How To Manage Virtual Project Teams 2013 Nashville PMI Symposium April 29, 2013 Presented by Charlene B. Schultz, MBA, PMP ®

How To Manage Virtual Project Teams

2013 Nashville PMI Symposium April 29, 2013

Presented by Charlene B. Schultz, MBA, PMP®

Agenda• Introduction• Industry Trends • Background • Building the Team • Conflict Resolution • Recognition• Tools and Technology• Conclusion• Contact Information

© 2013 IT and Business Consulting Services, LLC. All rights reserved. 2

Introduction


The greatest danger in times of turbulence is not the turbulence; it is to act with yesterday’s logic.-Peter Drucker (1)

For the past thirteen years, I have been working with virtual (onshore and offshore) teams. During this time, I have experienced many rewarding,

exciting, challenging, and enlightening moments.

Working with over forty teams in multiple industries with members throughout the world, I have learned, and or created, tools,

techniques and examples, that can aid in any virtual team’s success.

The goal of this presentation is to demonstrate a few of these tools and techniques. While exploring the exciting, timely, and emerging work trend in the field of project management, these tools and techniques will

help you lead your virtual teams in a professional, efficient, and successful manner. When applied and executed in the proper context, the examples presented today will provide positive results in any virtual environtment.

Thank you for attending today’s presentation. - Charlene, 04/29/13


Industry Trends


Number of people in the U.S. currently telecommuting at least once per month.According to the Telework Research Network(2): o Over 16 million currently people work remotely once per month

Trending Numbers:o Based on the historical growth rate reported by WorldatWork this

same telework population could grow to 50 million people by 2018

What are some of the major factors influencing this trend?o Improving communications, high-speed broadband, web-based

applications and collaboration technologieso Desire for flexible work schedules and arrangements o Escalating fuel priceso Pressures on companies to reduce indirect costs like real estate,

office spaceo Increased pressure on companies to reduce their carbon footprinto Declining number of managers who are not comfortable with

telecommuters o Increased understanding of how to manage virtual workforces


The Future of Telework


According to CNNMoney’s “Top 100 Best Companies to Work for in 2012,” the 85 “Best Companies”allow

employees to telecommute or work at home at least 20% of the time. The 10 companies on the below list have the

highest percentage of telecommuters.(3)

Company Best Companies rank% of "regular" telecommuters

Cisco 90 90%

Baptist Health South Florida 42 88%

Accenture 92 81%Teach For America 70 80%Intel 46 80%World Wide Technology 50 70%Pricewaterhouse Coopers 48 70%Ultimate Software 25 50%Perkins Coie 58 45%American Fidelity Assurance 47 40%

The Top 10

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/best-companies/2012/snapshots/90.html










Background



What is a virtual team?

As defined by the Project Management Institute (PMI®), ʺVirtual teams can be defined as groups of people with a shared goal who fulfill their roles with

little or no time spent meeting face to face.ʺ(4)

As quoted in Investor’s Business Daily,“At health insurer Aetna (AET), teleworkers are thriving and growing. In 2013, 47% of its employees telecommute vs. 9% in 2005. Hartford, Conn.-based Aetna saved $78 million annually in real estate costs, said spokesperson Susan Millerick. Moreover, its turnover rate for telecommuters is 3% compared to 8% for other Aetna employees, which saves on recruiting and training costs.”(5) (03/28/13)


Traditional Team Virtual Team

• Daily face-to-face interaction with multiple people on the team and in an onsite office

• Generally located in same city, state, country, or time zone

• Celebrate similar holidays• Experience and affected by the

same local weather and news events

• Meetings held in person in traditional conference rooms

• Common local culture and customs

• Little to no face-to-face interaction with team

• Usually located in various cities, countries, states, and time zones

• Celebrate wide variety of holidays

• Affected by global news and weather events

• Technology driven electronic communications --email, instant messaging, phone, video conference

• International, national and regional cultures

Understanding Team Characteristics


Traditional Office


Virtual Office

Building the Team


Find a “common ground” of shared understanding to build relationships.

• Know team member locations--Country, City, State, Time zone

• Be aware of weather conditions and current news events affecting team members

• Share interests such as pet ownership, kids, sports, travel, hobbies

• Avoid topics like religion and politics (save that for later, if ever!)

