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| THE VIRTUAL CHALLENGE |
Ref: A/1854
Date: 10/28/2008
Contributor: Lindsay McKenna, Lindsay McKenna Limited
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| On the surface, technology has provided the business world with a panacea. |
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| Lindsay McKenna |
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People, Technology, Task. Different but equal.
On the surface, technology has provided the business world with a panacea. It counts for us, calculates for us, carries our image across space and time, creates presentations, carries out analysis and provides countless other support activities that have helped to push the boundaries of human capability faster in the last 100 yrs than at any other time in the history of mankind. We have gone from tribe member to technologist in the evolutionary blink of an eye. No problem here then, all the news is good.
Wrong. Whilst there is nothing wrong with technology per se, what we are seeing is quite literally the human imagination running wild. From the moment Benjamin Franklin flew his kite to “download” electricity from a storm over Philadelphia, mankind it seems was destined to become first obsessed and then heavily reliant one form of technology or another. Now theres a thing, we used to be heavily reliant on each other. We worked together, lived together and socialised together. Now we work across different offices, floors, buildings, businesses and even continents. The big question today is not “Am I in a virtual team?” so much as “How virtual am I?”
Choosing the right technology
Whilst we wait for our psychology to catch up with our science, the huge danger here is that we develop the view that technology is a replacement for human interaction (ask anyone who has dealt with an automated telephone service for a definitive view on that one!). Technology is a means to an end not an end in itself, it is there to enable & enhance human interactions not replace them. In the virtual world created by technology, one of the primary functions of the Virtual Team Leader is to first identify how to make best use of the opportunities it offers. There are many factors affecting the choice of technology for example; type of work to be done, synchronous or asynchronous activities, level of Virtuality, software compatibility and so on. This choice is often made on a “What is available and allowed” basis rather than a “What is needed basis.” Studies have shown that where the formal technology provision has not met the need of the team, the team simply circumvents the system.
Using the technology
The challenge of using technology effectively should not be underestimated. Very often for instance, people who have had no formal telephone or email skills training find themselves in a world where they spend hours on the phone or dealing with emails – their competence is simply assumed. Operating under pressure in the virtual world can severely test this. When we are physically “present” with another person, and even when under pressure, we tend to monitor what the impact of our communication actually is and modify our transmission to suit. So often however in this new age of high speed communication we simply transmit without too much consideration of impact. When pressure and technology are mixed with assumed competence, the effect is sometimes alarming.
The Audio Conference
Reduce travel costs! Improve communication! Leverage global intellect! These are just a few of the exaltations associated with audio conferences. Then there is reality. Few things in life can be as bewildering as a poorly run audio conference.
Attending a meeting in the real world can be challenging enough but staying remotely interested in proceedings in a virtual meeting can be mind numbingly difficult – unless of course it is your meeting.
One of the big considerations when planning for and running the audio conference should be the subject of air time. Take for instance a team of five people who are each providing ten minute updates on what they have been doing. Each person on that call is now required to spend forty minutes listening. The meeting simply pushes information at participants and listening coincidentally, is not something most humans do well. To make matters worse, all this takes place before you have got to do any planning, clarification, questions and definition of next physical action. Think about that for a minute, teams so often waste so much precious airtime with something that could be done “off the air” that they are too mentally exhausted to make a good job of the highly important subject of “What are we going to do as a result of this meeting?”
A solution for this is to give each other updates for review before the meeting and encourage questions whilst on air. This turns the meeting into a pull affair, with participants pulling information rather than passively listening they tend to stay more engaged. Another tip with audio conferences is that if the meeting results with no subsequent action being required of participants, the meeting probably should never have happened.
Intent versus Impact.
So here we are on the World Wide Web, the virtual superhighway. We probably have an urgent need – an intent. We are surrounded by technology feeling under pressure and often isolated. If no thought is applied, off go the emails like rockets – we are under pressure to deliver right? There is little time for small talk here, phone calls are curt and to the point. “They have to understand that I am in a hurry”. The impact is that If we treat virtual team members as “human doings” and not “human beings” it often results in them actually delaying the work flow. The impact is quite different from the intent. The modern term “human resource” is a misnomer, people are not “owned” by a business, they are participants in the business.
The virtual team leader then has to be able to pick his or her way very carefully through the virtual minefields and generate spectacular results against appalling odds. It is little wonder that such a high percentage of virtual teams fail to deliver. The successful virtual team leader balances people, task and technology and recognises that they are different but equal.
Some things have changed some have not
In terms of developing virtual teams as opposed to co located teams some things have changed and some things have not. Both types of teams require a clear, well founded and compelling purpose. Purpose is the campfire around which teams gather. A high performing team simply cannot be born without co created purpose and here lies the first major change for the virtual team leader. When dealing with a co located team the leader can communicate the purpose in a way that appeals to the hearts & minds of potential team members. That is to say, with visible passion, focus and where possible, connecting to the aspiration of the group. The aim of this emotional investment is to help build social capital which is the mutual energy developed in a team that enables a team to achieve greater results than their number suggests they should.
When communicating purpose with a potential virtual team member, the leaders communication should be aimed very much at the individual. Forging a connection here is the aim, not exciting the emotion. This means having a strong business case, clear achievable short term goals, agreed principles and a very visible link to the skill set of the potential team member. No more, no less. The reason for this is that the usual default position for human emotions and values is local. Most humans give priority to what is going on around them and will instinctively resist any efforts to influence their loyalties or values from a distance. The key learning here is that initially focussing on purpose and principles will increase likelihood of the team leader successfully gaining the attention of a potential virtual team member. Launching team building events and talking about “team values” and “team relationships” should be treated with caution until initial commitment has been gained. A big tip here is get permission form the potential team member to discuss your aims before launching into your “pitch” and the second big tip is to avoid forcing a “yes – no” decision at the first discussion. Time invested in connecting at a human level is a great investment here. Imagine if our driver had the technology and the presence of mind to explain the intention behind the behaviour and in doing so dealt with the impact. The safe and speedy passage may have been achieved without creating an “emotional wake”.
All the time in the world
The time machine has been invented. We often hear the term that we live in a`24/7 world and yet paradoxically time seems to be in such short supply. Whilst technology has been a big contributor to this challenge, thoughtful planning can literally create a situation where work on a project can proceed 24 hrs a day. Many larger corporations have already demonstrated the ability to seamlessly pass work from time zone to time zone taking human collaboration to a new level of cooperation. The technology is very clever, the human element essential.
To close
It can be seen then that whilst technology may not be the panacea thought by some, it is not the demon seen others, it simply is. It is the human element that brings it to life and defines its use and its impact on the world. With a little care it can be turned into the most amazing enabler for co creation and collaboration. With a very little carelessness, it can create total disconnect.
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