dealing with different personalitiesDealing with different personalities

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Ken W. Harry A. Erich Dee Patrice Vicky Dave Harry B. Taymor Augustina Ken M. Mark Janet Stacy Bob Vidya Atul Burnie

Ken W. ++ +++ ++ ++ 0 + -- + 0 + 0 + + - 0 0 ++

Harry A. +++ +++ + + 0 + --- + 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ++

Erich +++ +++ ++ +++ 0 ++ - + 0 + 0 0+++

Note 1 + 0 0 +++

Dee +++ + ++++++

Note 2 +++ ++ + + + + 0 ++ +++ 0 0 0 ++

Patrice ++ ++ ++++++

Note 2 +++ ++ 0 + + + 0 + +++ 0 ++ + ++

Vicky + + ++ +++ +++ +++ 0 ++ 0 0 0 + +++ 0 0 0 +++Dave ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ + 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ++

Harry B. --- --- - 0 0 0 + 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 -Taymor ++ + ++ + + ++ + 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ++

Augustina 0 0 0 ++ ++ 0 0 0 0 +++ 0 0 0 0 ++ + ++Ken M. + + + + + 0 0 0 0 ++ + 0 0 - 0 0 +Mark 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 + 0 0

Janet ++ + + ++ ++ + 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 0 0 0 +

Stacy ++ ++++

Note 1 +++ +++ ++ 0 0 0 0 0 0 + 0 0 0 +++

Bob ++ + ++ + 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ++

Vidya 0 0 0 0 ++ 0 0 0 0 ++ ++ + 0 0 0+++

Note 3 +++

Atul 0 0 0 0 0 + 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0+++

Note 3 +++Burnie ++ +++ +++ ++ +++ +++ + - ++ + + + + +++ ++ +++ +++

Note 1: Erich & Stacy are going to be married in SeptNote 2: Dee & Patrice are sistersNote 3: Vidya & Atul are married

(Source: Burnie Gilmore)

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Virtual teams come with some Virtual teams come with some additional challengesadditional challenges

• Making isolated team members feel as if they are Making isolated team members feel as if they are part of a teampart of a team

• Dealing with what are often significant differences Dealing with what are often significant differences in time zones, culture, networks, computer literacyin time zones, culture, networks, computer literacy

• Evaluating team and team member performanceEvaluating team and team member performance• Selecting and providing access to the right Selecting and providing access to the right

collaborative technologycollaborative technology• Ensuring members have skill in, and comfort with, Ensuring members have skill in, and comfort with,

that collaborative technologythat collaborative technology

A key challenge involves A key challenge involves increasing intellectual bandwidthincreasing intellectual bandwidth““The ability of an organization to bring The ability of an organization to bring intellectual capital to bear when addressing a intellectual capital to bear when addressing a particular issue.” particular issue.”

A function of the success with which an A function of the success with which an organization deploys and uses Knowledge organization deploys and uses Knowledge Management Systems and Collaborative Management Systems and Collaborative Technology Technology

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Data, InformationData, InformationKnowledge and Knowledge and Wisdom SourcesWisdom Sources

(Intellectual Capital)(Intellectual Capital)

Knowledge Knowledge ManagementManagementSystems and Systems and TechnologiesTechnologies

Collaborative Systemsand Technologies

(Customized Repeatable Processes)

IntellectualBandwidth

Source: Jay F. Nunamaker, J., Nicholas C. Romano, J., & Briggs, R. O. 2001. Increasing intellectual bandwidth: An integrated framework of KMST and CST. Plenary talk presented at the Group Decision and Negotiation Conference, La Rochelle, France.

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Intellectual Capital

Intellectual BandwidthOrganizational

MembersUSE & DEPLOYMENT

Access

Source: Nunamaker et al., 2001

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Collaborative Capability

Collected

Wisdom (Principles)Knowledge (Patterns)Information (Relationships) Data (Symbols)

Understanding

Intellectual Capital

Organizational Members

Concerted

Coordinated

Connected

Source: Nunamaker et al., 2001

Process and Task Structure

InteractiveCommunication

Level

Individual

Connected

Coordinated

Concerted

Collected

Low

Low

High

High

Source: Nunamaker et al., 2001

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Some paradoxes of virtual team Some paradoxes of virtual team collaborationcollaboration

• Collaborative technologies in virtual Collaborative technologies in virtual environments enable better face-to-face environments enable better face-to-face meetingsmeetings

• Cultural differences increase the resolve to Cultural differences increase the resolve to connect in virtual collaborationsconnect in virtual collaborations

• Simple and adaptable technologies enable Simple and adaptable technologies enable more complex virtual collaborationmore complex virtual collaboration