How do you build trust with people you may never see?


Name Position Location Time zone Other info

Jennifer Jones Business Analyst Mumbai, India ** Use Time

converter tool

Manage Requirements sessions; Planning; Team meetings

Bob Smith Application Architect San Diego, CA PST

Lead solution discussions, Team Meetings

Ramesh Kumar Testing Project Manager Bar Harbor, ME EST

Oversees testing team, Approver; Team meetings

Ming Li Developer Toronto, Canada EST XYZ application only Adam Wilson Business Owner Phoenix, AZ MST Status reports only

Leihung Chow Business Lead Beijing, China ** Use Time

converter tool

Requirements Approver, Team meetings

Store team member information (as applicable) in a customized project Stakeholder Register (6):

• Identification information • Assessment information • Stakeholder classification

SAMPLE EXTRACT STAKEHOLDER REGISTER

Next Steps: Team Building

Conflict Resolution


How do you resolve virtual conflicts? Interrupt the conflict when you see or hear it escalating. Whether you are in a meeting or reading an email chain, intervene as soon as

possible. Help your team STOP.

low down and listen to the other. Let everyone talk without interrupting.

ake a deep breath before responding.

pen your mind to another point of view.

ause, mute and don’t send an email when you’re angry. People can often remember how you make them feel for a very long time.

STO P

Recognition


o Virtual rewards and recognition are extremely important to keep you team feeling “connected” as well as appreciated, and part of a group!

o Virtual parties with cards that are signed by everyone on the team and shared during a virtual party

o Recognize and celebrate birthdays for each month or anniversaries, holidays just as you would – send cards to people’s home addresses

o Reward the team with public praise. Let their peers and management know how well they performed!

o Thank people often, and then thank them some more o Find out what internal rewards are available at your

organization – gift certifications, gift cards, paid time off and reward your team

Tools & Technology


o Understand your corporate culture relative to teleworkers. o Use the tools and technology which best fit your team and

organization. Agree as a team.o Most importantly have one shared document storage that

everyone the team can access. o Communicate as appropriate. Don’t “copy the world.”o Respond to email within one business day. Ignoring email is

like having someone ask you a question, you look back at them, say nothing and walk away.

o Let people know how to reach you at all times during work hours and that you will respond back as soon as possible.

o Build virtual trust by being responsible, responsive, accountable, and dependable. Even if your team can’t see you, they should know you are accessible.

Conclusion


Thank you for attending today’s presentation!

Hopefully you have enjoyed the topics discussed and gained a better understanding of virtual team work and the role of the virtual project manager.

The greatest danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short, but in setting out aim too low and achieving our mark. – Michelangelo

Contact Information

© 2013 IT and Business Consulting Services, LLC. All rights reserved.

19

Charlene B. Schultz, MBA, PMP®

615-715-5681

www.cbschultz.comemail: [email protected]

IT and Business Consulting Services, LLC

http://www.cbschultz.com/

Notes 1. Peter Drucker. Managing in Turbulent Times (New York, N.Y.: Harper Paperbacks, 1980). 2. Kate Lister & Tom Harnish, ʺThe State of Telework in the U.S. How Individuals, Business, and Government Benefit, ʺ Telework Research Network, June 2011, 22-23. http://www.workshifting.com/downloads/downloads/Telework-Trends-US.pdf (accessed March 20, 2013) 3. ʺ100 Best Companies to Work for 2012,ʺ CNNMoney, Feb. 6, 2012. http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/best-companies/2012/benefits/telecommuting.html (accessed March 15, 2013). 4. A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide), 5th ed. (Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute, 2013), 271. 5. Gary M. Stern, ʺThe Widening Telecommuting Divide: Aetna Vs. Yahoo,ʺ Investor’s Business Daily, March 28, 2013, http://news.investors.com/management-managing-for-success/032813-649720-telework-thrives-at-aetna-but-not-yahoo.htm?ven=fox_businesscp (accessed March 29, 2013) 6. PMBOK® Guide, 398.

© 2013 IT and Business Consulting Services, LLC. All rights reserved.

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How To Manage Virtual Project Teams 2013 Nashville PMI Symposium April 29, 2013 Presented by Charlene B. Schultz, MBA, PMP ®