Workshop:
Working In Remote Teams and Matrix Organizations
Providing Leadership Across Organizational and Geographic Boundaries
The challenge of leading and working in teams has always been a significant one. Traditionally this process has taken place in a single location working with others who share a similar cultural outlook and who work together over an extended period of time.
In recent years, the pressures of globalization and the possibilities of technology have combined to add new layers of complexity and challenge to the already formidable task of building and leading a team. Remote teams operate across time zones with little or no face-to-face contact. They must deliver results and present a unified face to the outer world without the mortar of day-to-day interaction which cements traditional teams. They typically bring together members from different cultures with conflicting values, experiences and beliefs about how teams should operate. Frequently they also require members to work in matrix relationships and to influence others without formal authority.
This workshop equips participants with the insights, strategies and tools needed to meet the unique challenges posed by remote teams and matrix organizations.
Who Should Attend?
- Leaders, prospective leaders and members of remote teams.
- Team leaders and members with matrix reporting relationships
Workshop Objectives
By attending this highly interactive workshop, you will:
- Understand the similarities and differences between traditional and remote teams.
- Understand the benefits and challenges associated with remote and virtual teams.
- Be able to anticipate and plan for the challenges that arise at each stage of a team’s development.
- Know how to make best use of available technology for team interactions.
- Have strategies for building and maintaining effective working relationships between team members.
- Have learned and practiced new influencing tools for getting the support you need from others over whom you have no formal authority.
Workshop Duration
Three days.
Workshop Content
What’s Different About Remote Teams and Matrix Organizations?
- Why organizations are using them more frequently
- Benefits and challenges
Influencing Team Member Behaviour
- Strategies
- Styles
- Personalizing influencing tactics
Communicating Across Time and Distance
- Creating shared language and common meaning
- Creating a sense of belonging
- Compensating for the loss of informal face-to-face contact
- Avoiding the cultural pitfalls of e-mails
Navigating Cultural Differences
- How culture shapes thinking and behaviour
- Reframing cultural conflicts
- Direct and indirect cultures: learning to read between the lines
- Mapping the cultural values of other team members
Managing the Process of Team Development
- Recognizing the stages in team development
- What remote and virtual teams need at each stage
- Practical tips and checklists
Building and Managing Remote Relationships
- What’s your preferred style?
- Identifying the preferences of other team members
- Adapting your approach to get things done more effectively
Managing and Using Your Network
- Mapping your current network
- Identifying unused assets and gaps
- Using your network to work around obstacles in remote and virtual teams
Building Stronger Team Relationships One Conversation at a Time
- Transactional vs. relational conversations
- Listening for and building on common ground
Applying New Learning Back on the Job
- Peer consulting: Getting new perspectives from colleagues
- Action planning