Heidi Araya - Overcoming Distributed Team Challenges - Agile Maine Day
3 likes204 views
The document discusses strategies for managing distributed teams effectively. It begins by describing different types of distributed scenarios like satellites, clusters, and nebula teams. It then discusses challenges of distributed teams like less communication and collaboration opportunities. Specific strategies are provided to address issues like lack of trust and engagement. These include aligning on vision and values, documenting processes, creating skills matrices, promoting understanding through agreements, and emphasizing empathy, recognition and priorities. Tips for effective distributed meetings include encouraging video, assigning roles, and engagement techniques.
Heidi Araya - Overcoming Distributed Team Challenges - Agile Maine Day
- 2. Who Am I? How Did I Get Here? § Remote and distributed teams since 1999 § Multinational companies § Distributed firms with remote workers § Companies with offshore partners § Companies with consultants from many different firms § Offices where many workers worked at home regularly 2@HeidiAraya
- 3. Who’s out there? § On Distributed Team § Manage a Distributed Team § Coach a Distributed Team § Collaborate with Distributed Teams § Other? 3@HeidiAraya
- 4. Three kinds of distributed scenarios Satellite (one or a few remote from team or meeting) Clusters (team/meeting is in groups in a few locations) Nebula (whole team or meeting dispersed) more info at http://remotelyagile.info / @mkilby @HeidiAraya
- 5. Agility requires close collaboration & alignment § Open, transparent information sharing § Decentralized, rapid decision-making § A learning culture § Continuously delivering value to customers § Experiments & feedback loops How can we make this happen in distributed scenarios? @HeidiAraya 5
- 6. Typical distributed team challenges § Less real time, high-bandwidth communication § Less opportunity to collaborate spontaneously § Fewer opportunities to bond with people outside the team § No “learning by osmosis” § Relationships built around work - over human connections @HeidiAraya 6
- 7. This could lead to… § Lack of trust, empathy, understanding § Lack of clarity and direction § Lack of participation in meetings § Difficulties in expressing opinions § Misunderstandings § Reduced productivity § Lack of belonging, purpose and commitment to company … all these things tend to reduce engagement @HeidiAraya 7
- 9. 9
- 10. Align on vision, mission, values, purpose § Why are we doing what we are doing? § What is our purpose as a team? § What benefit are we creating for the company and the world? § What do we value? § Who is who on the team and what are our responsibilities? § Try: Team alignment workshop 10@HeidiAraya
- 12. Discuss & document team processes § What framework/process do we follow? – Has everyone read, discussed, and agreed to adhere to the defined process (Scrum Guide, etc.)? § What does “ready” and “done” mean? § Is this clearly understood by all, inside and outside the team? 12@HeidiAraya
- 13. Create a skills matrix § What skills do we have on the team? § What are our individual and team strengths & weaknesses? § Do we have knowledge silos? How should we mitigate risk? § Does everyone know what others enjoy and don’t enjoy doing, or want to learn? 13 Yuri Satish Joanna Kwame Elena Skill 1 O Skill 2 O O Skill 3 O Skill 4 O Skill 5 O Etc. novice intermediate expert O = wants to learn @HeidiAraya
- 14. Discover hours of overlap we have on the team 14 Team timezone chart developed by Mark Kilby @mkilby
- 15. Promote understanding through working agreements § Short list of guidelines (norms) developed by teams that describe positive behaviors § How will we work together? § How can we have a shared understanding of what we each need to work at our best? § Note: copying other team agreements to “save time” won’t achieve the same result @HeidiAraya 15
- 16. Mind the flow of work § Measure the flow of work through the process § Where does work get stuck? § Can we rethink the way we work to reduce cycle time? § Can we identify and minimize bottlenecks and dependencies? @HeidiAraya 16
- 17. Increase bandwidth of common knowledge § Common knowledge is up-to-date shared information - essential to coordinate large groups § What other information do you need to share or document? § How can we increase common knowledge and via what methods? § Tip: ask new team members what they wished they knew in their first month on the job 17@HeidiAraya
- 18. Encourage osmotic learning & working out loud § Persistent team channel (chat/video) § Share “what I’m working on” openly in team chat channels (working out loud) § Collab and pairing sessions on video § Promote asking questions in public forums instead of private ones § “Advertise” impromptu discussions in team channels Sococo helps people see who’s meeting 18@HeidiAraya
- 19. Clarify priorities & goals continuously § Distributed teams often lack ambient context to perceive priorities § Lack of understanding creates feelings of anxiety, eroding trust – and our desire to collaborate § Solution: Frequently communicate the organization’s and team’s priorities & goals using various channels 19https://hbr.org/2017/01/the-neuroscience-of-trust What’s our goal? How will we know when we are done? @HeidiAraya
- 20. Encourage empathy § Do you meet in person enough? § Does your team make room for personal time? § Do people appreciate others openly? § Do new employees get welcomed in front of everyone? § Does the team remember to celebrate? 20 vs. @HeidiAraya
- 21. Create connections 21 § Do you have a way to meet other colleagues outside your team or have random chats? § Do people have a place to share common interests? @HeidiAraya
- 22. Show gratitude, recognize contributions Say thank you – give kudos publicly – www.kudobox.co – Team channel – During meeting check-in or -out – Company channel #thanks Highlight your own accomplishments – #humblebrag channel 22Thanks Management 3.0! @HeidiAraya
- 23. Distributed Meetings! From blah to awesome! @HeidiAraya
- 24. If you’re just getting started with online meetings… § Encourage video as default… remember, we are replacing face to face § If one person is remote, everyone is remote § Supplement with backup communication method § Start with small talk § Use ear buds or mute if you have background noise § Mute notifications § Don’t multi-task; close out other apps § Advertise impromptu discussions 24@HeidiAraya
- 25. Use a back channel or buddy • Back channel: Multiple methods of communication open (chat & voice); someone monitors • Buddy system: if partially distributed: each remote person has a buddy in the room Thanks to Mark Kilby … more info at http://remotelyagile.info / @mkilby 25 @HeidiAraya
- 26. Leading effective, collaborative meetings § Set expectations on topic, preparation, decisions, & desired outcomes § Send out agenda in advance or: § Co-create agenda at meeting start § Get facilitator & note taker help § Start with a check in round § Ask for impediments to achieving the goal § Action plan – all action items have owners § Follow up with notes & action items 26@HeidiAraya
- 27. Additional facilitation techniques § Assign meeting roles (notes, facilitation) § Lean Coffee agenda & vote on topics § Use a topic facilitator § Do “rounds” or “pass the ball” § Timebox speaking time § Silent brainstorming AKA Brain dump § Track who has spoken & how much § Check in and check out 27@HeidiAraya
- 28. Solutions for lack of engagement in meetings § Use video and have good lighting § Start with icebreakers or check-ins § Do something unexpected § Ask for input & feedback on meeting § Ask open-ended questions § Try breakout rooms § Call on people who haven’t spoken § Assign and rotate meeting roles 28@HeidiAraya
- 29. Solutions for meetings going off track § Start meeting by reviewing the agenda, expected outcomes, and ask for buy in & additional topics § Use a parking lot for off-topic discussions and questions § Keep to time § Have a co-facilitator help § Use a common signal (enough – let’s move on) ELMO 29 Cards: www.collaborationsuperpowers.com/supercards @HeidiAraya
- 31. What will you try on Monday? I’d love to know! § Tweet it out @HeidiAraya #distributedagile § Connect with me on LinkedIn § Sign up for our virtual meetups on CoachingAgileJourneys.com 31