Source: Quereshi, S. and I. Zigurs, Paradoxes and Prerogatives in Global Virtual Source: Quereshi, S. and I. Zigurs, Paradoxes and Prerogatives in Global Virtual Collaboration. Collaboration. Communications of the ACMCommunications of the ACM, 2001, 44 (12 December): p. 85-88, 2001, 44 (12 December): p. 85-88

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Technology, while important, is Technology, while important, is only one of many success factorsonly one of many success factors

• Human resource policies and practices that Human resource policies and practices that support and reward virtual teamworksupport and reward virtual teamwork

• Access to training and development Access to training and development resources and mechanisms for sharing resources and mechanisms for sharing lessons learnedlessons learned

• Use of standard organizational processes for Use of standard organizational processes for both technical and social issuesboth technical and social issues

Duarte, D. L., & Snyder, N. T. 2001. Mastering Virtual Teams (2nd Ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

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• Resources for and access to the appropriate Resources for and access to the appropriate collaboration technologycollaboration technology

• A culture or climate that fosters trust and A culture or climate that fosters trust and teamwork and values diversityteamwork and values diversity

• Leaders who set high expectations, model Leaders who set high expectations, model good behavior, and provide the needed good behavior, and provide the needed resources and supportresources and support

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• Team leaders and members who have Team leaders and members who have experience working in virtual environmentsexperience working in virtual environments

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Lessons from Sabre, Inc.Lessons from Sabre, Inc.

1.1. Trust based on performance consistency Trust based on performance consistency rather than social bondsrather than social bonds

• Rapid responseRapid response• Establish communication normsEstablish communication norms• Reinforce timeliness and consistencyReinforce timeliness and consistency

Source: Kirkman, B. L., et al. 2002. Five challenges to virtual team success: Lessons from Sabre, Inc. Academy of Management Executive, 16(3): 67-79.

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2.2. Training in virtual teamwork helps Training in virtual teamwork helps overcome process lossesovercome process losses

• Focus on leadership, conflict management, Focus on leadership, conflict management, meeting managementmeeting management

• Make use of decision-making and problem-Make use of decision-making and problem-solving software specifically designed for solving software specifically designed for virtual teamworkvirtual teamwork

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3.3. Create an environment of inclusiveness Create an environment of inclusiveness and involvementand involvement

• Consider individual preferences for working Consider individual preferences for working virtuallyvirtually

• Give members a realistic preview of the Give members a realistic preview of the potential for feeling detachedpotential for feeling detached

• Maintain continuous contact with membersMaintain continuous contact with members• Provide face-to-face opportunitiesProvide face-to-face opportunities

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4.4. Identify members who have a healthy Identify members who have a healthy balance of technical and social skillsbalance of technical and social skills

• Use interviewing techniques and simulations Use interviewing techniques and simulations that consider social skillsthat consider social skills

• Use panels of current team members to recruit Use panels of current team members to recruit and select new membersand select new members

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5.5. Establish metrics and develop creative Establish metrics and develop creative approaches for feedback and coachingapproaches for feedback and coaching

• Use a balanced scorecard approachUse a balanced scorecard approach• Monitor communicationsMonitor communications• Use peer reviewsUse peer reviews• Use “richer” communication mediaUse “richer” communication media• Identify on-line training and development Identify on-line training and development

resourcesresources

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Other lessons learnedOther lessons learned

• Management motivation has a direct effect Management motivation has a direct effect on virtual collaboration.on virtual collaboration.

• Collaborative roles emerge, but must be Collaborative roles emerge, but must be made more explicit.made more explicit.

• Tasks that benefit most from virtual Tasks that benefit most from virtual collaboration are those requiring knowledge collaboration are those requiring knowledge sharing, structure, and detailed teamwork.sharing, structure, and detailed teamwork.

Source: Quereshi, S. and I. Zigurs, Paradoxes and Prerogatives in Global Virtual Source: Quereshi, S. and I. Zigurs, Paradoxes and Prerogatives in Global Virtual Collaboration. Collaboration. Communications of the ACMCommunications of the ACM, 2001, 44 (12 December): p. 85-88, 2001, 44 (12 December): p. 85-88

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• Cultural diversity can enhance the value of Cultural diversity can enhance the value of virtual collaboration.virtual collaboration.

• Training is important for successful virtual Training is important for successful virtual collaboration.collaboration.– Successful training programs put work Successful training programs put work

practices at the forefront.practices at the forefront.

• Technology is a device, not a driver, of Technology is a device, not a driver, of virtual collaboration.virtual collaboration.

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SummarySummary

• A number of intervening factors create A number of intervening factors create challenges for management in both face-to-challenges for management in both face-to-face and virtual settingsface and virtual settings

• Virtual teamwork comes with some Virtual teamwork comes with some additional challengesadditional challenges

• The knowledge to date suggests a number The knowledge to date suggests a number of practices that increase the likelihood of of practices that increase the likelihood of successsuccess